Xeric
RETIRED THINK TANK
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Nicely written.T
very well put.
For a long time, i don't exactly on top of my game because said incident, even talking about it give me chill...
That time, the order is simple "Do not stop and Do not deviate from the route" The supply we are escorting is vital for a forward operating base (FOB) and without our convoy get there on time, the soldier in the FOB would have fought the insurgent with stone and branch.
The order does not explicitly gave us order to kill, there are probably a millions way you can interpret the order of don't stop and don't deviate. Fact to a matter is, there was a kid stand in the middle of the road, the only carriage way and he is waving at you and ask you to stop. He may be innocent, maybe not. And you have your order not to stop, and not to take detour. As you get closer and closer, you are about 10 seconds away from running over him, the whole thing come down to what do you do about it?
Am i feel guilty about it? Yes of course, a kid died and anyone would feel guilty. Do i think i did a right thing? You bet. now, i don't know if he was innocent, or if he was instructed by the insurgent, i only know one thing, that's bring my man home alive. I did that and I have to believe all my decision i made in that war is right. There are no gap to think about it. This is how you do your job.
Just a few differences. Giving an order like "Do not stop and Do not deviate from the route" is like giving a very broad and vague order. If the commander truly knows the area he is operating in, he would invariably know that the convoy may encounter civilians enroute. So, instead of such a order he must give out clear ROE.
i mean, i understand, specific orders for each and every situation cant be given and much have to be left for the local commander or to the soldier's initiative/judgment. i think, giving such orders especially if one is operating in COIN is detrimental and thus results into the heavy handedness the world complains of the yanks.
i mean, whereas the heli cover for the convoy when we know the route is dangerous. Was the route cleared by someone before this convoy was moved? Did someone check for the likely ambush sites? What was the say about the residents along the routes; friendly, hostile or neutral? What did the intelligence say about "today" when the convoy was to be moved - whats the likelihood of the convoy being attacked? etc etc.
i mean, that's how our convoys move and thus you dont see shooting everything that moves on the road.
If the commander knows these things i mentioned above, only then he is in the position of giving a 'correct' order, or else, "Do not stop and Do not deviate from the route" is a fine order. Just chop up anything that moves enroute and then try justifying it when you go back home, and then they complain they have PTSD outburst.