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Yet Again US A10s Attack Brit Soldiers

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Here in the UK when we enlist it is to prepare to get ready to go to war. Even if you are a Sapper, Mechanic, Signaller, Pioneer, Cook or Pay Clerk. You are trained as a soldier first. And then you train for your trade, but you are always a soldier first.
When I went in I did 2 years learning my trade as I joined when I was 16, and you are not allowed to fight until you are 18. By the time I was posted to my unit, I was ready, but my training always continued. I was trained on SLR, Rifle and then SA80, Browning Automatic, SMG, LMG, GPMG and HMG. Also on 80mm Mortar, Gustav, Hand held SAMs, grenades, and then we trained on foreign weapons, AK47, and M16s. I actually found the AK47 a much better weapon than the M16 or SA80. When the battalion became Armoured Infantry we trained on the Warrior, I did a troop commanders course up in Sennelager, in Germany, where we were taught the job of driver, radio operator and of course commander, so that I could do everybody else's job.
Being in the British Army we have the advantage over our American Allies in that because we have so much experience in operations in Northern Ireland dealing with the IRA, that down in Basra we have less casualties because of that, in dealing with insurgents in built up areas.
I agree with Anthony in that no new soldier can even imagine to think about being in action until they actually do it for the first time. Or to make the training as so realistic as possible and I don't know if you can do that without putting them into action for the first time so that they can learn and hopefully come out of it alive and in one piece.
Scott
 
I must agree with you Scott, being the only benefit coming from the IRA was that UK soldiers got so much experience in order to prepare themselves for further combat roles, especially urban. Australia being the same, everyone is trained to do everyone elses job surrounding them, up and down the chain, because if one life is lost, another person can immediately step into that position without much thought. This is certainly part of cross training.
 
mac said:
Also, IMO, it seems almost suicidal (or a severe lack of common sense) to operate vehicles up and down roadways potentially laced with IEDs.
That is actually another bug up my butt mac about what the US leaders put their troops into. They devalue the life of soldiers by placing them within situations that they full know are extremely dangerous, far to much, too often. There are always safer methods and alternatives to achieve any aim, and I believe this is where the US leaders neglect their roles in protecting their troops, and too many lives are lost for these very actions.

You pick one route as a major one, then you arm it to the hilt at every possible angle, monitor it from every angle, ensure it is highly guarded and secure, precautionary methods in place for suicide bombers, ie. pre-post stops where vehicles must pullup and be inspected by cameras or other means that technology allow us to now utilise, instead of sacrificing human life each time. You generally can assimilate between a suspect vehicle or not, and when human contact should be used vs. not used. We have technology, yet too many human lives are still lost. Devasting IMHO.
 
I aggree with Ranger on most the points but I think the main problem with friendly fire now is the fact that the millitary (everybody's) relies WAY too much on modern technology. In ALL of the friendly fire cases I've read about high tech weapons systems were the main tool they put everything into. In almost every case right after weapons were fired pilots and weapons operators had doubts that what they were told by these systems was reliable. It's the same in lawenforcement too. We are getting too dependant on our computer systems and the younger guys don't know what to do when the system goes down. Advanced training kinda goes out the window when your being shot at then everybody is a grunt.
 
Absolutely Terry, technology must be used within reason obviously, like everything in life. Some things just can't be replaced as effectively as simply sending a person in to do a job.
 
i have trained with both english and american soldiers and both us army and marines and it all comes down to training.
i found the english to be totally professional and a joy to work with,however i found the us soldiers similar to our ary reserve but the marines are squared away with their attitude alot better than the army.
when i was in england i went and saw the memorial for the soldiers lost in the gulf and read the story and it gave me the shits very much.
accidents do happen but most learn from them, i have been in a exercise with american troops (army) and didnt have a clue what was going on around them.
they didnt know who was in front or beside them,now that is either not being smart enough to ask or not being properly breifed by officers.
 
"...,now that is either not being smart enough to ask or not being properly breifed by officers."

The officer's probably didn't know what to brief :rofl:
 
The usual break down in communications thing again. I think that some American officers have a lot to be desired, and yes, some British officers have alot to be desired as well. Many a time I've had to act as Platoon Commander because the Platoon Commander was hardly ever there. I think that the best officers are the ones who come up through the ranks, as they know what they are doing and they have the respect of their men more than anything.
Cheers
Scott
 
Yes, I agree with the officers being soldiers first, they are often the better one's. Why? Well, simply put, whether a soldier first or the very few that merely fit the profile of being a soldier more, in that they have commonsense. Most officers don't have it, or simply neglect to use it IMHO. I have worked under some very good officers, though the majority where less than adequate to command troops. Not a good ratio IMO for leaders.
 
In the Scottish Regiments, you rarely get a Scottish Officer commanding them, and if you do its some young kid who went to Gordonston or some other public school, and has no idea about real life. But it is mostly Englsih officers that are you platoon commanders and comapny commanders.
In the Guards, unfortunately, its who your family is or how much money you have before you can apply for a commsion in the Guards or Household Cavalry.
In the Paras or Royal Marines, they have to do that bit extra training to prove themselves. For instance, an officer who is commisioned into the Parachute Regiment has to go through another 24 weeks Para Training before he can wear the Red Beret. Same as the Royal Marines where its an extra 32 weeks training.
But in the UK it is still the folk from posh backgrounds that become officers. The minority of lads that go to Sandhurst get their qualifications to enter the hard way, and these lads once they have been commisioned go and learn a trade like in the Royal Engineers or Signals where they are the best at their job.
Scott
 
US Raid Kills Five Police

US helicopters mistakenly killed atleast five Kurdish troops yesterday in a friendly fire incident, US and Iraqu officals said. The US military said the air strike was targeting alQaida fighter, but later issued an apology, saying the five men killed where Kurdish police. The men where guarding a branch of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, led by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.

The US military said ground forces had indentified armed men in a bunker near a building they thought was being used to make bombs. The troops told the men to put down their weapons and fired warning shots before helicopters fired upon them.

An apology just doesn't cut it... the US military don't think, they fire first ask questions later. Idiots...
 
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