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2006-02-05 Home Front: Politix

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Posted by Anonymoose 2006-02-05 10:17|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Yes, the army's special forces is going from 15 to 20 battalions. It will be a trick to expand that much and retain the incredible quality and depth of skills these soldiers bring. Lots of language and culture immersion as well as weapons, physical and other training.

OTOH I don't have a clue what languages and cultures the new battalions will focus on at first, but if they include (say) latin america, then perhaps that won't be as hard as it might be otherwise given the fine role that hispanics play in our armed forces today.

Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 10:57|| 2006-02-05 10:57|| Front Page Top

#2 Since they are also now recruiting directly from the civilian world along with the military, I imagine that as well as getting a lot of dropouts, washouts and kooks, they are also getting some serious stone killers who just don't care for "the Army way", but otherwise are superb at doing the voodoo that they do.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-02-05 12:28|| 2006-02-05 12:28|| Front Page Top

#3 This will be an interesting study in rushing to man SF units. How will a SOF troop train other armies in tactics when they have no experience in them? Imagine some kid out of the Q course training Honduran troops on jungle movement techniques. We will be able to train a guy off the street to be fairly competant in Direct Action but the more complicated FID mission is not for beginners. It's not about being a bad ass, the majic SF brings is in training other troops to fight and in understanding their culture, not just geographic but military as well. This has the potential for disaster, the old addage that Sf can't be mass produced holds true. Lets hope we take this slow and steady.

Posted by 49 pan 2006-02-05 14:44|| 2006-02-05 14:44|| Front Page Top

#4 That's one reason I speculated on a hispanic / Latin America focus for some of the new units. A) we might well need them there soon - now??? and B) many candidates for the new SF battalions have a leg up in terms of knowing the language and culture

Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 14:51|| 2006-02-05 14:51|| Front Page Top

#5 "¡Hola Presidente!"

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-02-05 14:54|| 2006-02-05 14:54|| Front Page Top

#6 I thnk much of the increase is coming from regular Army and Marine infantry. These guys have seen the elaphant and know what they're about.

While they may be below the curve in language skills, they are already highly trained and experienced combat soldiers having skills including but not limited to engineering, light and heavy weapons, field medicine and communications.

I think these new operators will have a huge positive impact on the capabilities of the SOF community, just my $.02

Posted by Robjack 2006-02-05 15:21|| 2006-02-05 15:21|| Front Page Top

#7 RJ, Drawing from the services is what its all about and I agree with you. The very best in the community are guys that have been there in the services and understand "two up and one back" is not how we should fight terrorism. Recruiting from the street is where I think we will screw up the community.

Lotp has a great point in our hispanic communities. As she eludes to Spanish speakers. The SF teams need to be from the areas they are going to. For example a troop with Honduran heritage will have problems with Mexican soldiers if we are going to help them with our borders, not that we are, but it would help if the troop was of Mexican heritage.

Posted by 49 pan">49 pan 2006-02-05 17:55|| 2006-02-05 17:55|| Front Page Top

#8 understand "two up and one back" is not how we should fight terrorism.

I'm not a soldier, but I confess I was taken aback when a tank commander from Gulf I, now an O-6, insisted that two forward and one in reserve HAD to be doctrine. I asked him where the front line was in Baghdad and he got red, then said quietly, "Okay, if we can impose a front, that's the way to go."

And I understand that from a tanker. But SOCOM is a whole 'nuther deal. Had the chance to talk with a SOCOM 0-3 back from ... places ... recently. Impressive as hell, in a quiet underspoken way. We talked about mission planning and the respect for (and involvement) of the entire squad in mission planning was palpable.

Posted by lotp 2006-02-05 18:06|| 2006-02-05 18:06|| Front Page Top

#9 lotp you are so right it almost hurts! We have 03's that have a better tactical and operation feel for how to fight and win this war than their senior leaders, not all but some. The 06 you talked to was, as we call it, "Fighting the last war". Our young officers and NCO's will carry this all vol Army well into 2015. Time to let the old dogs who can't seem to change with the battlefield retire out.

Posted by 49 pan">49 pan 2006-02-05 21:49|| 2006-02-05 21:49|| Front Page Top

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