WW3 Could we win?

[Caustic Burno]

What's the average age of a US combat soldier in modern times? In Vietnam, it was 19-20.
What real hands on work has any combat soldier in modern times ever done prior to enlistment and how long did he do it?
Not much and not for long.
Boot camp and the weeks of training afterward will whip the softness out of them and the older NCOs already in uniform will lead them into combat. Drop out rate in bootcamp is around 10-13%, depending on the branch of service. The rest will be ready, always have been.

Avg age of the combat soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is a few years older
Yesterday was June 1, my birthday. It's now June 2.
46 years ago today, I left Vietnam after 13 months of combat duty. I turned 21 waiting at Danang airbase for my flight back to Okinawa and then on to Calif.

I agree with everything you said I still question how generation x and the millennials would handle a draft.
Whether our generation agreed with the fight at the time most answered the call when it came.
We haven't drafted anyone in 44 years

 

[True Grit Farms]

I really don't question the willingness of the younger people, just the capabilities... Up until the 70's, a lot of men worked with their hands, so they knew how to use them.. today.. well.. they're more suited to Xbox controllers.. heaven forbid they get callouses or a blister.
I'm sure that given enough time, you could train them.. but if you're in a rush and you need them in 6 months, they're going to be rather useless

Lot of those kids have good eye/hand coordination from years of video games. Read an article a few years back about how some of the current pilots and drone operators have gotten a leg up because of video games.

In terms of technology, to me the real danger is that we're becoming (make that have become) a nation that is anti-science. Clearly we have Russian and Chinese infiltration at all levels of our IT infrastructure (civilian and gov't). I am firmly convinced they need not fire a shot to take us down. Just mess with our democratic processes, electrical grid, banking systems, water supply etc. And turn us all against each other.

We've been a divided nation for a long time, that comes with freedom.

 

[hurleyjd]

I really don't question the willingness of the younger people, just the capabilities... Up until the 70's, a lot of men worked with their hands, so they knew how to use them.. today.. well.. they're more suited to Xbox controllers.. heaven forbid they get callouses or a blister.
I'm sure that given enough time, you could train them.. but if you're in a rush and you need them in 6 months, they're going to be rather useless

Lot of those kids have good eye/hand coordination from years of video games. Read an article a few years back about how some of the current pilots and drone operators have gotten a leg up because of video games.

In terms of technology, to me the real danger is that we're becoming (make that have become) a nation that is anti-science. Clearly we have Russian and Chinese infiltration at all levels of our IT infrastructure (civilian and gov't). I am firmly convinced they need not fire a shot to take us down. Just mess with our democratic processes, electrical grid, banking systems, water supply etc. And turn us all against each other.

We've been a divided nation for a long time, that comes with freedom.

And the government that some you folks on here despise is the only thing at this time keeps us civil. Keep it up and we will not have it. Hate to see what would happen if the POTUS has the power that he seems to want.

 

[TexasBred]

In terms of technology, to me the real danger is that we're becoming (make that have become) a nation that is anti-science. Clearly we have Russian and Chinese infiltration at all levels of our IT infrastructure (civilian and gov't). I am firmly convinced they need not fire a shot to take us down. Just mess with our democratic processes, electrical grid, banking systems, water supply etc. And turn us all against each other.

I don't think we're anti science as much as we're very skeptical of new ideas that seem to good to be true. It never hurts to wait for something to prove itself worthy. As for banking etc. most highly developed countries have had the abilities to totally scramble these things for years. They're just been hesitant to use them because they know the potential consequences. Anyone can fire the first shot. Knowing what may happen afterward is what stops them from doing it.

 

[TexasBred]

What's the average age of a US combat soldier in modern times? In Vietnam, it was 19-20.
What real hands on work has any combat soldier in modern times ever done prior to enlistment and how long did he do it?
Not much and not for long.
Boot camp and the weeks of training afterward will whip the softness out of them and the older NCOs already in uniform will lead them into combat. Drop out rate in bootcamp is around 10-13%, depending on the branch of service. The rest will be ready, always have been.

Avg age of the combat soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is a few years older
Yesterday was June 1, my birthday. It's now June 2.
46 years ago today, I left Vietnam after 13 months of combat duty. I turned 21 waiting at Danang airbase for my flight back to Okinawa and then on to Calif.

Amazing what a bunch of no good pansy azzed city boys can do once trained, equipped and sent. ;-)

 

[hurleyjd]

Second grand son joined the National Guard while in High School. Graduated at 17 birthday Nov 9. Activated two weeks after graduation was in Iraq before he turned 18. Is he perfect not by a long shot but he tries.

 

[greybeard]

What's the average age of a US combat soldier in modern times? In Vietnam, it was 19-20.
What real hands on work has any combat soldier in modern times ever done prior to enlistment and how long did he do it?
Not much and not for long.
Boot camp and the weeks of training afterward will whip the softness out of them and the older NCOs already in uniform will lead them into combat. Drop out rate in bootcamp is around 10-13%, depending on the branch of service. The rest will be ready, always have been.

Avg age of the combat soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is a few years older
Yesterday was June 1, my birthday. It's now June 2.
46 years ago today, I left Vietnam after 13 months of combat duty. I turned 21 waiting at Danang airbase for my flight back to Okinawa and then on to Calif.

Amazing what a bunch of no good pansy azzed city boys can do once trained, equipped and sent. ;-)

If you call them, they will come. Most will not have to be drafted either.

 

[ChrisB]

People like to complain about the younger generation; always have always will. But if you really get out and look around fast food joints seem to be run by kids. Most stores have high school kids working part time as a big part of their workforce. Construction sites have many young people just out of school. The majority of kids today aren't lazy or dumb. Some just haven't been exposed to some things so they haven't learned them yet.

 

[True Grit Farms]

People like to complain about the younger generation; always have always will. But if you really get out and look around fast food joints seem to be run by kids. Most stores have high school kids working part time as a big part of their workforce. Construction sites have many young people just out of school. The majority of kids today aren't lazy or dumb. Some just haven't been exposed to some things so they haven't learned them yet.

I sure see a bunch of fat kids, when I was in school there were very few fat kids.

 

[TexasBred]

People like to complain about the younger generation; always have always will. But if you really get out and look around fast food joints seem to be run by kids. Most stores have high school kids working part time as a big part of their workforce. Construction sites have many young people just out of school. The majority of kids today aren't lazy or dumb. Some just haven't been exposed to some things so they haven't learned them yet.

I sure see a bunch of fat kids, when I was in school there were very few fat kids.

TG you can only suck so much nutrition out of a chicken neck. :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

[HDRider]

People like to complain about the younger generation; always have always will. But if you really get out and look around fast food joints seem to be run by kids. Most stores have high school kids working part time as a big part of their workforce. Construction sites have many young people just out of school. The majority of kids today aren't lazy or dumb. Some just haven't been exposed to some things so they haven't learned them yet.

Socrates (469–399 B.C.) The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

 

[greybeard]

Socrates: "I drank WHAT?"

 

[TexasBred]

There were no reason for one American to have died in Korea or Vietnam TB.
One thing to defend your country another to stick our nose where it doesn't belong.
If the Japan hadn't bombed Pearl we wouldn't have got in WWII.
Americans had it right up till then not to stick our nose where it didn't belong.
TB your just a milk and honey sopper I
have no problem in a righteous fight.
A member of my family has fought in every war from the Revolutionary to this one for your freedoms.
I really don't think all of them were real bright either especially an idiot brother. We had no business in Vietnam or Korea. We actually came out better loosing in Vietnam.
Korea was a draw and have been dealing with the idiots for the past 70 years.

Actually you know nothing about what I've done personally CB especially in last '60's. You're trying to live on the actions of your ancestors but didn't do a dam think yourself because "I didnt' agree with it". I'd make sure I was armed all the time too. BTW we did not lose in Vietnam. We kicked their asses all over the country.

 

[TexasBred]

What's the average age of a US combat soldier in modern times? In Vietnam, it was 19-20.
What real hands on work has any combat soldier in modern times ever done prior to enlistment and how long did he do it?
Not much and not for long.
Boot camp and the weeks of training afterward will whip the softness out of them and the older NCOs already in uniform will lead them into combat. Drop out rate in bootcamp is around 10-13%, depending on the branch of service. The rest will be ready, always have been.

Avg age of the combat soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is a few years older
Yesterday was June 1, my birthday. It's now June 2.
46 years ago today, I left Vietnam after 13 months of combat duty. I turned 21 waiting at Danang airbase for my flight back to Okinawa and then on to Calif.

I agree with everything you said I still question how generation x and the millennials would handle a draft.
Whether our generation agreed with the fight at the time most answered the call when it came.
We haven't drafted anyone in 44 years

Yessir...MOST answered the call !!!!! Others didn't believe in it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

There were no reason for one American to have died in Korea or Vietnam TB.
One thing to defend your country another to stick our nose where it doesn't belong.
If the Japan hadn't bombed Pearl we wouldn't have got in WWII.
Americans had it right up till then not to stick our nose where it didn't belong.
TB your just a milk and honey sopper I
have no problem in a righteous fight.
A member of my family has fought in every war from the Revolutionary to this one for your freedoms.
I really don't think all of them were real bright either especially an idiot brother. We had no business in Vietnam or Korea. We actually came out better loosing in Vietnam.
Korea was a draw and have been dealing with the idiots for the past 70 years.

Actually you know nothing about what I've done personally CB especially in last '60's. You're trying to live on the actions of your ancestors but didn't do a dam think yourself because "I didnt' agree with it". I'd make sure I was armed all the time too. BTW we did not lose in Vietnam. We kicked their asses all over the country.

You must have been an alternative universe we lost in Vietnam.
Had to run to get out with our tail between our legs.
Anyone that volunteered for Vietnam was an idiot.
Personally all I know about you is what you have stated your bunch came up from down south.
I am not hiding behind ancestors siblings or children serving just stating fact.
Has your family served in one of our wars?
What have they placed upon the alter of freedom ?
Vietnam had nothing to do with our freedom any more than Korea.

 

[greybeard]

Others didn't believe in it.

Yep. Jane Fonda and all the rest of the hippies.
One thing I respected my father for. He was honest. "I wasn't gonna go till they absolutely made me. Didn't see no sense me volunteering to go get shot at".
They did, but he never got shot at.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Others didn't believe in it.

Yep. Jane Fonda and all the rest of the hippies.
One thing I respected my father for. He was honest. "I wasn't gonna go till they absolutely made me. Didn't see no sense me volunteering to go get shot at".
They did, but he never got shot at.

Got that right dad didn't believe in it either and he served in WWII and Korea. Volunteered for WWII got called up for Korea. Never heard him badmouthing WWII. Heard him call Korea nothing but a political cluster.
Heard him say it a thousand times Vietnam didn't attack us we were sticking our nose where it didn't belong just like Korea.
The Japs attacked us in 41 and we got in even through the Germans were sinking our merchant ships.
We got in WWI over Germany sinking merchant ships and Americans wanted nothing to do with another European war.
The American public was right about
Vietnam not the way they treated the veterans.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

People like to complain about the younger generation; always have always will. But if you really get out and look around fast food joints seem to be run by kids. Most stores have high school kids working part time as a big part of their workforce. Construction sites have many young people just out of school. The majority of kids today aren't lazy or dumb. Some just haven't been exposed to some things so they haven't learned them yet.

Socrates (469–399 B.C.) The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

Great find HDR.

 

[greybeard]

Others didn't believe in it.

Yep. Jane Fonda and all the rest of the hippies.
One thing I respected my father for. He was honest. "I wasn't gonna go till they absolutely made me. Didn't see no sense me volunteering to go get shot at".
They did, but he never got shot at.

Got that right dad didn't believe in it either and he served in WWII and Korea. Volunteered for WWII got called up for Korea. Never heard him badmouthing WWII. Heard him call Korea nothing but a political cluster.
Heard him say it a thousand times Vietnam didn't attack us we were sticking our nose where it didn't belong just like Korea.
The Japs attacked us in 41 and we got in even through the Germans were sinking our merchant ships.
We got in WWI over Germany sinking merchant ships and Americans wanted nothing to do with another European war.
The American public was right about
Vietnam not the way they treated the veterans.

It's your story CB, you can tell it any way you want to.

 

[dun]

I've always felt that if my country calls I will go. Wasn;t drafted, volunteered a week after I turned 17, that was before vietnam.