Quote Originally Posted by Cavguy View Post
The only caveat I will add is that the larger BCT staff was in response to the additional tasks expected of a BCT - tasks that used to be the province of Corps and Brigdaes. BCT's never had to manage security force assistance cells, conduct information operations, conduct public affairs, operational-level planning, manage interagency add-ons (ePRT), conduct coordinated civil development, or build local governance.

One can argue a BCT shouldn't be doing some or all of these tasks - but the AOE MTOE was worefully inadequate to those demands, and thus required pulling lots of manpower from BN's to meet the demands for increased operations by a BCT. Now the BCT staff has those people organically since the Army envisions the BCT continuing its operational vice tactical focus.

No one is for bloated staffs, but the amount currently being required of a BCT requires a large and experienced set of operators.
It's easy to loathe a large staff. For that, I am intellectually lazy.

You are correct and what you said is all true. I would add that from my foxhole, I saw these staffers work on this areas specific to COIN at the BDE level, but the BNs ended up executing their specific tasks in many cases.

For example, we had a section on BDE staff (with a Major, three NCOs and two Soldiers) who had the sole mission of assessing CF/IA battle damage to civilian buildings and possessions, etc. I forgot what branch he was or what his position was called. Certainly a needed position and critical mission. Not sure it required a Major and five others with that as their sole mission.

Here's the point: when an incident occured in the BDE where the IA or CF damaged local property, said Major would just call down the battalion or MiTT responsible and tell them to take pictures, write a report and bring it to him at the FOB. From there, he would look at the pictures, read the report and make his analysis, call the BNs or MiTTs back, and tell us what to do about the situation. I would argue we probably could have cut the middle man out in this instance. If I am a commander that owns the AO, and I know what my guys did and I was there when it happened or shortly afterward, then I can probably make the decision on how to handle that. I don't need another layer of Bureacracy from BDE to help me do that, so that some Major can justify his existence. But maybe someday I'll be that Major. Then I will be a big, fat hypocrite.

I have many more examples, but they are not necessarily IRT too much staff, but that big staff certainly not going out of their way to support the BNs and MiTTs. My remaining beefs are with the Comptroller and ISF Cell. Stories for another day...