RE: Scouts.....

--- Bob Makowsky <rmakowsky@yahoo.com> wrote:

> > the US Army is playing around a lot with Engineer
> > scouts because 19Ds are too stupid to do proper
> > obstacle recon.  Perhaps a jeep accompanying the

> Or maybe the 19Ds are just not trained to do it
> properly.  Does not make
> them stupid.

OK, here's the problem with 19Ds.

They think a spot report with an estimated
center-of-mass grid done through hi-power optics from
4 km off is a good obstacle recon.  We[1] tried
explaining that you have to get close enough to
identify the nature of the minefield (buried/surface
laid, AT/AP/Mixed, all 4 corner grids, PRECISELY, type
of fencing, bypass or not).  They don't grasp this.

My squad leader tells me of being attached to 19Ds who
absolutely could not comprehend the fact that you
cannot determine classification of bridges without
getting under them.

In short, they don't want to get close enough to get
useful information.  Maybe it's stupidity.  Maybe it's
cowardice.  But it's one or the other and cowardice is
the more insulting of the choices.

John

[1]Engineers in general, not me personally.

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