Quote Originally Posted by wm
We hear on other threads about the "learning curve" issue associated with unit rotations. Perhaps a solution would be to bolt on a newly arrived maneuver company to an existing intel cell that has been in country for 6 months or so. In other words, stagger rotations so that either the maneuver unit or its supporting intel team has enough time on station to bring the other element up to speed on the AO's peculiarities. I doubt a 2-week right seat ride during a RIP/TOA would be adequate.
Over a decade ago, working with a small multi-national group in an isolated location, as the U.S. intel guy, I was doing six month rotations, while the split team that made up the rest of the U.S. element was on 90-day rotations. We were staggered, so that it essentially worked out the way you described. I thought it was a good system at the time, although, of course, still subject to the personal leadership and individual capabilities vagaries that have already been discussed.

There is no good reason that it shouldn't work just as well in the Big Army on operational deployments. And that's why it won't happen....