First of all Small unit tactics and patrolling should have been taught in what ever in the hell they are now calling the phase before MOS when you are at Mackall. We called it Phase I and it was a patrolling and tactics, movement, recon ambush raid, etc course. The 18Bs are not he only ones that need that.
Ranger school no. Why you ask? Because a lot of Ranger school is not needed and is a waste. If they taught Mackall as they should instead of touchy feely crap then you would get the tactics.
Dump SERE and teach guys to fight not to be captured, my opinion sorry if I just ruffled feathers. Spend that time on the range and doing patrolling.
Opps not even talking about 18B yet. I do not care what MOS you have you need to do all the above and do it well. Stop focusing on Iraq only and focus on our core jobs. I spent time as a lowly E-5 team medic as one of two NCOs at a training camp teaching mortars and patrolling to tribesmen. Sure was glad they beat that crap in my head at Mackall.
Now 18B. Again stop the touchy feelly and go back to teaching and doing. As you said, the range time is critical and not just to shoot but to learn how to teach it. Remember that is your job. Do the weapons by the numbers and then teach them. Do FDC and teach it.
As far as HALO and SCUBA, they are only ways into the fight, not the fight. I have never heard of an enemy being HALO'ed to death. At least SCUBA can do recon of a beach for the Marines to hit.
My two cents. Let the fun begin.
