Poll of a Billion Monkeys

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Redeployments and Realignments

Signal, Sygnet and Sigil - Redeployments and Realignments

Assuming this Article is indeed legitimate, I am very much in favor of this type of troop realignment and redeployment. And I have been personally advocating this idea for some time.

I think every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine, and those in Special Forces units (even those normally not spun up except for exceptional mission scenarios - such as Counter-Terrorism Rescue and Hostage Rescue Teams) should spend some active duty time in a combat zone or in a combat theatre, even if only for six months.

No Armed Force of the United States, especially an all-volunteer force should consist of those who have been in Combat Areas (Combat Veterans - whose deployments are usually far too exhaustive and exhausting), and those who have never seen or Know Nothing of Combat Areas (Combat Virgins). Even those in the Institutional Force should be serving some period of time in and around combat theatres. It will make them far better, far more experienced, and far more valuable trainers.

Of course you do not necessarily want every trooper who is transferred to a combat theatre to see combat (or even necessarily see the most dangerous areas of a combat theatre), but you do want them to at least gain a necessary education in, and to become acclimated towards, combat conditions. You also want those who do not directly engage in fighting to gain experience in offering logistical and close support to those troops who are engaged in active combat. And I suspect that it would greatly and beneficially contribute to overall force cohesion.


By the way, it looks like another great is Going Black.

You know, I'm to the point now of thinking about asking for legislative action to help address this problem.

I still think the problem could be easily addressed though through clever use of technological filters.

1 comment:

Jack said...

Another buddy of mine sent me this response, but did not wish to be identified.


Jack,

This inequity is the main reason so many Soldiers with high-demand skills get out. I am now prepping for what will be my ... combat deployment to ... Admittedly, three of my four tours have been for "only" ... months, so it's not quite the same as those Infantry guys who go for a year at a pop.

The number five, however, is not the only important number in my military service history however. The number ... is also pretty significant. That's how many times I've tried to get a paid Master's degree through the Army and how many times I have been denied. To add insult to injury, I volunteered for Arabic language school, but was denied for that, too. Even though the Army would not send me to language school for Arabic, they WILL send me to...again and again. I have tried to learn some basic Arabic on my own, using a website on my free time, but I'm not one of those guys who can make much headway like that. I need a structured language class and a fluent instructor.

I love the Army, but she ain't loved me back in a long time. I will do my duty to the best of my ability and then retire to a lucrative civilain job making nearly TWICE my current salary for LESS danger and MORE family time. Tough choice, huh?