Quote Originally Posted by Steve Blair View Post
Yes and no, Ken.... some of that innovating thinking actually came from Regular officers of junior rank who were quickly promoted to provide leadership for those new Volunteer units...Volunteer units also didn't start doing well until they were brought in on extended service terms (two years at least). Lots of issues, and I suspect that the "volunteer" question leads down the same rabbit hole as the draftee force.
All quite true. The same phenomenon occurred in later wars; Spanish American, WW I, WW II. The infusion of volunteers / guard or Reserve led in all those case to improvements in the way the Army did things in many areas and generally for long term improvement but that was as much a function of the huge change in structure as of 'volunteer' input.

Most of the military / tactical improvements were indeed introduced by the Regular Officers who were rapidly promoted due to a war (and those guys were in Regular as well as Guard / Reserve units) however most but not all of the nut and bolt, supply and service, housekeeping and administration, industrial and technical changes (most but not all were improvements) came from the RC folks. One of the 'strengths' they do bring is generally more current technical capability derived from civilian jobs. Another is that being less militarily knowledgeable (or conditioned...) in most senses, they are, as one bright young Regular Army BG once told me "...not aware of what they can't do..."

In all cases, it did take well over a year before most (again, not all) RC units began to function well tactically. That varies by type unit -- most RC Field Artillery and Combat Support units do well rather quickly; CSS is a mixed bag and the maneuver units take longer due to a relative lack of practice.

Totally agree that the "volunteer question" does lead down that rabbit hole. The world and too many thing in it have changed too much for either to be viable under other than unusual circumstances...