Baghdad Sean Spicer Strikes Again

Gents, It's a little over 1 Million (active, reserves, and guard). FY16 authorized end strength is:

475 k Active
342 k Guard
198 k Reserves

This was after the Sequester and the shrinking of the Army. Also keep in mind that the Guard is dual missioned. They belong to the State and are only under federal control when mobilized under Title 10.
 
Close enough.

200,000 would be acceptable.

This premise is based on a few things I find dubious. 1. There is a military force/political regime wanting to invade America. 2. This force can amass the materials, train its soldiers, and move troops for
attack and remain completely hidden while doing so. 3. Our military with all its advanced weaponry, defending their own soil would have 10% losses before others could be trained enough to be effective.

As I stated earlier, I am ignorant of military stuff these assumptions are conjured up in my feeble mind.
 
This is rich! Trump is a laughingstock all over the world. His behavior as POTUS, if not so pitiful, would be laughable. In other words, he has no business being POTUS. As ineffective as Obama was, he was, on his worst day, better than this clown. The sooner this clown is gone, the better it will be for our country. And BTW, EVERY yahoo Republican state and federal congressman did everything they could to stymie Obama, regardless of whether or not it was good for our nation.

Stop living vicariously through elected leaders..you'll find it doesn't matter how comedy shows on TV try to tell you to feel.
 
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This is rich! Trump is a laughingstock all over the world. His behavior as POTUS, if not so pitiful, would be laughable. In other words, he has no business being POTUS. As ineffective as Obama was, he was, on his worst day, better than this clown. The sooner this clown is gone, the better it will be for our country. And BTW, EVERY yahoo Republican state and federal congressman did everything they could to stymie Obama, regardless of whether or not it was good for our nation.

Trump tried to expand the Patriot Act and tried to gut the openess of the internet?
 
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200,000 would be acceptable.

This premise is based on a few things I find dubious. 1. There is a military force/political regime wanting to invade America. 2. This force can amass the materials, train its soldiers, and move troops for
attack and remain completely hidden while doing so. 3. Our military with all its advanced weaponry, defending their own soil would have 10% losses before others could be trained enough to be effective.

As I stated earlier, I am ignorant of military stuff these assumptions are conjured up in my feeble mind.

I'd rather foot the bill to pay, train and equip them than pay to burry them.
 
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So, anyhow McDad. BOG is somewhat of a generic term that applies for military members that happen to be "in the fight." It could be something as simple as a dumb line grunt like Hog was or it could have been someone as sophisticated and intelligent as I was as security forces. But mainly the term refers to those deployed in a hostile fire zone. When Bush 43 spoke of boots on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was referring to all military folks either in combat or directly supporting it from a forward location.

The biggest thing you have to remember about "combat" forces is the amount of tail they have. It's not an exact science, but for each infantryman on the "front", you have seven or more people behind him or her supporting them in somewhat close proximity. For pilots, you have 20 or more. Which is why you have far more numbers than you would believe. You say 200,000 people. I'd say no more than 20,000 of that would be pure trigger pullers.

Also, a lot of manpower is locked up in the Guard and Reserves. SV can tell you (and this isn't a knock on the Guard and Reserves that choose to serve) it takes a while to get them back up to speed before they are ready to get into a fight. A weekend a month and two weeks a year is just enough to remind them they are in the military. You can get some training done in that time, but not enough to keep them as proficient as they should be.

Anyway, just a few thoughts/explanation.
 
Trumps budget proposal is telling on your first point. Defund the State department and spend like a drunken sailor on defense.

Screw diplomacy, lets fight. Preemptive strikes in the DPRK would make one hell of a distraction from an awful first six months in office and astonishingly low approval ratings.

I don't see preemptive strikes coming any time soon..... BUT..... haven't you ever read a news article like today's where some sinister SOB is boasting about killing the great Satan....or their streets will run with blood...and on and on.... and thought to yourself, I'd like the US to drop a guided missle right down his chimney.... I'll admit it.... I have
 
This is rich! Trump is a laughingstock all over the world. His behavior as POTUS, if not so pitiful, would be laughable. In other words, he has no business being POTUS. As ineffective as Obama was, he was, on his worst day, better than this clown. The sooner this clown is gone, the better it will be for our country. And BTW, EVERY yahoo Republican state and federal congressman did everything they could to stymie Obama, regardless of whether or not it was good for our nation.

Volpuss?
 
So, anyhow McDad. BOG is somewhat of a generic term that applies for military members that happen to be "in the fight." It could be something as simple as a dumb line grunt like Hog was or it could have been someone as sophisticated and intelligent as I was as security forces. But mainly the term refers to those deployed in a hostile fire zone. When Bush 43 spoke of boots on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was referring to all military folks either in combat or directly supporting it from a forward location.

The biggest thing you have to remember about "combat" forces is the amount of tail they have. It's not an exact science, but for each infantryman on the "front", you have seven or more people behind him or her supporting them in somewhat close proximity. For pilots, you have 20 or more. Which is why you have far more numbers than you would believe. You say 200,000 people. I'd say no more than 20,000 of that would be pure trigger pullers.

Also, a lot of manpower is locked up in the Guard and Reserves. SV can tell you (and this isn't a knock on the Guard and Reserves that choose to serve) it takes a while to get them back up to speed before they are ready to get into a fight. A weekend a month and two weeks a year is just enough to remind them they are in the military. You can get some training done in that time, but not enough to keep them as proficient as they should be.
Anyway, just a few thoughts/explanation.

1st bolded- would apply to my profession as an intel guy.

2nd bolded- we spend most drill weekends doing sexual harassment and assault prevention training. Apparently, we rape everyone when we go anywhere. Due to this training, I believe that I rape no less than 5 Walmart people greeters every time I go to Walmart.

On a serious note, the average battle assembly weekend is dedicated to administrative tasks. Throughout the year we will:
- take 2 Army Physical Fitness Tests
- go to the range once (if our unit has weapons; not all of the Reserves has weapons)
- attempt to execute land navigation (if we are in a high speed unit)
- conduct 14 days of annual training (annual training depends on unit type; I am in a training unit so I conduct assessments on units preparing to deploy).

The National Guard is slightly different as they are more self sufficient (they all have weapons). They still fight the same admin monster plus execute the requisite combat arms tasks (gunnery at least 3 times a year and basic movement drills but nothing as advanced as our active counterparts).

When called up for a deployment, we are allotted between 28-36 days to meet all the training requirements put out by higher commands and attempt to re-blue our skills. When we hit the ground, we are expected to operate as the same efficiency as our active brethren (no easy feat).
 
I don't see preemptive strikes coming any time soon..... BUT..... haven't you ever read a news article like today's where some sinister SOB is boasting about killing the great Satan....or their streets will run with blood...and on and on.... and thought to yourself, I'd like the US to drop a guided missle right down his chimney.... I'll admit it.... I have

Yeah, I'd love to see that Kim Jung Fatty with a tomahawk missile shoved straight up his doodoopuss.
 
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So, anyhow McDad. BOG is somewhat of a generic term that applies for military members that happen to be "in the fight." It could be something as simple as a dumb line grunt like Hog was or it could have been someone as sophisticated and intelligent as I was as security forces. But mainly the term refers to those deployed in a hostile fire zone. When Bush 43 spoke of boots on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was referring to all military folks either in combat or directly supporting it from a forward location.

The biggest thing you have to remember about "combat" forces is the amount of tail they have. It's not an exact science, but for each infantryman on the "front", you have seven or more people behind him or her supporting them in somewhat close proximity. For pilots, you have 20 or more. Which is why you have far more numbers than you would believe. You say 200,000 people. I'd say no more than 20,000 of that would be pure trigger pullers.

Also, a lot of manpower is locked up in the Guard and Reserves. SV can tell you (and this isn't a knock on the Guard and Reserves that choose to serve) it takes a while to get them back up to speed before they are ready to get into a fight. A weekend a month and two weeks a year is just enough to remind them they are in the military. You can get some training done in that time, but not enough to keep them as proficient as they should be.

Anyway, just a few thoughts/explanation.

Are our military levels mainly for mainland defense or for engagements out of country? Mainly for us or for our allies?
 
Are our military levels mainly for mainland defense or for engagements out of country? Mainly for us or for our allies?

Peace time mission home and abroad. During war our numbers spike significantly and we find a shortage of experienced leaders to lead young Soldiers in combat. A good Army is grown, not thrown together.
 
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