So, it’s not just numbers; it’s the capability of the unit (if “unit” is the right word) to perform whatever the operation is? On another note, it’s good to hear more and more reports of local leaders like these sheiks cooperating with us rather than watching from the sidelines or engaged actively against us.
That’s why we are protecting them and we are telling all of Iraq we are proteting them.
Unit is the great catch all word. When I am talking to my son and I don’t know what else to call a group of men he is with, I call it a unit and it works fine ;->
Right on! Back in the mid-90s when I was working this stuff, the Batallion was conceptually a unit that could be rapidly inserted into a geographic position, and fight for about 30 days independently. If you read between the lines, this “capability” is more than just soldiers. It includes logistics, planning, intel, etc... the whole package. The Batallion was the basic building block for mobility planning purposes. It looks like this concept has been supersized to the Brigade for some purposes now...