Rifle squad composition

[Bill Moore]

Rifleman,

You captured my thoughts on the squad correctly, but that task organization is for fighting. For stability operations it may need to be tweeked, not sure we need MG'ers (always situation dependent) patrolling the streets in a town that somewhat secure, because every soldier needs the ability to respond with the appropriate level of force to insurgent attacks. The last thing we want is collateral damage, because it could push the citizens into the insurgent camp. We must avoid to the extent possible creating PSYOP opportunities for our enemy, or we'll risk pulling defeat out of the jaws of victory.

Actually I there is a point in a conflict where you shift from infantry formations to constabulary formations. I don't know if the Army can afford to stand up full time constabulary units, so more likely it will be the next unit in line designates so many Bns to train as constabularies during their pre-mission train up. Task organization for a constabulary? Like many I hate breaking our infantry formations, for fear that once it happens, it will happen frequently, and we'll start eroding our combat capacity. If you buy into 4GW 100% (I'm not convinced that we can afford to lose our conventional combat capability, but we also can't afford to build different type of units in the depth that we would need them).

You're right, the OSS Ops Det's were 15 men, but the task organization I'm proposing for the ODA isn't based on that. I need to go back and take a look at it, thanks for the reminder.