Jessica Lynch Was Not Prepared for Combat

StrategyPage.com ^ | August 18, 2003 | Brant Guillory

[mystery-ak]

...it is SOP...it looks to me like the 507th had bad leadership from the CO on down.....you are a soldier first and always.

[jjm2111]

You better join the Rangers with an attitude like that. :)

[jjm2111]

Budetary = Budjetary

[CholeraJoe]

There's no bio for Guillory posted on Strategy Page. He'd better be a combat veteran to be making allegations like this. Betcha he's not.

[mystery-ak]

...you are exactly right....their CO should be hung out to dry if they were not up to speed.

[kinghorse]

Well stated article. This is the reason our President went to Ft. Hood, NOT Ft. Bliss. The rest of the armed forced would have been chapped had he done to politically expedient thing. Instead he greeted the released POW attack chopper pilots. Imagine if Clinton was in office. Most farking definitely he would have been arm in arm with the cook who broke her ankles jumping from the truck. The people who survived that ordeal were probably the ones who didn't fight. The fighters were killed. All my opinion of course.

[kinghorse]

quit while your behind. :)

[misterrob]

Interesting book for people to read, "The Kinder, Gentler Military". Penned by Stephanie Gutman. (Caution, it reads like a rant after a while but then again, sometimes you need to beat people over the head several times before they get it)

Her issue is in how Political Correctness and the Feminist movement screws with our ability to succesfully fight wars. Scary stuff..... and perhaps some of what she talked about it her book came into play here.

[WestPacSailor]

I'm not a fan of women serving in forward units, period. How about you?

I'm not a fan of women serving in any unit that has an even remote chance of coming into contact with enemy units. I have no problem with women serving in the military but, when the s**t hits the fan and the bullets start flying I think they are out of their element. Most of them, anyway. There are some that could even hack it as SpecOps types, but they are damn few and far between. When the order comes down to 'fix bayonets' and prepare to repel a charge I don't want some 5'2", 125lb, PC appointee in my foxhole with me. I want the 6'2", 250 lb., bad attitude havin' GED candidate next to me.

[jjm2111]

LOL! Rough day.

[WestPacSailor]

I've thought from the beginning that one of the women in Jessica's group was reading the map.

Of course it was, everyone knows that we men don't read maps OR ask for directions.

[D. Brian Carter]

Thought about... I believe I'm too old (almost too old to even join the Army)...

[WestPacSailor]

rear echelon pukes

I believe the proper term that applies here is REMF.

[jjm2111]

Are you one of those sailors that often digs Foxholes?

[WestPacSailor]

Are you one of those sailors that often digs Foxholes?

Often? No. Recently? Yes. Don't assume that just because I'm in the Navy I am sitting on some cushy? ship in the water.

[jjm2111]

Hey, just being curious. I thought maybe you were a SeaBee or something.

[fnord]

BS....all soldiers go to basic where they learn these skills...

Sad to say, the Army sure doesn't teach soldier skills any more. They might be glossed over quickly between the mandatory 'Consideration of others' training and the co-ed frolicking (oops, PT).

While a few AIT grads would have a passable knowledge of soldier skills, most know nothing of field living, map reading, or even how to clean their weapon. In the interests of high graduation rates and gender-normed MOSs, those who lacked the skills would be passed anyway, making it the parent unit's responsibility.

And don't think you can find adequate room in the training schedule for soldier skills when you have 'real-world' missions that do take priority.

[wwcj]

Most of what I'v read here are just bits and pieces of info / personal expierence. I'll just add my own. The Army has a good strategy currently to make sure this sort of stuff is minimal. Fact is, we don't know the facts about her company or platoon. But someone has gotten an ass chewing over it, and i'm sure measures were taken (most tickideeda)to ensure this couldn't happen so easy again.
Unless you train specifically in recon/assault daily, you will lose your edge. People watch too many movies and think that the Army consists of ALL Rangers & Special Forces. Not true. But on the other hand there are regular enlisted that can eat Rangers and S.F.'s for lunch. Myself being one of many. I first joined up for a clean job as a medical specialist - got to AIT and they changed the name to combat medic. I asked if I would still be put in a hospital, thay said maybe. Little did I know that for the first 6 months they were privately weeding out those that could hang with the 11Bravos. A sector of us who's physical training scores were consistently above 240 were shipped overseas to train with one bad assed First Sergeant Fitzpatrick. The company consisted of 25% Rangers 25% S.F. and 50% regular enlisted. This company had gone thru 5 medics in 4 months due to physical and mental stress.
The point is, nothing prepares you for battle, but battle itself. Even some who appear to be the most gungho will freak like little kids when shit hits the fan. It's a crazy thing. So, this article should be taken lightly, and good luck, we need you.

[WestPacSailor]

Hey, just being curious.

No problem. I appologize for the tone of my reply. Didn't realize how it sounded 'til I read it a few times on the page.