Saturday, June 10, 2017

Is The U.S. Military Still The Best In The World?

The US Army needs better training. US Army/Staff Sgt. Michael Behlin

Thomas E. Ricks, Foreign Policy: The US military might not be the best in the world anymore, according to an army captain


At the squad, platoon, and company level, the U.S. Army is not as good as its allies, reports an Army captain. “American units are not as prepared or ready for combat as their multinational partners are at company level and below,” writes Capt. J. Scott Metz. “Many of our allies, and likely some of our potential enemies, are now tactically better than we are at company level and below because we do not train enough at home station.”

In other words, they don’t learn the fundamentals of maneuver before going for higher training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC), the big U.S. Army training base in Hohenfels, Germany. He should know. Until recently, Capt. Metz was an observer/controller/trainer at the JMRC. He notes that he has worked with units from 11 nations.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: You would think that with all the wars the U.S. military is fighting now .... that experience would be more than enough to offset any lack of training. Apparently not.

16 comments:

Chase jones said...

Im sure we will be finding out soon.

Anonymous said...

Common. ..the opinion of one captain and you change your own thought patterns?
There are only ten armies in the world who know how to fight not only in theory but have seen actual and significant combat in the last decade. ...that's Russia, Syria, the US, England, France, Iran, Germany, Canada, and that's about it...out of these, the US gets the best training by far and has also the best personnel because it's a private army.
Sure, self critique is important and I'm sure things can be improved. ..but. ...this captain is far out.

War News Updates Editor said...

I learned from my father. The experience of real combat is better than training any day. And the U.S. has had a lot of that type of training for a long time.

fazman said...

How do you define best?for gadgets and technology for sure. Put a a brigade of marines against a brigade of aussies in the woods and probably not so much.

fazman said...

P.s no disrespect on marines, a lot of respect particularly after fallujah.
Just thinking how do you qualify best?

Anonymous said...

Fazman.. you don't compare on home turf vs foreign territory. That's silly.

Obviously if you go visit Aussies on their home turf you better pray, even if you're a Marine. It's a significant advantage, as many wars and battles have shown.

But realistically, 100 Marines against the Australian equivalent, on territory unknown to both, I think the Marines will win.

The same with special forces.

Regular Army might be a closer call, but even there. ..

Reason :physical toughness high in both countries, but training and real combat experience would push the US forces over the edge. Then their intrinsic US weaponry they could call upon (sniper rifles, drones etc which are basic ingredient when you deal with the US - and their training and skills in using those basic weaponry - will even increase casualties on Aussie side)... then the Training in advanced weaponry like stealth fighters, EMP attacks, laser weapons. ..Aussies haven't even had wet dreams about these.

Is including weaponry in this comparison fair game? I believe it is. ..this is not a bare knuckles fight and never would be... you can't just set the bar low technology wise because you fight against Aussies. Training applies not just in things both parties know to do, but there's training in fields only Americans know how to do.

;)

Anonymous said...

Or even training and expertise in something as mundane as logistics could deal the death blow to the Aussies. .I'd argue the US are great at this and training in it. Without training - ie learning from experience especially - you are ducked when it comes to logistics. Key deciding factor in many many battles. So it all sounds a bit stupid, I know, but you can't disregard these things. ..any battle that involves more than say 50 people on each side needs some form of logistics plan if it drags on a few days...and you can't just rely on improvising. That just means you'll die.

Stephen Davenport said...

Yes they are still the best in the world PERIOD, it is not even close. Followed by the British and Israeli's.

fazman said...

I think you find that the australian sas are actually rated above navy seals and even u.k sas by many commentators due to their outstanding results in itaq and afghanistan ( this appraisal is actually from u.s brass ).
As far as weapinary goes dont forget that our gear is ourchased from the top shelf and actually mirrors your own and in some cases such as small arms general issue and vechiles such as the bush ranger actually exceed the soecs if the u.s equivlant.
Im glad we are allies and always will be.

fazman said...

Cmon ?

Anonymous said...

US I can give you, but no way the British and the Israelis.

TWN said...

British Commonwealth Troops best in the world, It all starts on the Parade Square, drill and discipline, forms and focuses the mind, they need to adopt British Drill.The Yanks do have the Equipment though.

Andrew Jackson said...

A military led by women and homosexuals will be defeated. We're losing the fake war.

fazman said...

When they control every aspect of the battlefield perhaps, but as a even force ?

fazman said...

Correct and then others buy the equipment from them

fazman said...

True