What civilian education and Army MOS do you think will be fighting on the frontlines of modern warfare and why?

2023-03-10T04:54:34-05:00

I would like to hear the opinion of my fellow servicemembers on this topic. What civilian education and Army MOS do you think will be fighting on the frontlines of modern warfare and why?
The military has evolved significantly in recent years. Space Force is actually a thing. The Air Force has established a new Special Operations role called Special Reconnaissance. The Army is direct commissioning Cyber Warfare officers up to Colonel. Now the Marine Corps has disbanded their Scout Sniper PLTs, believing those skills are not relevant to future conflict.
What path should someone take to achieve a relevant position against current and near future threats?

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Mar 10 at 2023 5:49 AM

2023-03-10T05:49:45-05:00

That's easy, Infantry and Armor. Despite all the claims since WWII about the death of the Infantry and Armor, they have been in the front line in every conflict since. As Afghanistan and Iraq demonstrate, having complete control of the air space does not mean control on the ground.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2023 7:44 AM

2023-03-10T07:44:02-05:00

My guess is the education that parents give their children! There's a growing void of strong moral character in leadership positions, and of generally tough and disciplined Soldiers.

"The more modern war becomes, the more essential appear the basic qualities that from the beginning of history have distinguished armies from the mobs. The first of these is discipline."

- Field Marshall Slim
Defeat into victory, p451

Other than that, I would argue for liberal arts, because we need well-rounded, critical thinkers on the front-lines leading our troops, but fat chance that takes off because people will always underestimate the liberal arts. Second to that, anyone who has any knowledge on logistics. We're preparing for near-peer threats. How we support our infantry and armor is the critical piece of that fight. Still, I think these areas of innovation and knowledge will not outshine the basics. I get this perspective as a student of history, rather than the future.

"In these pages I have written much of generals and of staff officers; of their problems, difficulties, and expedients, their successes and their failures. Yet there is one thought that I should like to be the over-all and final impression of this book- that the war in Burma was a soldier's war. There comes a moment in every battle against a stubborn enemy when the result hangs in the balance. Then the general, however skillful and farsighted he may have been, must hand over to his soldiers, to the men in the ranks and to their regimental officers and leave them to complete what he has begun. The issue then rests with them, on their courage, their hardihood, their refusal to be beaten either by the cruel hazards of nature or by the fierce strength of their human enemy. That moment came early and often in the fighting in Burma; sometimes it came when tired, sick men felt alone, when it would have been so easy for them to give up, when only will, discipline and faith could steel them to carry on. To the soldiers of the many races who, in the comradeship of the Fourteenth Army, did go on, and to the airmen who flew with them and fought over them, belongs the true glory of achievement. It was they who turned Defeat into Victory."

- Field Marshall Slim
Defeat into victory, p460

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Mar 10 at 2023 7:55 AM

2023-03-10T07:55:52-05:00

If you are going for a major that has military application, try Engineer.

Response by COL Randall C. made Mar 10 at 2023 8:53 AM

2023-03-10T08:53:08-05:00

Define "frontlines of modern warfare"? Remember that conflict is defined over a continuum that starts with peace on one end, through direct physical conflict and ending with peace operations and return to stability.

If you're talking about the "dominate" phase and direct physical conflict, then obviously the answers given by CPT Lawrence Cable and 1LT Private RallyPoint Member are applicable.

However, space, cyberspace and information operations will play the biggest role 'pre-dominate' phase which is where we are with many of our major adversaries.

The 'frontlines of modern warfare' are being fought currently in the bowels of buildings at Ft. Meade (NSA and CYBERCOM) as well as other locations around the globe where not many 'physical' altercations are occurring.

Response by SFC Kory Schaubhut made Mar 10 at 2023 12:37 PM

2023-03-10T12:37:06-05:00

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operator, Geospatial Intelligence Analyst, anything involved with the army's Artificial Intelligence Task Force, AF munitions systems specialist, helicopter pilot, any aspect of special operations, Chinese linguist, HUMINT Collector, Civil Affairs, anything else either technical to support automated killing of the enemy, gathering actionable intelligence for targeting, or very elite light infantry type attacks. Special emphasis on China and, maybe, Russia over the next 20 years or so.

Just IMO.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 10 at 2023 1:24 PM

2023-03-10T13:24:05-05:00

On the front lines? Same as always: 11B and 0311.

The question you are asking is really about who will be supporting the Infantry.

There will always be some form of artillery support, medics, and logistical support. Hopefully some decent intelligence support, and air support, as well. So the question is REALLY *how* that support will unfold.

In a full-spectrum battle against a near-peer threat, I would expect a lot of cyber preparation of the battlefield, as well as heavy cyber defense. Cyber will take on the role that artillery had back in WWI and WWII, namely "softening" enemy targets. Especially as artillery is less useful against many targets due to civilian collateral damage considerations. Fire bombing Dresden just is not acceptable today.

After softening targets via cyber, the next phase will be claiming air superiority by reducing/eliminating AA capability (which has hopefully been temporarily disabled by cyber), and then reducing air threats (fighters, bombers, helicopters, in that order).

Once air superiority has been established, the ground war can begin. Again, we prep with cyber, then move under cover of artillery (where possible) and CAS (where available). We establish medical and logistical hubs as we go.

I see armor having less utility as a maneuver unit, because battles are going to be increasingly urban. And armor runs into the same collateral damage problems as artillery.

So, ultimately:
Infantry
Generalized logistics (supply clerks and truck drivers)
Specialized logistics (Ammo handlers, maintainers, and supply chain management)
Medics / doctors / nurses
Intel collectors, with a focus on enemy technical (cyber) capabilities and weaknesses.
Intel Analysts
Cyber attackers
Cyber defenders
Aviators of all stripes

And there will be many many more, like Chaplains, psych doctors, cooks, personnel clerks, etc. that help sustain the force. But the "forefront" will be the above. IMHO.

Now, all of that is for a land war. I got no clue about a sea war.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Mar 10 at 2023 3:47 PM

2023-03-10T15:47:54-05:00

Funny how this post appears days after I was doing some pre Spring cleaning (under direct orders and close supervision by Household Six) came across my original DD214 from 1968 and in box number 23a specialty number and title listed 11b4H LtWns Infmn and in box 23b related civilian occup DOT number, NONE ,seems to me it’s always going to be some poor slob in the actual theater of operations to accomplish the mission, Welcome Home Brothers.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2023 6:03 PM

2023-03-10T18:03:25-05:00

Actually Air Force Special Reconnaissance isn’t entirely new just a new name and mission. They were formerly Special Operations Weather Teams/technicians.
https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2019/05/13/spec-ops-weathermen-get-name-change-new-mission-to-better-better-fight-great-powers/

Spec ops weathermen get name change, new mission to better fight great powers

Special operations weather team airmen, known as SOWTs, are getting a new name and mission.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2023 7:53 PM

2023-03-10T19:53:06-05:00

In the future an infantry battalion will consist of 1 platoon of 11Bs to provide security for 300 civilian contractors.

Response by SPC Daniel Brown made Mar 11 at 2023 1:29 AM

2023-03-11T01:29:06-05:00

Beyond the front lines your Snipers w/their spotters, 17K-GSR, Your Scouts, 11B's with Medics, Armored units with all the support personnel will be on front lines. Lets not forget the Air Cavalry