I’ve earned the right to be PO’d, with my blood, sweat and enough tears to float your boat, I did everything my country asked of me, and way, way more. I was drafted in the late summer of “67”, and I went to the recruitment center the next day and joined, my family wasn’t going to send a draftee to the Army. A week later I was on my way to Basic. From that day forward for three years, I never bitched, I never avoided anything any superior ever asked of me. I never said a word when orders came in March of “68” to go to the Nam, with a MOS that qualified me for little more than carrying the duel load of an M-16 and a PRC-25. I did as most did, I managed just fine. I also caught several lucky breaks, all the while I never complained, I kept my nose clean as best as I could, I never refused an order, (I did as many of you did, I offered up my objective opinion from time to time), I made rank and I tried to keep it real.
The reason I’m pizzed is this. From a perspective of what the “War Colleges” learned as a result of a two decade and 58,000 dead Americans War in Southeast Asia, they appear to have retained little or nothing from the Nam experience. Take for example the M-113, one of the US Cavalry’s best vehicles in the Nam. This track has been deployed to Iraq, but yet the tactics with which they are used is not based on the extensive combat record of the APC. Hummers lacking armor, not at all like our vehicle of choice for a similar mission, the M-151, hunk of crap. We hung armor, and sand bags up the cazoo on these sh-t boxes in an effort to save lives, sound familiar. Insurgency, a daily event in the Nam, and the military is still trying to figure out how to respond. Folks, most Vets are like me, they would give it up again if asked by their country, but we do not like seeing soldiers die when it appears their loss could be avoided with a thought process that includes the wisdom gained from battles won and lost in an earlier time.
Some one help me out here, show me some areas where we learned lessons from our earlier guerrilla wars, and we are aptly applying the wisdom to today’s war. I had better qualify this question, I mean outside the press and people manipulation the neocons have become very good at, (Nixon wasn’t so lucky with the press manipulation).
I find it disheartening to see some of the same mistakes being repeated in today’s military decision making.
They have forgotten their “6 P’s”
“Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance”
Comments;

Your 6 Ps does not exist in this govt. Same same as common sense or good logic existing either. Post Vietnam and for decades prior to this IraqHaze, we were braiwashed into thiking that there would never be another Vietnam... and that we learned our lessons from that lost lie war. WRONG. In fact, all that has happened is we have been faked out into thinking that the Bush Neocon Wars are for Liberty and Freedom while all along it's simply a huge diversion that occupies our time with worries and concerns while sucking our monies right out of our banks and pockets. It's hard to believe that our govt in post Vietnam would have sat around discussing how they would further control Americans and trick us into more Vietnams while making bigger profits from such insane planning. Well they did. They pulled it off. The Gulf war was the tester. If we went along with that, they knew we'd be hooked as a whole nation. It happened. Not only that but the GOP bastards learned how to change meanings to words... and make us think that we are wrong to go against their trickery. They got the church behind them.... they got more big corporatiosn behind them... they got just about every walk of life behind them as fools who follows like sheep to slaughter. That's all that has happened since 1973 until now. Only a hand full, like us here, are spittin mad and ready to kick govt azz.... but there's simply not enough who have woke up to this 'hazing'.

As far as inadequate equipment in the field... sure, that's just another hoodwink job put on Americans. Same same as it was in 'Nam. Remember how many guys were shot through the flooring of choppers? Nothing but thin skin all around those choppers... nothing to stop bullits or rockets.

We pay out about $100 billion a year for Iraq now, but it's earmarked for those 'private' deals behind the neocon scenes. You know how it works in the military.... it's all for show. You're just a number.... and expendable. It's our duty to get ripped apart or killed... for flag and apple pie. It's our duty to do as we are told and shut up. It's our duty to support this hazing of America and support the troops who will follow BushCo right into hell... because we have holdiays now that will honor wars and the troops... and after a few parades.... some flag waving... and bands playing our national songs... everybody cheers and goes home all fuzzy warm inside... doing the same as before. That's all that happens.

Your 6Ps applies for me, but our govt could care less. They have other 'goodies' planned for what they are doing behind the scenes.

Right on the free-kin Mark vfguenley and ghost - for sure!

vfguenley, you was the RTO? Da_n and I thought humping the pig was BS! Forget that antenna and PRC 25 Bro'!

We had our inferior equipment as well -- for sure and beaucoup inferior leaders!

No da_n armor to stop an RPG or 7.62 X 39 on the Choppers or on ourselves. M-16's tha jammed constantly at their beginning.

C'S from Korea War!

You got jungle rot - tuff sheet---hump !

RVN training in the winter months and it did not amount to sheet!

You learned from the dude who was over there the longest, if he would get close enough to you to talk!

There it is Bro's the 6 "P'S" do not mean nothin' anymore to these Neocon SOB'S!

Hang Tough and keep the faith~

Having been an Almost-Lifer, I left the service as an SFC E7, 11B4S in 1972, I'm compelled to correct your 6 P's. It's 7 P's: "Prior Proper Planning Prevents...Performance!" Too many lifers can do the prior planning--but DAMNED few can do the Prior Proper planning. That's why we're in the straights in Iraq. The Neocon Death Cult decided to wage war on a country that had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with 9/11! WMDs? Where the hell are they? There never were WMDs--only the Neocon "Weapons of Mass DECEPTION."

Would I help out now if called? NO! NO! and HELL NO! Why? See above for answer.

The military gets guys (and girls) when they are young and impressionable. They are full of "Hero" energy, and a good country molds them into effective warriors for the defense of the nation. The problem comes when a corrupt CIC comes into office and uses their heroism for sinister puposes.

There is no recourse except manditory 2 year service to the country for everyone (myself included) to educate all Americans as to the danger of electing a fool, and an AWOL yellowbelly as your CIC!

I think lessons were learned from Viet Nam. The problem is the current administration chooses to ignore them. The only person in the Bush administration who gave a rat's a$$ about the service men was Colin Powell. They wouldn't listen to him. Now even he is gone.
I think Kerry learned from Nam. I think he would have done everything he could to protect the service men. He's walked in their shoes and he cares. He knows they're human beings and not just tools to be used to further your agenda. He understands actions have consequences and the people who suffer those consequences most are the service men and their families. If only a big portion of the people in this country had opened their eyes and minds. They choose to believe whatever makes them feel good. That isn't the truth. The truth these days doesn't give us much reason to feel good. The ones who pay for that denial with limbs and life are the service men.

As long as we as a country refuse to take an honest look at what continues in our name those service men will continue to pay. I support the troops and my beloved country. I also refuse to close my eyes to the administration that continues to lead with dishonesty and incompatentcy. I believe they do not value those troops at all. They are just colatteral damage. It's not they didn't learn. It just doesn't matter to them. There's more where they came from.

I believe Bush will learn that there is not more where they came from. The lapses in recruiting for the Army and Marines and the experation of stop loss orders will show Bush that there is not many more people willing to die for nothing. If a draft comes how many people will actually show up? I would not, but I am 58 and know better. Let the right wing christian soldiers do the dieing for Bush. I think if christian soldiers and extreme Muslems kill each other it is a good thing. Now only if I did not have to pay for it with my tax dollars.