Article

2003-08-13 Iraq

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve White 2003-08-13 12:24:50 AM|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 One year is pretty standard for rotation through a combat zone, has been since 'Nam. And conditions are at about their worst now, will get better as fast as possible. But there's 30 years of Saddam and his hard boys, not to mention over a decade of serious embargo, to clean up after. Plus, there's the random bangers to deal with.

It won't be popular with the grunts in any case (what is, short of free booze and broads?) and reups will definitely drop. Look for an enlistment push in the media.

Posted by mojo 2003-8-13 1:01:42 AM|| 2003-8-13 1:01:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 The interesting problem emerges if we can't recruit mercenaries, I mean peacekeepers, to spell our troops.

Trying to create two or three more divisions from scratch will not be pretty or cheap.

Posted by Hiryu 2003-8-13 7:06:17 AM|| 2003-8-13 7:06:17 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Its the best that can be done. And it appears to be as fast as it can be done. Look, wartime sucks, and I hope that most of the guys and many of their families realize that the only thing worse than this war is losing this war, letting Saddam get back in power, and having to fight another one in a generation or so.

Posted by Ben 2003-8-13 7:20:08 AM|| 2003-8-13 7:20:08 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 1 year is a standard overseas short tour for unaccompanied troops. Been doing it in Korea forever. Midtour break is standard as well, lots of Korea troops meet the wife at the R&R facility in Hawaii. They could do the same here at the centers in Europe, if they don't need to fly all the way home.

Posted by Steve 2003-8-13 8:47:10 AM|| 2003-8-13 8:47:10 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Korea was also 1 year (or more), based on a point system - more points for combat personnel. Also, since WWII the U.S. Army has been doing individual replacements. There has been talk recently of unit replacments. This might be a good time to implement that.

Posted by Spot 2003-8-13 8:56:07 AM|| 2003-8-13 8:56:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Surely Vietnam showed that it is better to have long terms troops that gain experience in the region rather then many that come and go.

Posted by Bernardz 2003-8-13 10:49:02 AM|| 2003-8-13 10:49:02 AM|| Front Page Top

#7 We're going to be in Iraq for a long, long time. The constant infiltration of foreign national boomers is a clear indication that this is the beginning of the final push - either we succeed in building peaceful, democratic nations, or we need to start preparing for an all-out war between Arab and Western civilizations.

I served my "tour" in Nam, and the one-year, mid-year R&R, and that wasn't a problem for me or my spouse (a former military dependent). I do agree, however, it's not a good situation for combat troops. I would suggest that combat formations be rotated as a group, most preferably at the platoon level. I also agree that our military has been cut too deeply, too fast. We need to reconstitute at least two, and possibly five more divisions. The world isn't going to become a better place just by wishing it to. We need to have the manpower available to not only rotate through Iraq, but to rapidly increase that presence significantly if outside forces threaten the stability we are trying to build.

We built complete divisions in months during WWII. There are enough core cadre available in the retired community and recent discharges to create at least one, and possibly two new divisions, with a 50-50 split of former military and new recruits. Such units could be ready for at least rotation duties within a year. We need to get started.

Posted by Old Patriot 2003-8-13 1:02:12 PM|| [http://users.codenet.net/mweather/default.htm] 2003-8-13 1:02:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Slightly OT, but I found this report on the climate of Iraq. From this it seems to me that if the coalition can hold until the end of September, then the temperature will fall, along with electricity consumption and tempers. This will give over 6 months of relatively mild weather to get things sorted out.

Posted by A 2003-8-13 3:19:09 PM|| 2003-8-13 3:19:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Statistically speaking, more murders are commited at 92 degrees F than at any other temperature. Hotter than that you're too tired to go to the trouble, any cooler and you're not as grumpy.

Posted by mojo 2003-8-13 3:53:58 PM|| 2003-8-13 3:53:58 PM|| Front Page Top

22:58 Phil Fraering
01:22 Mike Kozlowski
00:22 Ernest Brown
23:57 Steve W.
23:43 Uncle Joe
23:26 Uncle Joe
22:46 tu3031
22:43 jfd
22:29 Chuck
22:27 whitecollar redneck
22:15 tu3031
22:07 tu3031
21:59 tu3031
21:58 Cyber Sarge (VRWC CA Chapter)
21:57 LVK (C-1-18 1ID RVN)
21:53 tu3031
21:49 tu3031
21:45 Frank G
21:44 tu3031
21:27 tu3031
21:03 Zhang Fei
20:56 john
20:47 john
20:33 11A5S