Like I said, the last time I ran around in full battle rattle was a few months ago in cat 5 heat at Camp Mackall. It sucked. SF candidates were dying. Hydration only goes so far when in its hot as hell and you're on maybe 45 min-1.5 hours of interrupted sleep per day. That's why I was pointing out how awed I am by how you guys cope with 140 degree heat all summer long. You realize that the US military consists of the first people in the WORLD to manage that feat, right? Iraqi natives never ran around in the mid day summer sun loaded down with gear and wearing non-convection cooling clothes.

I'm just really impressed.

As far as the no name/no rank thing, just understand that its taught as a tactical procedural tool by the instructors at SWCS. I'm not saying its right or wrong, but given what I know about the targeting of SOF soldiers' families by cells here in the states, and the uniqueness of my last name, I get the name tape thing, while the rank thing has been explained by everyone from E5's back from deployment to Lt. Cols warning us that PFC's and E4's are going to be required to be able to walk into a room with tribal officials, wearing no rank, and present themselves with enough professionalism and competence that they come across as seasoned officers. I don't know one iota of how things work in the real world, don't get me wrong, I just think its important that you understand that on certain fronts you may be coming down too hard on the soldiers for making individual 'cool kid' choices when they're just following their unit SOP. During our CULEX the opposition used our pictures and names to distribute their own propaganda, and to counter our products.

But its good to understand all of your varying perceptions!