Quote Originally Posted by Cole View Post
Another largely unnoticed point in the study was that the platoon-plus at Wanat was newly arriving from Camp Blessing and had been there since, I believe, April, before moving to set up COP Kahler in July. That long rest at a far safer FOB would tend to dispute Ken's point about launching patrols from larger bases. After all, Wanat was just 5 miles north of Camp Blessing. An easy walk right? Well maybe with new body armor and carrying all your own supplies through mountains it is not so easy...
I wasn't there and have no idea when the Platoon did what so I cannot comment on that. What I can say is that if you assume that Platoon sat from April to July, I suspect you're doing them a disservice. They most likely were running at least some patrols from the FOB. One would hope, at least.

Patrolling is never easy. In mountains, it is quite difficult -- but it goes with the job. You should not avoid it because it is dangerous, nor should you avoid it because it is really hard work. To do so is to invite trouble.

Also note that you're having them walk with all their supplies to set up a 'COP.' That's not a patrol, that's an approach march to establish a static position. That's a very different thing -- and not a good idea...
I saw many light loads in old Vietnam footage and some less than flattering equipment and uniform practices...
Flattering is in the eye of the peacetime soldier who can afford the time and effort to be pretty. Also note that though armor was available it was worn by virtually no one -- can't do it in jungle heat and if we do another jungle war, all those Armor lovers are going to have either cases of heat stroke or personal conniption fit when some sensible General says 'dump the armor' (which of course means we could drop it in Afghanistan -- but we won't...).
perhaps caused by the long patrols Ken described.
and the short ones. Different Army. Quite different. Better in some ways, not as good in others but definitely different...
The far higher casualty figures also do not necessarily support the value of long random patrols anymore than boring holes in the sky hoping to find the enemy is an effective technique. One could argue patrols and UAS loiters should be cued and focused on CCIR and other IR related to commander's information needs.
That's emphatically mixing Breadfruits and Blueberries...

No patrol should ever be 'random.' Its route should be carefully selected to be purposeful but not predictable and it should appear random only to the untrained observer. Other units should pursue different routes and timings and no one should stay anywhere more than 12 hours. All should occasionally and seemingly carelessly double back to village and populated areas they just left. They should look like they know what they're doing -- the opposition will always head for the low hanging Breadfruits, the poorly trained and the sluffers, the lazy -- who are always with us...

Static outposts have a poor record in COIN efforts while well planned and conducted long patrols are proven very effective in counterguerrilla work. Overall casualty figures from the two approaches differ but little. Extensive patrols worked in WW II, in Korea and in Viet Nam. Elements of the 1/82 BCT employed them also successfully -- as 82 Redleg can attest -- in Afghanistan. They cannot be sent out just to say we did it, they have to have a purpose, a thoroughly planned route and resupply process and be willing to forego own DS Arty support. When the bureaucracy got going in Viet Nam in late 1967, one of their first foolish diktats was that no US unit could move out of US Artillery fans. That stopped the long patrols and the war went downhill from then on. Better safe than effective...

It's the American way.

The far higher casualty figures from Viet Nam compared to Afghanistan are due to the very different type of war plus big differences in terrain and vegetation. It can also be attributed to a very different, more numerous, better trained, better armed and more competent enemy -- that last not my opinion but from an acquaintance who was SF for years to include Viet Nam and now works as a Contractor for somebody or other.