Comments on: OFFICER BLOAT? http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/officer_bloat/ Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:42:30 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Donald Sensing http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/officer_bloat/comment-page-1/#comment-11938 Donald Sensing Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=4947#comment-11938 James, as a former operations officer for an MLRS battalion, I beg to differ. The firepower of your MLRS platoon was <i>considerably greater</i> than that of a cannon Vietnam war battalion. The command and control problem of an MLRS lieutenant is at least as great as that of a traditional cannon battery commander. An MLRS captain commanding an MLRS battery has C3 responsibilties that correspond to that of a cannon battalion commander, who is a Lt. Col. One MLRS battalion easily has more firepower than an entire division-artillery of the Vietnam war. This huge increase in firepower is also seen in infantry and armor units. That's why I deny that the 2d Infantry Dicv (Mech) is a "tripwire;" its present firepower is greater than that of a whole Army corps of yesteryear, even without counting the enormous lethality of Air Force tactical air power, which is practically another branch of the Army now, so well integrated are combined-arms operations. James, as a former operations officer for an MLRS battalion, I beg to differ. The firepower of your MLRS platoon was considerably greater than that of a cannon Vietnam war battalion.

The command and control problem of an MLRS lieutenant is at least as great as that of a traditional cannon battery commander. An MLRS captain commanding an MLRS battery has C3 responsibilties that correspond to that of a cannon battalion commander, who is a Lt. Col.

One MLRS battalion easily has more firepower than an entire division-artillery of the Vietnam war.

This huge increase in firepower is also seen in infantry and armor units. That's why I deny that the 2d Infantry Dicv (Mech) is a "tripwire;" its present firepower is greater than that of a whole Army corps of yesteryear, even without counting the enormous lethality of Air Force tactical air power, which is practically another branch of the Army now, so well integrated are combined-arms operations.

]]> By: James Joyner http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/officer_bloat/comment-page-1/#comment-11939 James Joyner Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=4947#comment-11939 Sometimes, I don't know my own strength! Sometimes, I don't know my own strength!

]]> By: Phelps http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/officer_bloat/comment-page-1/#comment-11940 Phelps Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=4947#comment-11940 I'm not expert enough to be certain of this, but I suspect there is another factor at work. When it comes to high-casualty warfare, it is a lot harder to train and season officers than it is enlisted straight-legs. If we were to get into a major slugfest, we would have to expand our ranks quickly. You can draft huge numbers of men, ramrod them through bootcamp and get a rifle in thier hands pretty quickly. I don't think that you can do that with officers. Push comes to shove, I think that a lot of the enlisted men that we have now could be field-promoted to the positions that officers hold right now, but those officers -- the leaders -- would be needed to keep the newly drafted somewhat effective. I'm not expert enough to be certain of this, but I suspect there is another factor at work. When it comes to high-casualty warfare, it is a lot harder to train and season officers than it is enlisted straight-legs. If we were to get into a major slugfest, we would have to expand our ranks quickly. You can draft huge numbers of men, ramrod them through bootcamp and get a rifle in thier hands pretty quickly. I don't think that you can do that with officers.

Push comes to shove, I think that a lot of the enlisted men that we have now could be field-promoted to the positions that officers hold right now, but those officers -- the leaders -- would be needed to keep the newly drafted somewhat effective.

]]> By: Blackfive - The Paratrooper of Love http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/officer_bloat/comment-page-1/#comment-11941 Blackfive - The Paratrooper of Love Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000 /?p=4947#comment-11941 <strong>Thursday Links</strong> John Donovan at Argghhh! has an interesting post on how we should increase re-enlistments in our armed services - based on the Navy in 1779. Tony the Oriental Redneck looks at Kerry then (1971) and now (2004). Go to "Kerry --- Thursday Links
John Donovan at Argghhh! has an interesting post on how we should increase re-enlistments in our armed services - based on the Navy in 1779. Tony the Oriental Redneck looks at Kerry then (1971) and now (2004). Go to "Kerry

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