Posted on Jul 9, 2018
Does anyone know any good professional reading books concerning post Vietnam environment?
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I'm looking into books that discuss the relationship between platoon leaders and company commanders with their soldiers in a post-Vietnam era. Many junior officers, like myself, have no combat experience. I'm curious as to how these officers led platoons and companies where most of the enlisted personnel served several tours in Vietnam.
Posted in these groups: 
Vietnam War
Professional Development
Vietnam War Professional Development
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 9
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You don’t need a book for that. All your going to get is war stories about how a PL felt inadequate because he didn’t have a combat patch. You know what’s harder to earn than a CIB? Yea- an EIB. But your an Artillery Officer so take what you learned in the basic course and execute. You develop the relationship on your competence to lead troops. In my book, now dats, Combat experience has as much weight as an NTC rotation because you train as if you were in combat. Don’t let them intimidate you because you don’t have a combat patch.
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2LT (Join to see) Reading about leading troops after the Vietnam war is more about how the Army survived and managed to ressurect itself after the dismal effects of that war.
The Army was Riffing officers left and right. Any black mark in/on an officers record was a great hint that he would not survive the drawdown. Many fine officers walked on eggs for fear of being dismissed for any small failure on their part.
The Modern Volunteer Army was not yet hatched, draftees remaining in the Army were often problematic to command.
Inasmuch as the Army has moved on from that period, why don’t you?
The Army was Riffing officers left and right. Any black mark in/on an officers record was a great hint that he would not survive the drawdown. Many fine officers walked on eggs for fear of being dismissed for any small failure on their part.
The Modern Volunteer Army was not yet hatched, draftees remaining in the Army were often problematic to command.
Inasmuch as the Army has moved on from that period, why don’t you?
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CPT Lawrence Cable
Absolutely. Even though I am old enough to have had a real draft card, I didn't enlist until 1982 and the Army was still dealing with the aftermath of some of the disastrous Vietnam policies, from McNamara's Morons to Draft Deferments. I served with more than one Senior NCO that was just trying to survive the new introduction of standards that came with the Volunteer Army and had one First Sergeant that was almost functionally illiterate. We had a number of Vietnam Era recycles in my OSUT, they were just amazed that there was such a thing as PT standards or Weight Standards.
The effect of the very unfair Draft and Johnson's refusal to declare an Emergency and activate the Guard had a drastic effect on both the war and long term Army Readiness for the next 35 years. The decision to leave the Guard at home made the a haven for those that wanted to avoid Vietnam and build a distrust with the Active Army that took over 35 years to overcome. Instead of being the US's first line of defense, the Guard Combat units were put into fill in roles that were never utilized fully until after 9/11, ignoring their performance in previous wars where the Guard was some of the first to fight. In New Guinea and Guadalcanal, the Guard was there, but during Desert Storm, they were left at home and apparently by the express wishes of the Area Commander.
The effect of the very unfair Draft and Johnson's refusal to declare an Emergency and activate the Guard had a drastic effect on both the war and long term Army Readiness for the next 35 years. The decision to leave the Guard at home made the a haven for those that wanted to avoid Vietnam and build a distrust with the Active Army that took over 35 years to overcome. Instead of being the US's first line of defense, the Guard Combat units were put into fill in roles that were never utilized fully until after 9/11, ignoring their performance in previous wars where the Guard was some of the first to fight. In New Guinea and Guadalcanal, the Guard was there, but during Desert Storm, they were left at home and apparently by the express wishes of the Area Commander.
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