In 2006, during turnover with 2nd Recon in Al Anbar, SSgt Eric Kocher said something that stuck in my mind.  “We’ve got operational ADD,” he said.  “We go somewhere, poke around for a couple weeks, then we leave.”

While he was talking specifically about the way we were being employed, his sentiments can be applied across the operational spectrum from the small-unit tactical level all the way to the strategic level.  We seem to have come to expect war to operate on a schedule.  Needless to say, it doesn’t.  The enemy gets a vote, as they say, and that can throw your desired schedule into a cocked hat.  Not only does enemy action affect the timeline, but in a combat zone, even more than anywhere else, Murphy is king.  Equipment breaks.  Weather grounds helicopters or slows movement.  The imagery turns out to be outdated, and where there was a crossing, there is now just a ten-foot-deep canal.  Somebody gives the lieutenant a map.

Read the rest at Breach-Bang-Clear: http://www.breachbangclear.com/site/10-blog/350-peter-nealan-on-operational-add-in-warfare.html

Operational Patience
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Peter Nealen

Peter Nealen is a former Reconnaissance Marine and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. He deployed to Iraq in 2005-2006, and again in 2007, with 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Recon Bn. After two years of schools and workups, including Scout/Sniper Basic and Team Leader's Courses, he deployed to Afghanistan with 4th Platoon, Force Reconnaissance Company, I MEF. Since he got out, he's been writing, authoring many articles and 24 books, mostly Action/Adventure and Military Thrillers, with some excursions into Paranormal Fantasy and Science Fiction.

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