The Creation of Mechanized SOC Units

[Ratzel]

I think what the thread was suggesting, was that in the same way that SOCOM has Dedicated Helicopter and Boat units to facilitate air and sea/river support, that the same think is being suggested for protected mobility.

No, I was actually talking about a whole Ranger like Mechanized Unit. What you're talking is sort of like the SAS has, where each team is trained for a speacial task (e.i. Small boats, Mountains, etc). I'm talking about having tanks and artillery pieces here. I would never want to see a Special Forces person being forced to drive a tank. This unit would be nothing more than an elite mechanized regiment. It would be used when SF or Delta (I don't know what they call themselves these days?) needed a highly trained armour unit to support them. Sort of like how Rangers pull security for Operators to come in and take down a target building, this would be the same thing.

I do thank all of you for giving your input. This idea would be hated by the whole Army if it ever became reality. The SOF people would fear a change in SF culture and the regular Army would fear loosing its best people.

We can also think about how this would relate to Tom Barnett's ideas. The Leviathan force would be smaller and better trained than today's force. Tomorrow's Leviathan force may be half the size of today's Army. To make up the loss in numbers, we'd want an extremely well trained and finely selected force. What do you folks think?

[Uboat509]

The SOF people would fear a change in SF culture an

What are you basing that statement on?

SFC W

[Ratzel]

What are you basing that statement on?

SFC W

When I was in the Army, there was a general disdain for Mechanized forces within light infantry units and especially SOF units. I was stationed at Ft. Benning, and before we deployed to the Middle East-in preparation for the invasion of Iraq-I attended a CQB shooting class/seminar at the Ranger Batt. The class was lead by an ex-Delta guy whose name I totally forgot. Anyway, I was talking to the Ranger Platoon Sgt. about his deployment to Afghanistan and told me that I "can keep that vehicle maintenance crap."

But it goes far beyond that as well. Mechanized Infantry was always looked down upon. Even in Basic Training, I remember the Drill Sgts speaking of the inferior mech units. The general stereotype was that Mech units were lazy, out of shape, and brought grills and coolers out to the field. I also attended several Army schools where I met soldiers and NCO's from light units who held the same attitudes.

Of course, every stereotype holds a little truth and we did have our share of fat bodies and those who used the Bradly as their own personal Winnebago's. Before they merged 11B and 11M, I also noticed some differences in knowledge of tactics between the two. This comes from time in the motor pool. I always served in a rifle squad but still had to spend time in the motor pool. Light Infantry people can spend all their time doing light infantry training, so its a scarcity of time issue.

I look at SF units as being very human capital intensive. What makes Special Forces "Special" is the quality of personal. These men depend on their minds and bodies, with the a little help from technology. Adding in million dollar vehicles, can possibly threaten the emphasis on human capital and divert it to physical capital.

[jonSlack]

...I'm talking about having tanks and artillery pieces here. I would never want to see a Special Forces person being forced to drive a tank. This unit would be nothing more than an elite mechanized regiment. It would be used when SF or Delta (I don't know what they call themselves these days?) needed a highly trained armour unit to support them. Sort of like how Rangers pull security for Operators to come in and take down a target building, this would be the same thing...

In my opinion, you are proposing a solution for a problem that does not exist.