Quote Originally Posted by selil View Post
Actually I strongly disagree with this Cavguy. The human being has not substantially changed and whether we use Maslow or others the basic requirements for the care and feeding of the soldier have not changed. The accessories may have changed (ipods versus harmonicas) but the actual human interactions are pretty stable.
And I strongly disagree with that -- in one aspect -- while you're correct that the the human hasn't changed, his or her expectations (environmentally dependent) certainly have. That affects the culture and the training as you noted.
That doesn't make the points of fixing what appears to be a brittle logistics path any less important.
I'd say that "appears" is the operative word with the caveat that the log system is a governmental function and our government has become broadly dysfunctional. Which is why this:
...the stories of lobster thermidor, and movie night in the combat zone will not play well in Peoria.
is IMO not a significant problem -- Peoria has other things on its mind right now.
Associations in the story of combat played out as soldiers staying in the former palaces of Saddam eating luxurious meals and serviced by concierge services will back fire on the military.
We can agree on that -- using those Palaces (and former Iraqi Army compounds) was bone stupid.
Some will get their backs all up and get pissed to the gills saying "but it's not that way". To true. But, the information and political motivations in an unpopular war that is tightly controlled feed the furnace of this firestorm. Just wait. I thought Black Water would be the one to tip the balance but it is sounding more like KBR. The USAF/Boeing KC136 tanker deal looked like it might break this open, but it didn't. Every soldier talking about FOBBITS, every story about steak, every story about contractor profiteering, paints a picture that the soldiers are complicit with the contractors using war as an excuse to live high on the hog.
There is a segment of the population that will do that; they would do it no matter what. Fortunately or unfortunately, viewpoint dependent, most will pay little attention to the majority of the things you cite -- that generally dysfunctional government thing again...
I know let the recriminations begin. I would just point out that a WaPo reporter was hanging out here looking for evidence of malfeasance about the use of funds by soldiers for rebuilding.
I think that makes my point about a certain segment...
How is that for busting the echo chamber?
I'll go about four on a scale of ten????

Not at all sure it's an echo chamber; maybe some disagreement on approaches -- and that's good -- and some disconnects about what was then and what is now.