http://www.historynet.com/vietnam-war-the-individual-rotation-policy.htm From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:03:12 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.historynet.com/vietnam-war-the-individual-rotation-policy.htm/comment-page-1#comment-81743 Tom Salter Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:03:35 +0000 #comment-81743 War is no fun at all and it continues well after you come back to 'the world' as we found out with Vietnam. There should be no rotations out unless wounded or worse. Knowing that you merely have to count the days makes everyone a bit cocky and you end up really not caring about the job, just getting out and going home. Then you fell the guilt and it is overwhelming. War is no fun at all and it continues well after you come back to ‘the world’ as we found out with Vietnam. There should be no rotations out unless wounded or worse. Knowing that you merely have to count the days makes everyone a bit cocky and you end up really not caring about the job, just getting out and going home. Then you fell the guilt and it is overwhelming.

]]> http://www.historynet.com/vietnam-war-the-individual-rotation-policy.htm/comment-page-1#comment-65646 Gordon Davis Mon, 25 May 2009 17:43:17 +0000 #comment-65646 I was a Marine lieutenant in Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines. I arrived in Sept 1968 and took over a platoon whose lieutenant had been killed. I no sooner started getting to know my men than they started rotating out, one by one. I had three excellent squad leaders, and suddenly one went home. I got his replacement trained and snapped in and another one left. It was the same with the younger guys. And of course we took casualties who had to be replaced. There was very little unit cohesion, no time to bond, no time to learn to trust the guy on your left and right, FNG's coming in regularly - the whole process was disastrous. At least today they are rotating units in Iraq and Afghanistan. I was a Marine lieutenant in Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Ninth Marines. I arrived in Sept 1968 and took over a platoon whose lieutenant had been killed. I no sooner started getting to know my men than they started rotating out, one by one. I had three excellent squad leaders, and suddenly one went home. I got his replacement trained and snapped in and another one left. It was the same with the younger guys. And of course we took casualties who had to be replaced. There was very little unit cohesion, no time to bond, no time to learn to trust the guy on your left and right, FNG’s coming in regularly – the whole process was disastrous. At least today they are rotating units in Iraq and Afghanistan.

]]> http://www.historynet.com/vietnam-war-the-individual-rotation-policy.htm/comment-page-1#comment-25235 A. von Baehr Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:58:01 +0000 #comment-25235 Although some individual replacements are useful and necessary to augment operational units, to rely only on such a system is not wise. Replacement Battalions, or “shadow battalions or companies” of troopers who have trained together and are then merged with a decimated unit provide the best solution. The Germans maintained divisional Field Replacement Battalions, which could replace a company or battalion as needed. Each military district had the job to build and train special branch “shadow” units for divisions from their district. The military districts even maintained “shadow divisions” to augment decimated divisions at the front. The unit rotation system used in Iraq and Afghanistan are a wise application of military management principles. Although some individual replacements are useful and necessary to augment operational units, to rely only on such a system is not wise. Replacement Battalions, or “shadow battalions or companies” of troopers who have trained together and are then merged with a decimated unit provide the best solution. The Germans maintained divisional Field Replacement Battalions, which could replace a company or battalion as needed. Each military district had the job to build and train special branch “shadow” units for divisions from their district. The military districts even maintained “shadow divisions” to augment decimated divisions at the front. The unit rotation system used in Iraq and Afghanistan are a wise application of military management principles.

]]> http://www.historynet.com/vietnam-war-the-individual-rotation-policy.htm/comment-page-1#comment-11371 Aimee Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:58:28 +0000 #comment-11371 The my grandpa was in the Vietnam War and he tells me storys about it all the time. My grandpa lost a lot of friends in the war, eventhough they died the are still heros and they will always be to me thanx for serveing in the military. God Bless!!!!! The my grandpa was in the Vietnam War and he tells me storys about it all the time. My grandpa lost a lot of friends in the war, eventhough they died the are still heros and they will always be to me thanx for serveing in the military. God Bless!!!!!

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