Comments on: One more thought on training

By: Perfect Sense

Perfect Sense — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 15:48:41 +0000

IED is a new name for a land mine. Millions upon millions of land mines have been laid by the enemy in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the First Iraq war. The US Army has been clearing land mines for many, many decades. Land mines (IEDs) are now high profile because their use is frequently videotaped and shown on American TV. They are one of few methods the enemy has to kill Americans.

I wonder if the Powerline “Correspondent” had proper training as a combat reporter.

By: Badger 6

Badger 6 — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:09:50 +0000

We have fought counterinsurgencies before, but there are very few people that are or at least were prior to this experience in the Army and Marine Corps. That’s why one goes to the text and attempts to learn what they can. Moreover, the roadside bomb is not a new invention, the insurgency here though has virtually perfected it.

Additionally units coming over here now have no excuse. People in all walks of life teach themselves how to do things all of the time. The Army has been woefully in adequate in coming to terms with teaching COIN for some reasons the author of the original piece mentioned. It is no defense though for an officer or NCO to rely merely on the “school solution.”

By: Scott Jacobs

Scott Jacobs — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 13:29:56 +0000

Pablo makes an excellent point. It’s like Dilbert’s boss demanding a schedule for all future unplanned server outages.

By: Pablo

Pablo — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 12:38:55 +0000

As officers and NCOs we are responsible for seeking out training we anticipate we might need.

And any training is created based on what? Experience.

5 years ago, there was no manual on how to counter IED’s, was there? I take it there is one now.