TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army

TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01have as far to go as 1 st Marine Expeditionary Brigade so they were able to begin theirpenetration of the capital in conjunction with the Marines. By the time General Dumai called fora ceasefire the Government House was surrounded. At dawn special operations teams emergedwith Ibn Ander on a stretcher—drugged, apparently in a suicide attempt.When the last shots played over the big screen Odermann half expected to see the credits roll.TF Green and the entire coalition was far from done, but GOI forces were already en route toreplace them. With any luck the coalition would pull most of its combat forces out of Sumatra inless than a week.Major General Tasker slapped his knees and stood up at the end of the video. Lookingaround the portable inflatable shelter that housed his command post, he said, “Warriors all!You’ve done your jobs incredibly well. Operation Thunderstorm will be one for the historybooks, my friends. It showcased our arsenal and expeditionary prowess, no question about that.More importantly, and I know you men and women are tired of me saying it, this operationproved our Soldiers and our warrior spirit are second to none! I’m so proud of all of them andyou…,” he tapered off his eyes wet with tears and his voice growing hoarse.Major King flinched and touched his Bluetooth earpiece, getting a serious look on his face.No one seemed to notice in the hubbub until King’s voice rose above the clamor, amplified by theflat screen speakers.“Sir,” King began, looking a bit ashen. “There’s been an earthquake! Tsunami alert, sir,for the northeast shore. Pacific Command wants us to be ready to assist….”Boots on the ground is a somewhat overused term, but its meaning is timeless. FromFehrenbach’s quote to Patton’s admonition that humans win wars, this concept concentrates onthis theme and its prime executors Soldiers and Marines. War is never pleasant nor is it a casualactivity played occasionally. War is serious business that requires dedicated well-trained andeducated professionals to execute. This concept on the human dimension makes that point in allthe domains described in the foregoing chapters.The events described in each of the vignettes serve to emphasize selected points in itsrespective chapters. As such, they are not chronological, nor are they completely consistent withthe exercise battle fought in the 2004 Sea Viking Experiment. The apparent ease with which thecoalition overcomes Ibn Ander does not suggest that future combat operations will be easy. TheAnderian forces may seem inept in these accounts, but the coalition success derives from notengaging Anderian strengths, from utilizing deception, and from entering the Caliphate inunexpected ways.The Battle of Pekanbaru and the taking of the Sumatra Anderian Caliphate should never haveto happen, but if the present is any predictor of the future, the U.S. Army needs to prepare for aworld of persistent conflict. The Army must begin today to build the future TF Green and themagnificent leaders depicted in this fictional account. To do less would be a major disservice toour country.211