Army's new Handbook - Surviving Iraq

[donsu]

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/alerts/172


Army's Last-Ditch Attempt to Reduce Spiking Casualties: A New Handbook Called "Surviving Iraq." (Will it Work as Body Armor?)


Are you a soldier worried about being killed in Iraq? Fear no longer; the Army has instituted a new safety precaution just for you. No, it's not body armor or better training, and it sure ain't an exit strategy.

Rather, the Army has released a new manual called "Soldier Handbook: Surviving Iraq." The move was prompted by an increased casualty rate during the first 100 days of a unit's deployment, according to Col. Steven Mains, director of the Center for Army Lessons Learned (yes, the Army really has a center for "lessons learned").

-snip-

The handbook offers helpful suggestions like "listen to leaders" and "use protective gear," as well as the seemingly contradictory "avoid routine or predictable patterns" and "follow standard operating procedures."

Unfortunately, you are out of luck if your unit is shipping out soon. The Army Times reports that "a paper version for basic trainees was supposed to be issued by January, but has been held up."

-snip-

If a soldier can actually afford a computer on his or her stingy salary, an electronic version of the handbook may be accessed online (by military personnel only). Separate guides for both junior leaders and unit staff members are also in the works, but those won't be available until March and June, respectively. Guess they won't be "Surviving Iraq" for the next few months.

-snip-

Training and skill may help, but death comes randomly in the urban, guerilla-infested landscape of Iraq. There is no better example of this grim reality than the opening paragraph of a heartbreaking Army Times story today about two soldiers killed in the same blast while fighting side-by-side:


Spc. Alan Eugene McPeek was just days away from completing his 14-month tour in Iraq. Pvt. Matthew Thomas Zeimer had been at Combat Outpost Grant for less than two hours.

Zeimer, 18, would not have been saved by a handbook.
----------------------------


the Handbook sounds like a waste of good trees to print it.

was this one of Rummy's wonderful ideas?

they say Rummy still has a desk and works in the Pentagon

[rocktivity]

1. I didn't know that The Onion had become a Buzzflash affiliate.

That would explain why this story isn't at TheOnion.com. I really don't know how they've kept their humor so fresh and sharp after so many years. You've hit another one out of the park, guys!

:headbang:
rocknation

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Listen to leaders." WTF?

Do they mean Commander AWOL? He is dishonorable and clueless...not advisable. HE CAN'T EVEN HANDLE A PRETZEL.
"
Maybe they mean "listen to Dick Cheney -- after all, he scored five (5) military deferments so he would not have to serve in Vietnam, and could concentrate on making oil and munitions profits.

That must be it: Listen to Dick Chickenhawk Cheney, and you can thereby avoid going to Iraq and dying
a horrible death to insure Massive Republicon War Profiteering.

OK, glad I figured that out.

[undeterred]

3. I would like the citizen's handbook on surviving the Bush administration

though its a little late now.