Glad the Death Certificate has been written for DO; sad that the USMC has found it easier to go to "Enhanced Company Operations". Granted, the USMC has perhaps the best Rifle Company layout in the business, and there are a lot of (other) Infantrymen out there who experience a noticeable Pavlovian response to Marine Infantry TO&E's. But I just don't understand why the USMC doesn't feel comfortable using Platoons to go out and whack the enemy; use your Squads to find em', then bring in the rest of the Platoon to finish 'em. And if things go really wrong, you've got a Platoon (or at least the remnants thereof) to fight your way out, not just a Squad.

But using an entire Company? The enemy will see (or hear) you coming long before you can get to grips with them. Enhanced Company Operations or not (whatever that is) still ends up tending to sacrifice or at least compromise the most important tactical attributes that small-units require (and should exploit to the max when possible) - surprise and agility.

Before I finish, I just want to to make clear that this wasn't a swipe at the Marines, or any other Army that prefers to use Companies where Platoons will do. As anyone can see in places from Fallujah to Garmser, the Marines are unsurpassed at getting it right at the tactical level, combining as they do all Arms right down to Battalion/MEU-level in a way that noone else does, and giving them a battlefield superiority that few can match at that level. I'm just saying that given all this, it does not make any sense that the Marines would see fit to be satisfied with this and not go whole hog to achieve tactical superiority and dominance at all tactical levels, from Battalion all the way down. Something just doesn't fit here. Why?