From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Apr 14 2003 - 16:26:59 MDT
--- Keith Elis <hagbard@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> Mike Lorrey:
>
> > they should be garrison troops, not line troops.
> > There is a significant difference between the two.
>
> Just a terminology quibble: when not deployed for war, 'police'
> actions, or training, line troops are 'in garrison'. I'm not sure
> what you mean by 'garrison troops'.
There are generally two types of conventional infantry troops: garrison
and line. Line troops are trained and equipped to take territory from
enemy combat units and engage in direct combat. Garrison troops are
trained to hold territory and maintain civil order in the absence or
scarcity of a civil constabulary. While line troops, when not in combat
are 'in garrison', they are not garrison troops, and trying to make
them into such ruins them for line combat use.
You might have heard of a phenomenon called by the french legionnaires
'le cafard', the bug, which is a problem of discipline with line troops
who are not given action or exercise on a regular basis. Trying to turn
line troops into garrison troops makes such a problem inevitable.
The US ground based military is, outside of base MP and logistical
personnel, generally trained for line work. In the last 20 years, the
US military has put a special emphasis on promulgating a 'warrior
ethic' and orienting troops toward line work. This is primarily active
duty units, while National Guard units are generally trained for the
equivalent of garrison work, since they are dual-use trained for
dealing with civil disturbances, natural disasters, etc.
You've probably noticed that the US actions overseas have emphasised
work that could be generally categorized as 'line' work, while
contributions of other nations generally followed later, since other
nations generally only train their troops for the equivalent of
garrison work. The few exceptions are the special forces units each
nation posesses.
For example, in Afghanistan, there are now more Germans and Turks there
than Americans, and those German and Turkik units are garrison units,
training Afghans in western policing and national guard type work. The
US work there was primarily line work, and today the only US forces
there are primarily line units, especially special forces units.
=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
- Gen. John Stark
"Pacifists are Objectively Pro-Fascist." - George Orwell
"Treason doth never Prosper. What is the Reason?
For if it Prosper, none Dare call it Treason..." - Ovid
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