[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.

[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.

[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

[james500]

"Lee was the first SEAL to die in Iraq"

How many have we lost?

[SW6906]

Ping!

[Chode]

[Ninian Dryhope]

This is BS. There is no better training then actually fighting in a war. SEAL's can get in training too. What are they supposed to do, have them sit around in a padded room to make sure they don't get hurt?

[KoRn]

A SEAL has no business dying on the traditional battlefield.

I don't know if this is an official site, but here's the founder of SEAL Team 6.

Richard Marcinko

http://www.dickmarcinko.com/

This guy is about as good as it gets.

[ozzymandus]

So SEALS lives are more valuable than "ordinary" soldiers? I don't think I like that.