Now, some genius has decided that we should have 2LTs advising ANA Battalion Commanders on how to plan, support and employ their Kandaks in combat. That alone will be perceived as an insult in an Army where rank means a great deal. Who the hell thought this one up?A battalion is generally comprised of several companies; a rough guess would be that there are 800 soldiers in a battalion and the Army is going to send, as the chief adviser to an Afghan Army battalion commander, a 22 year-old kid who has barely figured out how not to shoot his own foot off with a M-4? This is beyond insanity.
By the way this is occurring throughout eastern Afghanistan, right against the Pak border. A border with a country that is gradually melting down and the Taliban is attempting to consolidate. Is this the time to bring in your least experienced team?
I can comment on this as I’ve been a 2LT, they do not have the requisite skill set or judgment to be effective of even taken seriously. This is why teams such as these are manned with senior officers and NCOs. You’re taking a kid who is learning to lead his platoon and now having him advise a 600 man ANA battalion. With guys who should be team leaders trying to advise Sergeants Major, First Sergeants, Platoon Sergeants, Operations Officers, Intel Officers and other staff sections.
I advise a Colonel. These teams are being set-up for failure, these kids will pay for it and the ANA will regress back to the unprofessional gang that they were previously.
Given the sheer boneheadedness of sending a second lieutenant, a "butter bar", if you will, to give advice to senior officers in Afghanistan's army, one has to wonder of someone in Ft. Fumble is actively sabotaging the war.
(H/T)
1 comment:
I think 800 is a good round number, at least for an infantry battalion.
The Army has been short of junior officers for some time. I hope that what they're actually doing is using 2LTs who either came up through the ranks, or have at least had a lot of experience in theatre, to use in these roles. Sending a guy who's fresh out of ROTC is obviously a bad idea. Sending senior NCOs who have good people skills might be better.
Hopefully, they've not decided that these are roles that officers have to do, and then sent the only ones available. As bureaucratic as the Army can be at times, I wouldn't put it past them.
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