The Army special forces seem to have a lack of clarity in mission from the Commander in Chief. What should be done to fix this?

2015-08-30T21:44:39-04:00

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/aug/30/green-berets-have-growing-doubts-of-duties-with-sk/

Green Berets have growing doubts of duties with skittish political leadership

They were the first troops to hit the ground in Afghanistan while al Qaeda’s dirty work still smoldered back in the United States.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Aug 30 at 2015 9:56 PM

2015-08-30T21:56:13-04:00

More disgusting behavior on the part of the government. In my personal opinion if we are not going to allow the military to do whatever it takes to win we need to get them out of there.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2015 10:03 PM

2015-08-30T22:03:36-04:00

Seem? Seem? What that Horse's Ass lacks in intelligence and common sense would fill Lake Superior!!!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2015 10:34 PM

2015-08-30T22:34:38-04:00

The most telling thing is that their leadership did not stand up for them. "The only thing it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."

“There is certainly a belief that upper echelons of leadership have morphed into political positions, and leaders are a lot less willing to risk their own career to support their soldiers,” Danny Quinn, a former Green Beret team leader and West Point graduate, told The Washington Times.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Aug 30 at 2015 10:47 PM

2015-08-30T22:47:09-04:00

Regime change.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Aug 30 at 2015 10:47 PM

2015-08-30T22:47:24-04:00

SSgt Alexander Robinson, SF has been a Army 'branch' for several years now. SF's being given branch status was to further acceptance, worthy utilization and recognition of SF by the Big Army. HA! Let us continue to hope!

Regretfully, SF and Delta are more discrete in their ops than the SEALS. Then, we now have Force Recon chomping at the bit for missions.

SOCOM controls SF ops, but cannot really compel acceptance and proper utilization by POTUS or the Big Army. My .02 cents worth!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 31 at 2015 12:13 AM

2015-08-31T00:13:15-04:00

Political correctness and risk aversion is killing us(literally). I see it on a daily basis, my team feels it, and it is really a sickening feeling, going out knowing that heads will roll with one false step. Our ability to influence behavior, a major pillar in our frame work is limited by political constraints and brass, some of which have never laced on a set of boots, much less been a SOF component. No "A" team in SOF, be it CA, MIST, SF, has a team larger than 12 Soldiers. That being said, a lot of Soldiers, Officers and Enlisted take on responsibilities and demands normally reserved for much higher pay grades. You knowing accept that, if not relish that opportunity. But you cannot drop such lofty expectation on a team, expect them to get the mission done at near flawless efficiency and effectiveness, while not expecting to take risks. I could spend hours on this topic because it is a really sore point for me personally, how warped our leaderships view is, and how America as a whole is drowning in its own cesspool of political correctness. Instead I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from St. Thomas Aquinas

"If the highest aim of a Captain is to preserve its ship, he would keep it in port forever"

Response by SSG Robert Webster made Aug 31 at 2015 12:46 AM

2015-08-31T00:46:03-04:00

If you really look at this from the proper perspective, the problem is not a lack of clarity in mission from the CIC. The problem is that SF wants to play Delta, by being door kickers instead of their job which is to train and assist the locals. This then leads regular units like Infantry BCT's to perform the SF primary mission of Train and Assist. The best way to fix the problem - Make everybody to their job Infantry is Infantry, Arty is Arty, Engineers are Engineers, Aviation is Aviation, SF is SF, and Delta is Delta. If there is no room in the sandbox for you to play at your job, you do not get to play.

Response by SGT Eric Dziekan made Aug 31 at 2015 8:09 AM

2015-08-31T08:09:50-04:00

Typical politics.... Train them, arm them, give them a mission and later lie about the orders or forget about the troops to cover something.

Response by PO2 Skip Kirkwood made Aug 31 at 2015 7:39 PM

2015-08-31T19:39:07-04:00

Get a new POTUS and these problems might diminish or disappear!