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Old 04-02-2011, 11:42 PM
Abbott Shaull Abbott Shaull is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Webstral View Post
These are good questions. In a Twilight: 2000 context, I think it's important to draw distinctions between the period 12/96-07/97, 07/97-11/97, and 11/97 onward. In the first timeframe, it seems highly unlikely that whole Basic/AIT companies would be sent onward except in cases where entire battalions had been withdrawn for reconstitution in the rear. In these instances, the survivors would form the cadre of officers and NCOs, while the newbie would play Joe. The drill sergeants and other training cadre would be too valuable in their training role to send forward.

In the middle timeframe, it's possible that entire AIT companies might be sent forward as a group. The initiation of nuclear action would have disrupted the global transportation system, so it's entirely possible that keeping entire companies together would have been more manageable than sending individuals or platoons in different directions. I still find it hard to see the Army sending its trainers forward, though.

In the final timeframe, it seems to be a given that the trainers lose their specialized training role. The US Army Reserve divisions transition to light infantry in 1998. On posts like Benning and Sill, a few drill sergeants might have been kept on in their training role, but the pressing need for manpower probably would have resulted in most of these guys going back to the line.

Still, everything I've written is a generalization. Exceptions to the rule may abound in every instance.

At Huachuca, the drill sergeants are rolled into the new line units of 111th Brigade after the TDM. It's only after the summer fighting of 1998 ends and the brigade starts to rebuild that any significant number of the drills are released for unit training again.


Webstral
Well if you remember in The Band of Brothers the training NCO were there to help the assigned Officers of the 506th train and then they were transferred out as me with the platoons, companies, and battalions were promoted to the NCO ranks. So it could happen again, to keep the Drill Sergeants and Instructors back in the State for training purposes. Of course, the down side is lot of the NCOs have a sharper learning curve than the Officers and one of the few time where roles would be reverse with junior Officer helping in training of senior NCOs.
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