A regression indeed. Maybe it is brought on in part by the same concerns that leave us encumbered with too many "pillows" that prevent us from outmatching the mobility of the current crop of bad guys.

Maybe it is because folks choose to ignore the solid lessons that line our collective history of modern war, from the LRDG, LRRPs, RLI, and on and on. We are talking about some brave men who faced daunting odds, and not always because the enemy was tough to find, but because if he found you he could bring in airpower to hunt you down, or he was also very adept at moving and fighting light.

Maybe it's because we'd need to get a whole lot better at training to the basics, which you and I agree is something not done well. The basics are so, so critical to the business of indpendent operations.

I'm not sure the highers ups can stomach another Lone Survivor scenario.