A relevant blue-print for the future of the Armed Forces?

2015-05-01T12:13:00-04:00

Seeing as low-intensity conflicts have been the pervasive type for the entirety of America's existence (refer to Max Boot's "Savage Wars of Peace" for more info) should we be building forces adept at fighting these wars/conflicts? We have proven, twice, that we can raise a large army and win on a global scale against formidable opponents but rarely have we sought to specialize our forces for the types of conflicts they are most likely to face. The Marines between WWI and WWII are a perfect example as they spent most of that time in Central America fighting guerrillas before transitioning to fight the big war in the Pacific. So, should we build our forces to face these more typical challenges knowing that we can create a sufficient force, and that those capabilities are transferable to large-scale conflicts?

http://foreignpolicy.com/2013/03/08/wanted-ph-d-s-who-can-win-a-bar-fight/

Wanted: Ph.D.s Who Can Win a Bar Fight

How to reform the Pentagon for "light footprint" interventions.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 1 at 2015 12:17 PM

2015-05-01T12:17:21-04:00

We have numerous problems: We need a better doctrine and TTPs for counterinsurgency. Our military comes in head first with a large army, sets up democracy, and rebuilds the nation which we can't afford for many years. The focus becomes many priorities. I think we should live with the locals, and go to the homes of the insurgents to kill them with our local allies.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2015 12:25 PM

2015-05-01T12:25:58-04:00

We've been known for being lax in peace time and suspicious of a standing military force; slow to rile, but when slapped we kick and win. However, since Vietnam, the dynamics changed, the time lag changed, the tactics and technology changed. It's almost like we need a Varsity and a Jr. Varsity--one team prepared the fight the last war, another to fight the next one after.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2015 12:43 PM

2015-05-01T12:43:56-04:00

I would say yes. I think we are on the right track right now w/ the integration of branches w/ each other - AF security forces going out w/ Army, etc. LICs are the fight du jour of the world. We know that if we need to do large scale, we can. We love to be the best, so lets be the best at LIC.

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made May 1 at 2015 12:52 PM

2015-05-01T12:52:22-04:00

John Keith Laumer had the answer years ago

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 1 at 2015 3:45 PM

2015-05-01T15:45:09-04:00

This might sound odd but maybe our expectations do not coincide with realism, like our expectation we will win all our wars.