Can someone of higher rank chose to go outside the wire?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 May 2020 00:17:40 -0400

Lets say you get deployed and your Brigade commander decides he wants to go outside the wire, could they do that? I've always wondered whats the highest rank someone would actually see combat

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made May 4 at 2020 12:27 AM

LTC Jason Mackay — Mon, 04 May 2020 00:27:22 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Four Star. GEN Petraeus routinely went "outside the wire". My Division Commander did during OEF. Brigade Commander was out all the time. All the Battalion Commanders in the last BCT I was in, ALL kitted up and went on ops. They command their unit and d what they need to in order to accomplish that.

It's called Battlefield Circulation. Leaders do this all the time. They go where ever they think they need to go to lead their unit from the decisive point. It is routine for BCT and BN commanders to have their Tank, Bradley, Stryker to fight off of. Absolutely common to have Battalion Commanders out on ops. My BN Commander went on patrols frequently. I went as a SPO but not as an XO, because my job was to be there to support my BC going where he needed to go, patrol, airdrop, other FOBs/units.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2020 2:19 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 May 2020 02:19:14 -0400

When the question starts with, “Can the commander do XYZ.?”, the answer is just about always “yes”.
18OCT2018.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 4 at 2020 2:47 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 May 2020 02:47:19 -0400

Your PSG can decide to go outside the wire if there's a valid reason. Going outside doesn't mean they will see combat. Out of two years in Iraq, and several hundred combat patrols, I've only been shot at a handful of times, blown up even less, and had even fewer enemy combatant situations. Although, I've had at least a few hundred mortars and rockets shot at me.
Point is, by the time your BDE CDR gets there the area is pretty much settled. The majority of the combat patrols your platoon undertakes are boring and uneventful. If a BDE CDR was looking to get into a firefight that day, they would need to be in a hostile area and go visit their most remote outpost. Even then, the majority of the patrols are going to be nothing. Colonels have more important work than walking around third world villages hoping for someone to shoot at them. When you have 5,000 Soldiers you're worrying about, you just don't have time for that. No leader has time to mess around with that kind of thing, and if they did they would probably be a narcissist

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 4 at 2020 10:30 AM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 04 May 2020 10:30:39 -0400

Sure. Badge chasing senior officers and NCO's join patrols all the time. Not even unusual.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made May 4 at 2020 10:48 AM

LCDR Joshua Gillespie — Mon, 04 May 2020 10:48:19 -0400

Having never been afforded the opportunity to serve as a senior officer... I never the less often did consider what, "I would do differently", had I been. I think it's safe to say every good officer wants to share as much of their peoples' burdens and risk as possible and practical. As the S-3, I routinely put myself on every convoy I planned (usually in the turret)... until a senior enlisted member counseled me to remember that any "good intentions" I had, may have had very "bad" unintended consequences. There are times when a more senior person's presence contributes... and times when it unnecessarily complicates things and/or builds resentment rater than respect. I once heard it stated like this; we all have our "picture" that we manage. In a motion picture, the actors play their parts... and the director manages. It's hard to envision Spielberg trying to manage "Saving Private Ryan" as an extra on set. That said, there are plenty of examples from history where a senior officer's direct involvement on the battlefield made a very real difference... and some not so far back in history (Jim Gavin, Patton, and Mattis are just a few examples). Myself personally? I would be highly motivated by seeing a flag level officer "out front"... unless his being there was in any way detrimental to the safety of others, or the success of the mission.

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made May 4 at 2020 3:44 PM

SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA — Mon, 04 May 2020 15:44:20 -0400

In Civilian Warrior, Erik Prince recounts a 3-Star dropping into a firefight next to his contractors, as I recall.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 4 at 2020 5:43 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 04 May 2020 17:43:29 -0400

It seems like some of the best generals fought from the front. The wanted to control the battles with quick decision making.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2022 9:12 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 21:12:23 -0400

Our Battalion commander was outside the wire almost daily. Saw a few Generals, but they usually took helicopters. If they want to go outside the wire, they can. Brigade CSM was frequently outside the wire. If they want to do it, I certainly don't have the authority to stop them.

Response by CSM Tony Blair made May 2 at 2022 7:05 AM

CSM Tony Blair — Mon, 02 May 2022 07:05:10 -0400

Lol

Any good commander will !!

AATW