CANNONEER
Military Education
Now we have another demonstration of two things.
- Formal military education is unimportant for learning war fighting.
- The Army is in dire straights personnel wise.
Why else would the Sec Def say that during times of stress officers should be pulled from schools? Why would the 4th ID pull all of their officers from CGSC?
FORM OVER SUBSTANCE
A good friend told me this past week everyone in his headquarters in D.C. had to troop down to the operations NCO and sign for a "Warrior Ethos" tag. This Tag informed them what the ethos was. I remember having a retired four star tell a group that an organization that hands stuff like that out and has cute sayings is in trouble.
I wonder if the soldiers and marines at Bastogne, Wake Island, Bataan, or the Chosen Reservoir had those little tags? I bet their warrior ethos came from something much more meaningful and much deeper.
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JUST THE FACTS MAM'
I had the opportunity to listen an interview in progress conducted by a newspaper reporter (maybe age 19) and a Veteran's for Kerry Chairman for a the state I live in. While I agree with his basic premise on the war in Iraq, I had to grit my teeth. First let me say that arguing the facts will work out much better then spinning the facts. Let’s look at the things I overheard.
1. "The National Guard was never intended to be used the way it is being used. It was meant to protect state X and to respond to natural disasters----wrong." Look at the history of the National Guard in World War II and in Korea. Divisions were called up for Federal service and in the case of World War II they served for the duration. That's 1941 to 1945 boys & girls. The same was true of state units from World War I and going back to the Spanish American War. Vietnam was the only war I can think of where the Guard and Reserves were primarily used as means to avoid the draft. Our Army was designed on purpose to require the use of the Guard and the Reserves shortly after the Vietnam War by then Chief of Staff Creighton Abrams. It was done with the full support of the Congress.
2. "Our troops have M-113's Armored Personnel carriers like the one's I had in Vietnam--wrong." The only similarity is the hull. The drive train is no longer gasoline powered and the armor includes upgrades to prevent spalling. It goes cross country at a much higher speed and much smoother. It has night vision capabilities. In fact some feel it is superior to the new Stryker vehicle. The differences in the vehicle are like comparing a 1950 Ford to a 2004.
3. "Lack of vest and armored Hmmv's--correct." In all fairness I'm not familiar of any war where we were ready logistically or doctrinally. Congress likes to fund things other then the military (except in election years) and the military likes to train for the last war. As late as 1997 I was still fighting simulations in the Fulda Gap of Germany against an Army that had changed its' name but it was still the old red menace. I never once fought one that had anything like the Fedayeen attacking convoys in the rear area. Generals unfortunately rarely get good grades for imagination.
The bottom line is that we can win the argument on the War in Iraq by using the truth and facts. That pertains to both sides of the argument on this war. The other thing is the Democrats need to get over their schizophrenic relationship with the military and the Republicans need to wake up and realize they don't own our vote and dismiss us as robots that can't think.
GOING AFTER THE DELAYED ENTRY PROGRAM
Hard to believe it, but I've heard the Army is going to try and take enlistees out of the FY 2005 pot and move them into FY 2004. This means they are so desperate for enlistments that they are eating their own seed corn. Everyone who gets shipped to basic early will have to be replaced next year. The poor recruiters will never catch up at that rate. Someone needs to be honest and admit we've got problems in the area of accessions. Not hard to figure out when you link this to the call up of the IRR (to include a 67 year old retired M.D. and a retired helicopter pilot with a 20% disability for a back injury) and the stop loss program.
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EQUAL PAY EQUAL WORK?
Equal pay for equal work. Remember that battle cry? Now we have Sen. Lautenberg proposing that soldiers who have been held beyond their original release date by the Stop Loss be paid an additional $2,000.00 per month. Now you have two Privates in a fox hole sharing MRE's and being shot at. One is paid $2,000.00 more then the other Private. Equal work and equal risk, right? This won't work. If I was the Private being paid $2,000.00 less you don't think I'd have a case of the butt? Damn right I would. This will only serve to create a wedge in units and hurt morale. If you oppose the war in Iraq, say so. If you oppose the Stop Loss program, say so. Don't try to back door your issues like this. You'll only hurt troops that need all the help we can give them. Unfortunately, both Republicans and Democrats seem to view our troops as political hockey pucks during an election year. Ever wonder how many of our great patriots in the congress have kids serving in combat? My understanding is one. Now that is real commitment to the war on terror.
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WHO SHOULD FIGHT TERRORISM
I think something that needs to be considered is do we have a counter-terrorism force that is properly designed and empowered to conduct the war we are currently in? Presently we are using primarily conventional forces in Iraq and Afghanistan to conduct this mission. These forces are performing admirably, but are they the right tool for the job? Army and USMC conventional units spend a great deal of time training for a myriad of missions they may be required to face. This is a little like trying to make them into a jack of all trades when it comes to combat task. FM 7-15 the Army Universal Task List states that "Commanders who employ conventional forces against organized terrorist forces operating within their areas of operation are conducting
conventional offensive operations (emphasis added), not counter-terrorism operations (FM 3-07)". This illustrates that the Army may not have the right mind set for the current fight. Now I'll agree that the SOF community probably does. But their has always been a problem in the Army with a us versus them mentality between the convention Army and the SOF community. Battalions, Brigades, Divisions, and Corps are probably not the right tool. Remember the old saying that if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail? I propose an honest study needs to be made that ask if an independent counter-terrorism force needs to exist. I'll also go so far as to say that it should be allowed to operate both outside and inside the borders of the United States. Having an artificial boundary drawn that causes a hand off to a different agency doesn't make sense. I also think we should think outside the box and ask if it should even belong to DoD?
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STOP LOSS
First let me say that I think some of the stop loss indicates a problem in accessions at the SPC and below level. Holding on to these soldiers is wrong. However, I have little sympathy for the NCO's and Officers who have had their retirements delayed. Empathy I have truck loads of, sympathy I don't. When you are a dog faced soldier and re-enlist after the first time you are a professional soldier. If you accept a commission, you are a professional soldier. I realize that a lot of plans are dashed and that a lot of families are hurt. The problem is that you knew the chances of that going in. In a time of war all bets are off and the troops deserve the kind of leadership experience you provide. We can grow privates pretty quick. Non Commissioned Officers and Officers take a lot of time and experience.
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