[Ispy4u]

Yes.
I was and 11B during the Gulf War.
I was in Afghanistan 1 year ago, again yes.
I was in Iraq 3 mos ago, agian yes.
I have experienced incoming artillery, mortars, and missiles, and direct fire from enemy forces.
There are many others who have experienced far more than me.

Why do you ask? Are my points not valid unless I have been under fire? Certainly my experience in combat wouldn't make my "wrong" thinking "right" would it?

[editor-surveyor]

If there are many more in our military like you, we don't have a prayer!

Rules are table decorations; war is total; either victory is the goal or surrender is imperative to avoid inevitable, and unnecessary casualties. You sound like a school teacher.

[B4Ranch]

Generally when a soldier carries a rifle and has to shoot back at the enemy in order to defend their position, he has walked amongst the corpses of friend and enemy soldiers, has helped load wounded buddies onto the MEDEVAC choppers they have a much "closer" view of how, why and when it is permissible to "scare the living sh*t" out of an enemy soldier in order to obtain critical information.

Your general attitude about Col. West is one of a guy who sat in a covered foxhole while mortars thundered down around you, never seeing the enemy soldier face to face and considered himself in combat.

There is a large difference between that and the guy who has to shoot back just to keep his position from being overrun by the enemy soldier.

Which of the two have you done, both?