Interesting clip, you can almost taste the dust:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/worl ... eatures/36

Incredible. I know I couldn't stand up to the physical requirements and I wonder if I could stand the sustained mental strain.

Simmer down wrote:I wonder if I could stand the sustained mental strain.

Meh, it's not that bad. You can start to go crazy from lack of sleep though.

http://restrepothemovie.com/ for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

ABNinfantryman wrote:

Simmer down wrote:I wonder if I could stand the sustained mental strain.

Meh, it's not that bad. You can start to go crazy from lack of sleep though.

http://restrepothemovie.com/ for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

The movie was quite good. I found the book, as read by the author, better. Stuff in the book that wasn't in the movie, like most of the backstory to the phrase "same day cow".

ABNinfantryman wrote:

Simmer down wrote:I wonder if I could stand the sustained mental strain.

Meh, it's not that bad. You can start to go crazy from lack of sleep though.

http://restrepothemovie.com/ for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

I saw it after the the guy died in Libya. Great documentary. Liked it so much I cancelled by weekly D&D group and made everyone watch Restrepo instead.

When I got into the Army I was just pissed at all the PT in the Rangers…friggin PT till you puke, that’s all we EVER did. I was really young and I just didn’t “get it”. We did endless PT, and almost no fire training. We could run a marathon with anyone, but most couldn’t shoot for shit (that part has changed since I was in, US soldiers can shoot these days). It actually scared me how little fire, maneuver, and weapons (other than just your rifle) training we did (or didn’t do). I figured if we ever got into a firefight, we’d get our asses waxed because most of the guys in my RANGER unit couldn’t shoot worth a shit. I mean, I’m supposed to be with the elite; yet, we just didn’t spend any time on weapons…just endless PT, patrolling, land nav, etc. FINALLY we got some MILES training and I we started learning some lessons, although MILES has a LOT of limitations that can create a false sense of security on the battlefield, and in some cases, make you think you can get killed too easy. MILES was good, as I’ve always thought force on force was THE BEST form of training.

Well, all this is to say, when I actually saw combat, I found I didn’t get fatigued for a LONG time; the PT really paid off. But after about 3 days of no sleep, you get really punchy and your effectiveness goes WAY down, and accidents begin to go WAY up. Stupid stuff like broken ankles or wrists from just not watching where you’re walking; etc.

Video downloaded and archived. Wow.

FrontSight wrote:When I got into the Army I was just pissed at all the PT in the Rangers…friggin PT till you puke, that’s all we EVER did. I was really young and I just didn’t “get it”. We did endless PT, and almost no fire training. We could run a marathon with anyone, but most couldn’t shoot for shit (that part has changed since I was in, US soldiers can shoot these days). It actually scared me how little fire, maneuver, and weapons (other than just your rifle) training we did (or didn’t do).

This is exactly what I heard from two of my students who were former Rangers at the time of Mogadishu.

Two of my current students (who elected to tell me about it, I never ask. I wait for them to bring it up) have told me they did a lot of live fire drills. One was a Marine the other Army. Both got out in the last couple of years.

War is a young man's game! My heart couldn't take the strain, and I don't mean running with a full ruck. After a couple hours of that, I'd be so tense I'd swallow my own tongue.

Cool link - thank you.