Marines want to move troops to Afghanistan?

[Herc_Dude]

Marines in control of the Afghanistan theater?
Any validity to the article that anyone can speak to ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/11/washington/11military.html?ei=5065&en=b04c82f5948a21e0&ex=1192680000&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

 

[HH-60H]

From a strategic capabilities standpoint are the Marines equipped to do this? I was always under the impression they needed long term support from the Army to sustain combat operations. Would they get this support from NATO?

 

[phrogpilot73]

From a strategic capabilities standpoint are the Marines equipped to do this? I was always under the impression they needed long term support from the Army to sustain combat operations. Would they get this support from NATO?

Yes, the Marines can do this. We would probably have to get some level of logistical support from NATO...

 

[Birdman]

I think this would improve recruitment levels for the Marines. Alot of people just don't want to go to Iraq because it's "wrong", and don't have those objections to the afghan front. Or that's just their excuse and they're really pussies.

 

[mmx1]

I think this would improve recruitment levels for the Marines. Alot of people just don't want to go to Iraq because it's "wrong", and don't have those objections to the afghan front. Or that's just their excuse and they're really pussies.

By that logic we should take Iraq and give Afghanistan to the Army, since there's way more whining there.

 

[Birdman]

By that logic we should take Iraq and give Afghanistan to the Army, since there's way more whining there.

I was talking more about the American public's hesitancy to enlist to fight in an unpopular war. Wasn't meant to be a marine/army thing, but I don't think the Marines have enough resources to do Iraq on their own anyway.

 

[Herc_Dude]

I was talking more about the American public's hesitancy to enlist to fight in an unpopular war. Wasn't meant to be a marine/army thing, but I don't think the Marines have enough resources to do Iraq on their own anyway.

Wow, that wasn't a loaded statement or anything ... where do you get your talking points?

 

[eddie]

Two-wars policy justifies two "armies," no?

 

[A4sForever]

I think the idea makes sense -- at least if the move would contribute to the commonality of CoC, TO&E, supply, and tactics, etc. within a theater ..... i.e., Marines or Army.

BUT: who has the better bag of Helo's for high altitude operations? Marines or Army?? I don't know -- I'm asking the experts herein ....

 

[MasterBates]

I'd have to guess Army. CH-47 has impressive performance on paper.

*far from expert on hi altitude helo ops

 

[Lawman]

I'd have to guess Army. CH-47 has impressive performance on paper.

*far from expert on hi altitude helo ops

At the same time the Marines have demonstrated a better high Alt/Cold weather fighting ability then the regular Army and even the vaunted 10th Mountain Division. They learned something permenent from Korea.

 

[A4sForever]

At the same time the Marines have demonstrated a better high Alt/Cold weather fighting ability then the regular Army and even the vaunted 10th Mountain Division. They learned something permenent from Korea.

What's some source documentation -- i.e., reading I can look at .. or is it just opinion??? I ask, as I was thinking specifically about the 10th Mountain ...

 

[HeloBubba]

What's some source documentation -- i.e., reading I can look at .. or is it just opinion??? I ask, as I was thinking specifically about the 10th Mountain ...

Here's a little write-up about the 10th Mountain's aviation brigade:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/10mtn-avn-bde.htm

as you can see they have been deployed to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

On a personal note, my Air Ambulance Army Reserve unit backfilled the 10th Mountain's Air Ambulance unit that was sent to GW I. Lots of great flying in Upstate NY and the Adirondacks...

 

[Lawman]

What's some source documentation -- i.e., reading I can look at .. or is it just opinion??? I ask, as I was thinking specifically about the 10th Mountain ...

Heres the article (written after Anaconda) that goes into the whys and hows of the Armys deficency in training for true high mountain fighting. Simple point of it was they were training for "High Mountain Combat" but nobody really bothered to get around to defining what high mountain combat really was.

http://leav-www.army.mil/fmso/documents/groundcombat/groundcombat.htm

 

[A4sForever]

Heres the article (written after Anaconda) that goes into the whys and hows of the Armys deficency in training for true high mountain fighting. Simple point of it was they were training for "High Mountain Combat" but nobody really bothered to get around to defining what high mountain combat really was.

http://leav-www.army.mil/fmso/documents/groundcombat/groundcombat.htm

Thanks, I appreciate it.