"Nightstalkers" II.

This is coolbert:

Nightstalkers II.

Dysfunctional?

Conclusion.

Here from the original story as covered by USA Today in 2006, the return of the 1/184  from Iraq. A California National Guard [NG] COMBAT ARMS unit. That battalion, light infantry, in the thick of the fray in Iraq, and from what I read, a competent and able unit, performing up to task for the most part, some incidents raising eyebrows but not that unusual or unique I would think.

A NG unit that among the active-duty component developed a reputation as the proverbial "black sheep".

"How a black-sheep Guard unit came home heroes"

"these citizen-soldiers didn't expect a series of scandals and criminal charges on top of heavy casualties that nearly crushed their fighting spirit. They were investigated for abusing Iraqi detainees and lost two leaders in back-to-back roadside bombings — one being the highest-ranking U.S. officer killed in Iraq. From late 2004 through October 2005, the 1st Battalion of the 184th Infantry Regiment — nicknamed 'The Night Stalkers' — was saddled with a reputation as the Bad News Bears of the U.S. military"

Again, my perception is that this NG unit DID perform in an admirable and competent manner, news reports notwithstanding. They did their job and did it well, damage as sustained by the enemy, the NG casualty lists and numbers of awards and decorations indicative of the type of light infantry combat in the COIN environment that does make for easy soldiering.

"During their year in Iraq, the 1-184 encountered more than 240 improvised explosive devices, captured 1,000 detainees and discovered 24 weapons caches. Those are the kind of statistics they hope they will be remembered for"

Casualties sustained by the 1/184 during their year of duty to include:


* "17 soldiers killed."
*  "more than 100 wounded"

[including the active duty Colonel Wood and the active duty Alpha company commander Captain MacKinnon both killed in action back-to-back]

Decorations and awards as given to 1/184 troops to include:

* "11 Army Commendations for Valor"
* "more than 80 Purple Hearts"
* "14 Bronze Stars for valor"
* "48 Bronze Stars for merit"

The U.S. Army DOES have serious reservations and misgivings about deploying COMBAT ARMS NG units into a battle zone? In large measure this is due to the severe and almost catastrophic casualties as suffered by the Texas NG 36th Infantry division during the Italian Campaign? Adverse publicity is something to be avoided. A lack of competency on the part of combat arms NG units is not foremost in the minds of the active duty commanders?

The perception of the 1/184 was not reality but then reality is quite often perception.

coolbert.