Infantry Recon VS. Line Infantry

DA has never been your "main objective".&nbsp; The Infantry doesn't conduct DA.&nbsp; I have no doubt that some one may have expressed to you that what you were doing was DA.&nbsp; But they were wrong.&nbsp; You may have supported another unit conducting DA.&nbsp; But DA per se isn't an Infantry mission.&nbsp; The skill sets required to conduct DA are often found in the Infantry.&nbsp; But Battle Drills 1 &amp; 6 don't define DA.&nbsp; You can't find DA in FM 3-21.8 because it isn't an Infantry mission.&nbsp; However, you can find it in JP 3-05 which defines DA as, "short-duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions conducted as SO in hostile, denied, or diplomatically sensitive environments, and which employ specialized military capabilities to seize, destroy, capture, exploit, recover, or damage designated targets. DA differs from conventional offensive actions in the level of diplomatic or political risk, the operational techniques employed, and the degree of discriminate and precise use of force to achieve specific objectives. In the conduct of these operations, SOF may employ raids, ambushes, or other direct assault tactics (including close-quarters combat); emplace mines and other munitions; conduct standoff attacks by fire from air, ground, or maritime platforms; provide terminal guidance for precision-guided munitions; conduct independent sabotage; conduct anti-ship operations, as well as shipboarding and seizure (e.g., maritime interception operations)"&nbsp; Furthermore, many people even in SOF think they're doing DA when they aren't or when they should be concentrating on something else.<br><br>That said, most soldiers would consider assignment to an OCONUS airborne reconnaissance unit to be a tremendous experience.&nbsp; Most soldiers don't get to do that.&nbsp; If it doesn't appeal to you, there are other opportunities.<br>

The current LRS missions are similar to the LRRP and SOG units of the VN era. The concept of LRS at a Division level came about around 1978 when the Ranger Bn's (Pre-Regiment) took most of the LRS assets and left the Divisions without LRS capability.

In 1978, while with the 9th US Infantry Division G-3 shop, I wrote several conceptual papers for the CG on the need for a LRS capability with the High Technology Light Infantry Division. I was surprised that it took so long to bring them on board. LRS, LRRP, and the Alphabet SOG units in VN were all great leadership challenges. I was always amazed at how we could continue getting good NCO's and Officers to serve with them. Some of the best combat leaders came out of those programs. Consider yourself privileged to be in a position that included men such as Bob Howard, Charlie Beckwith, David Hackworth, and George Pacerelli.

As SFC Gates stated, read the books about such men. Read how they developed the tactics and prospected men for unit positions. They had no high tech equipment and were frequently out of radio, artillery, and helo support but Charlie Miked in the traditions of elite units.

RECON all the way!