Get Ready For Body Bags. Generals Want To Send 1 Combat Brigade To Syria.

[TheMastersNemesis]

On news at WCPT Chicago is was said that the generals want to send a combat bridge with support to Syria to help in fight to take Raqqa. So it looks like we will be fighting with the Syrian army and maybe even the Russians.

Could he be making good on his promise to steal the Iraqi oil. Granted these troops will be in Syria could he send troops to Iraq again.

[jmg257]

1. How the heck is a brigade of soldiers (not even USMC) going to steal a country's oil? nt

[Dreamer Tatum]

2. News flash: we're already over there fighting.

Where were you when we were trickling "advisors" in?

[braddy]

3. We already have over 500 troops in Syria.

"At least 14 American military personnel have been wounded in combat since the start of October while battling Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria, according to Defense Department data reviewed by Military Times."

[Rex]

4. Oh did the body bags quit for a while?

You mean get ready for MORE body bags right?

[TheMastersNemesis]

6. We Have Had 2 or 3 KIA's In The Support Forces. Below Is A Rundown Of Make Up Of Forces.

The combat brigades will be in direct contact with the enemy and will be trying to clear the city. It looks like they will be working with Assad's Syrian forces. Not sure if there are any Russian infantry or combat arms there. But they could be covered by Russian air forces I assume.

We do not have any direct combat forces except probably SEAL teams and special ops. Combat brigades are a different issue. Such a force would mean support forces. One brigade is probably around 5000 to 8000 troops. In Vietnam the 1st Cav Division had 3 brigades with about 20,000 troops I believe.

As I remember our force inventory our make up was as follows.
A company had a headquarters squad of about 10. Each company had 4 platoons with 4 squads each. Company strength was about 140. Each battalion had 5 companies. or about 700 men. Each brigade had a headquarters unit with 5 companies. Total brigade had about 3500. We had 3 brigades with total combat arms force of around 10,500. Add logistics, air, artillery, maintenance, administrative et al and a division would be maybe around 20,000 to 25,000 personnel.

A combat division needs a lot of support staff so support is probably 50% or more of the division. Our make was defined in what was called a T O & E. Tactical, Operations and Equipment summary.

I was a company clerk in 1967 so my memory could be off here. But I was familiar with our force profile.

That size of force mean you have a base that is a medium size city with security added.

So one brigade is a pretty sizable force.

[Rex]

7. We moved a couple of brigades around a few to Poland.

Haven't heard a peep about it.

[TheMastersNemesis]

8. I Assume You Have Been In The Military. It Is Helpful To Know What The Size Of Force Is.

When they say how many troops are in a certain deployment it is hard to tell how many trigger pullers are in the force. Support personnel always outnumbers infantry. Infantry demands a huge amount of support. And that includes medical personnel. We could actually have a lot more troops deployed than the actual number says.

The 1st Cavalry division base near An Khe was huge because it included parts of other divisions. I think our perimeter line was probably 5 or 10 miles in circumference.

[Rex]

10. A brigade of tanks is a huge statement.

You assume correctly. Obama made the statement already, Putin blinked.

[killbotfactory]

5. Raqqa is ISIS hq.

The Syrian army and Russia are both fighting ISIS.

[Jim Beard]

9. They are also killing the friendly Kurds I am really pissed at the way we have treated the Kurds.

Hell, they fight hard and do not run like the Iraqis and we always screw them over to keep from getting in trouble. Screw Turkey, Iraq and Iran, the Kurds will be loyal and they are getting screwed over now.