Quote Originally Posted by Sabre View Post

In the end, in a US Army that expects to fight outnumbered, why wouldn't we want formations to have an good, solid economy-of-force Cav outfit that can fight? (Even more so, given only two combat battalions per brigade...)
Could not agree with this conclusion more.

However, adding anything to the current organization means a corresponding subtraction somewhere else.

My thoughts over on the BCT threat about a Re-structured HBCT Cav Sqdrn is a zero sum game. I "re-arranged the deck chairs" with the end result being two "Heavy" Cav Troops (13 CFVs and 9 tanks) and one Light/wheeled troop in the Cav Sqdrn. Much more combat capability then the current. The price was the substution/reduction in the CABs to a six-HMMWV platoon of limited/restricted capability.

Too much time, effort, resources ($$s) was tied up in the "Quality of Firsts, See 1st, understand 1st, act 1st, finish 1st" Blah, blah blah. We also had too many folks for too long who could not see recon as a mission vice a unit type. The doctrine changed back in March 2010. Now Recon Sqdrns are "allowed" for fight for information. However, the equipment and organizations remain the same

The Billpayers to field the HBCT Recon Sqdrns were: the Brigade recon Troops, The Division Cavalry Sqdns, and the ADA Bns (strangly enough). The piece/parts available to transform/modularize were armored HMMWVs and CFVs and a handful of tanks. The tought of tanks in recon was bad. (What do you need those for? You'll just get into a fight and get distracted from your real purpose...) Same over in the SBCTs, no MGS in the recon just the line battalions.