Quote Originally Posted by ODB View Post
...Nothing worse than hearing a brand new private being inprocessed by specialist calling E-8s by there first name. I got it, different environment but have to draw the line at some point. Then 3 years down the road that private now has to go back to big Army, they are in for a huge culture shock.
I know that's true but I've long thought Big army has the wrong approach...
...As far as officer manning does anyone honestly believe big Army would give up their best and brightest to SOF?
Probably not but then, SOF shouldn't get the best and brightest in the support arena, they should get what the pipeline spews forth. If the pipeline spews inadequate people, then the pipeline needs to fixed. Most people are average, period...
...IMHO funding is a huge part of this. There is entirely too much politics involved. . .When one looks at SOF as a whole all the pieces are there, just get back to using them in their role. Many of us can see SF evolving one of two ways:

1. Being more of a DA/CT force but then this leaves a huge void to be filled, but then why MARSOF? SEALS tried FID wanting a piece of the action and then realized they want absolutely nothing to do with it. So the question is who fills the void if SF evolved this way?
Heh. Precisely. It is not a job for everyone and while many can do both jobs 'acceptably' (in the eyes of some -- casualty count disregarded) there is no question that about ten percent or so of the guys can excel at both jobs and that 70 plus percent of the folks in all the US SOF can do both at a decreasingly acceptable level but that means about 10 percent or so cannot do both -- and it also means that probably about 50-60% can one job much better than they can do the other. Why are we doing this if it's dumb? You answered it just above: "There is entirely too much politics involved."
2. The way many of us see SF evolving is taking a larger role in HUMNIT and possibly becoming much more focused on this aspect than anything else. In doing so FID/UW would not go on the back burner as FID would be the proverbial foot in the door.
I hear you and generally agree but be careful, the HUMINT business is necessary but it too takes special qualities. It is not a job everyone is suited for and it can start driving the FID train instead of just aiding it if you aren't careful.
...Too many have gone the past 7 years without having to deal with this. There is definately some bumps in the road ahead but nothing that cannot be overcome.
True dat.
Personally I'd love an Inf company OPCON to me, the things I could do and Battalion would be a dream come true, unfortunately I doubt I'll ever see the day, we are just not there yet. Then again it would depend on the personalities, I definately think Inf companies are doable. Then again why would I need them if I was doing my job developing my FID force?
We'll get there. We'll have to, I suspect.