Attachments

[longjon]

I am a Civil Affairs Team Leader. I will be taking my CAT-A team to Iraq and will likely be supporting an as yet undetermined ODA.

During my last rotation, I observed how NOT to support an ODA as their attached CA team proved to be a bunch of wannabes and glory hounds that were not allowed outside the wire with the team.

In the interest of best preparing myself, and my men, I'm curious what you gentlemen are looking for in an attachment. Advice specific to CA attachments is great but any word about the broader subject of attachments would be much appreciated as well.

If I may be a bit presumptious, we are working hard on PT. My guys are all on the extended scale of the APFT and we ruck fast, long and often. We certainly aren't in the shape that many of you are but we are doing our level best to be physically strong.

My personal bottom line is that I want to take my guys over, execute our mission and be an asset to the team, not a liability.

Thanks for your time in advance.