“Burning Up SEALs” - Misuing special-warfare assets.

National Review Online ^ | August 31, 2006 | W. Thomas Smith Jr.

[bnelson44]

Some SEALs have told me that actual operations seem not nearly as tough as their training....

My understanding is that is the whole point of BUD/S!

[Dumpster Baby]

When I was kid living in Coronado I would sometimes see those UDT guys training out on The Strand connecting Coronado to the mainland. I had no idea at the time how much they were suffering. :o)

[Anti-Bubba182]

In the Panama invasion in the Bush I administration, they misused Seals in a larger group to take an airport. The task
would have been more suited to a Ranger unit more used to larger groups. The misuse of Special Operations troops is an
old story. Regular officers will use them when available to
augment or replace their regular troops.

[Fenris6]

Some snarky elitism in the piece.

I served in a Marine Recon unit [not Force] and trained joint ops with SEALs. They're not all that, esp considering all the funding they get for training. In the water or litoral ops - nothing is better. But on dry land I'd rather have Rangers or Recon.

[Phsstpok]

“Special Operations warriors are not dispensable assets,” says Reserve SEAL Commander Mark Divine, who has been to Iraq several times and was tasked with evaluating the performance of a new Marine Corps special operations force during its developmental stages in 2004

And Marines or Army line grunts are?  SEALs are special, but they're not THAT special.  The JOB is to go in harms way.  SEALs don't get the job done sitting back at base camp.

What, Divine doesn't like the fact that he was sent out on a mission with the newly constituted Marine special operations folks?  Too damned bad.

I've had the privelage of knowing several "sneaky peaches" (Green Berets), and other special ops types.  Each has their own specialties and skill sets.  But they were all warriors.  If someone doesn't want to be a warrior because they're too busy keeping the books on training costs then they shouldn't be in special ops.

This is such manufactured DBM crap!  Of course members of the community bitch about the loss of one of their own, blaming some REMF for "misusing" their talents.  It goes with the territority.  Suck it up, soldier!  Or you can always ring the bell.

 

[taxcontrol]

I have long advocated that MOUNT operations (Urban Terrain) is unique enough of an environment that special units, trained along the lines of the FBI's HRT or a SWAT team, should be created in 12 man teams. They would act as the shock troops for particularly nasty encounters and would bolster the normal house to house operations of a regular infantry unit.

A team of 12 could back up an Infantry BN, a platoon could support a Brigade. Training would be less expensive than the full SF or SEAL training and would be focused on breaching urban defenses, sniper support, command and control etc. Treat them as a separate brigade... like the 10th Mountain... call them the 1st Urban or some such.

I have to agree that using SEALs, Rangers, SF or any other special unit for this specific purpose is a bit out of their scope, and a tad wasteful.

[Coldwater Creek]

My SIL was telling me that in WW11 her brother a sailor was transfered to the Marines, because he filled a need, even though it was against his wishes. This is more efficient use of our military.

[Hoplite]

Regular officers will use them when available to augment or replace their regular troops.

There's two sides to this story - if SOCOM units do missions, their funding is validated, so there is sometimes a push to include units and personnel who would seem better suited for different missions.

[centurion316]

I'm with you on this one. There's a war going on. Can't speak for the SEALS, but Army's special operators are generally used against high value targets. Conventional forces get involved if its in their AO, but they are in a support role.

The Seals ought to be thankful that they have only had 1 KIA in Iraq, the Army's SFOD-D has suffered many more than that.

[LibWhacker]

It's a little bit like sending out F-22 pilots on a foot patrol through Baghdad. A tremendous waste and misallocation of assets if you ask me.

[OldEagle]

"...her brother a sailor was transfered to the Marines, because he filled a need..."

Possibly a medic. They used to do that a lot. Maybe they still do.

[Fenris6]

Bad analogy. SEALs are trained for sniper support. F-22 pilots rarely know how to clear an M-16.

[Coldwater Creek]

Nope! Navy medics always serve with Marines.

The same is happening today.

I think that it is a good idea and better use of personnel if they are service interchangeable.

[TomasUSMC]

“they’re burning up SEALs.”

---

They're = President Bush and his KGC warfighting strategy. Kinder Gentler Compassionate warfare fails and wastes the bravest of our youth. Making them go door to door instead of wasting the whole neighborhood from the air.

We only have a small portion of our youth courageous enough to volunteer for the military in a time of war. AND that small portion is being misused and being shot up needlessly.

It takes months to years to train our troops. The moslems take 15 minutes and they have one billion recruits.

Instead of using the advantage we now enjoy over islam in military power, we have allowed the enemy to establish the rules of engagement. If an IED blows up our troops, instead of wiping out the entire 'hood, we send more troops on the ground.

[Fenris6]

Okay, Blackfive has good commentary re this. I see the author's point.

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2006/08/what_are_seals_.html#comments

[LibWhacker]

Right, I only used the analogy to illustrate the absurdity of risking highly valuable assets in duties perhaps better done by less valuable assests. Not saying their lives are inherently more valuable than the life of a grunt -- they're not -- but as military assests they are more valuable. You wouldn't use an aircraft carrier as a mine sweeper or a pilot as a grunt (even if he knew how to shoot).

[LibWhacker]

assests=assets

[james500]

"Lee was the first SEAL to die in Iraq"

How many have we lost?

[SW6906]

Ping!