US officials are planning to add as many as 14,000 combat troops to the American force in Afghanistan by sending home support units and replacing them with "trigger-pullers," Defense officials say. The move would beef up the combat force in the country without increasing the overall number of US troops, a contentious issue as public support for the war slips. But many of the noncombat jobs are likely be filled by private contractors, who have proved to be a source of controversy in Iraq and a growing issue in Afghanistan. The plan represents a key step in the Obama administration's drive to counter Taliban gains and demonstrate progress in the war nearly eight years after it began.
Forces that could be swapped out include units assigned to noncombat duty, such as guards or lookouts, or those on clerical and support squads. "It makes sense to get rid of the clerks and replace them with trigger-pullers," said one Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the plans have not been announced. Officials have spoken in recent days about aspects of the plan...
More at The Los Angeles Times.
Comments
The SecDef stated, in part, "he was convinced by McChrystal's claim that Afghans worry more about how American forces act on the ground rather than their total number."
My question is who has jurisdiction and diciplinary control over these contractors?
It would seem all too many of them seem to operate with much less transparency, and rules of conduct, than demanded of our uniformed less paid individuals?
Great idea. Having spent a year in Iraq as a staff weenie & "fobbit", I can confirm that REMF units don't necessarily need to be in-theater to execute their particular duties. Everything I did as a staff guy was done with email, which I could have very easily done from CONUS. It appears that someone at the higher echelons has figured this out and is preparing to act on it.
This article makes me very afraid for the future of the US Army Logistics Corps. I have been concerned about the over-reliance on civilian logistical support in garrison, and now I see that almost all support operations will be civilian resourced. I can see the end of the Ordnance, Transportation, and Quartermaster Corps in about 10 years. It will be a sad day.