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technoshaman knows what this means. They're sending the 11th Armored Calvary Regiment, known for years as OPFOR, to Iraq. These are the people who for the past ten years have specialized in training soldiers for combat duty; they're the "opposing force" every infantry and tank team has had to train against.Is the army really so desperate for bodies that it would dismantle the most competent training force in the world to send it to Iraq? Philip Carter says this is the army "eating its own seed corn," and I agree. OPFOR duties will be taken over by National Guardsmen. No offense, but a National Guard unit has neither the institutional memory nor the long-term experience needed to play OPFOR duties as comprehensively as 11 ACR Black Horse.
The army's OPFOR experience will be diminished by this, and the result will be a less-competent deployment force. Is this any way to run a war?
It's time everyone sat back and admitted this: it's no longer about swing voters. It isn't. There are no swing voters. It's all over; after the debates, the supposed "undecideds" made up their minds-- those that were hoping to fire Bush but needed reassurance regarding Kerry either found it or didn't; those that wanted to elect Bush either found their reasons or they didn't. But let's not pretend: those that didn't find what they wanted from the debates and the post-debate analysis are no longer "undecided"; on election day, they're staying home.
And that's entirely what the next two weeks of electioneering is going to be about: weakening the conviction of the other guy's "likely voters" enough to make winning feasible. Because the race is so close and the media involvement so insanely intense, the decision of who to vote for has all but been made: there is nothing left for the campaigns to do but tear down the other side and convince enough of their followers that their man isn't worth the time to go to the polls.
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They *are* that desperate.
Date: 2004-10-18 01:03 pm (UTC)Yes. They are.
They are desperate enough to call up my friend Pat, who served in Gulf War One, is in the inactive reserves, and has been dealing with medical issues as a result of Gulf War One for years. He's been in the VA medical system for years trying to get help for these issues. He has a bad back, bad rotator cuffs, etc. as a result of his service.
He leaves for North Carolina on the 29th of October. Because he's being called up, Deb, his partner, asked me to marry her and Pat on the 23rd; they've been engaged for three years. I'm deeply honored; Deb's my best friend.
They are, according to Miriam, desperate enough to consider calling up her older brother Gideon, who was released from the Army on a medical discharge after his arches collapsed for all time during boot camp. Gideon hasn't been called up yet, but that they'd consider calling up at all someone they released as 4F is an indicator of just how desperate they are.
Fear for your daughters if this war drags on for years. Fear for your younger friends, those still of draft age.
Re: They *are* that desperate.
Date: 2004-10-18 01:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-10-18 02:06 pm (UTC)You wrote:
No offense, but a National Guard unit has neither the institutional memory nor the long-term experience needed to play OPFOR duties as comprehensively as 11 ACR Black Horse.
Elf you never been in military or a brat have you…? Your eyes are turning brown…about National Guard, I will agree about 11 ACR Black Horse what I heard is very impressive.
You’re in military and made it as career, but yet you get married or you choose after 13 years of service to go ACAP and dance the last of your 5 or 7 years of your military career in National Guard.
Until you actually who is serving the National Guard or who is training those men……maybe you can have better understanding, don’t you think? Most of those men went ACAP to get their retirement benefits. I rather have man in uniform with experiences than some young ass punk with no experiences. My understanding Staff Sgt Hesslink, which was working active duty, got out to work full time here and part time National Guard. He went ACAP but still fully qualified for OPFOR to serve his country.
Most of those men aren’t wet behind the ears……
For the rest of your post....I'll deal with it later. I couldn't help myself on this one.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-18 02:06 pm (UTC)But I should note that unless the trainers themselves have some battle experience, they won't be as good at training... Perhaps that's what they're doing. Besides, maybe they're going there to train the Iraqis. That would help A LOT.
Higher learning
Date: 2004-10-18 04:19 pm (UTC)The army's OPFOR experience will be diminished by this, and the result will be a less-competent deployment force. Is this any way to run a war?
No and yes…..Let me put it this way….Army budget is lower than Air force/perhaps the marines. Lower than the National Guard.
My Ex came home unexpected so did my formal in-law nieces husband that been in the service for 12 years and went Acap and join the National Guard. Those two boys where yacking away on military budgets and Supply Readiness Gear.
During this unexpected Bar-Q I was force to go to and drop everything during a tight schedule I was on but, this was my son only chance to see his father. So I bit the bullet and made time for my son.
What I learn that National Guard had all the up to date technology and newer gear, up front and press just for them. While my Ex is running around with the old school gear wondering WTF. Why is that Elf?
I’ll tell you why most of the Army Active duty are made up of Kids just join in with no long term experience and some are old timer that are training them to the best of their ability. Some units are attaching to units that have more of upper hand in experiences. Some units are wondering why their attach to National Guard, until they meet an Captain or First Sgt that went ACAP, then “O – you all are silver Guards that been though this shit before. Welcome back.”
National Guard gets more of the budgets than most active service do. Most the National are ACAP Silver dogs just waiting for their retirement checks, that been in the military and saw THE GULF/Dessert Storm/the recent Korea Conflict. (If you want to include the Korean Conflict a silver dog war.) No I’m not talking about Vietnam. Well maybe this is some personal in National Guard still in from the Vietnam, I highly dought that.
I look at the Regular Army as a Boys Camp and National Guard is High learning for Graduates.
GOOD
Date: 2004-10-18 04:49 pm (UTC)EXCELLENT Tragedy or maneuvering plan do to clean up get what we want...is OB Tampon tunnel rat and his furry little cotton friends. If they don't release who we want they will see that we are still at our best. My understanding certain Arab tribe won't give us our prey (Last I heard). We came there for one reason OB Tampon Tunnel Rat; I don't think we're leaving until we see some thread of his death or being alive. 9/11 will have Justus. I hope and pray for.
To train Iraqis – Why them? I would just send regular arm not my best….that would be the stupidest move.
Re: GOOD
Date: 2004-10-18 05:07 pm (UTC)Do I need to remind you...they got be headed, just trying to help the actual people that need those civilian to rebuild.
I say let the Calvary kick their asses...if that is why they’re there for some real combat demolition.
no subject
Date: 2004-10-19 11:45 am (UTC)To briefly tackle the above points:
-- Guard units vary widely. Some rock. Many suck. Those with strong state government support, determined officers, and a high percentage of veterans -- with help from local employers who slip people extra days off -- tend to be very, very good. Some are better than main line units, especially Air National Guard which consists of older combat veteran flyers who sub as commercial airline pilots as their day job, who are ANG to fly the fast stuff occasionally.
No state gov't support, indifference or hostility from employers, tired or socialite officers, and falsified readiness audits == Guard units which suck so bad they can't even muster, let alone deploy. So the good personnel get transferred deployable piecemeal and the rest rot.
-- We are desperate for formed units. The 11ACR is a formed unit with its gear ready to roll. It has a rich battle history and is extremely competent. On the other hand, deploying them to Iraq means that we don't have them for North Korea -- which sucks lots.
-- You don't need Fort Irwin for battlefield training right now. They specialize in that tank-killing rain of steel sucks to be everyone but especially you kind of war, in which civilians and speed bumps are interchangeable. The other major battlefield training program is for OOTW (operations other than war) and they aren't deployable, as their OPFOR consists of "terrorists."
-- No one is enlisting and the stop-loss crap has a lot of people refusing to re-up, renegotiating contracts, or just stop showing up to drill and daring the gov't to declare them AWOL. The credibility of the Reserve program has been completely destroyed by short-sighted personnel policies. Especially blackmail ("sign up for another four or you go to Iraq next week"). Twenty years of work destroyed in less than a year. Go Bush!
-- Draftee troops suck. They suck so bad that there's no point in drafting them.
-- There's no money for the kind of lavish recruiting required now. There isn't enough money for life-saving stuff, so where are the enlistment bonuses and GI bills?
-- The merc stuff (excuse me, "civilian contractors") is not working out. Too much money, not enough results, too much BS.
-- Last but not least, this may be my best chance to go sign up myself! I should look into it again.