Excuse me while I gloat with absolute glee.

[gridlore]

Doing a little research and Wiki-surfing, I came across the Army's plans for reorganization.

In short, they are going to a system of modular brigades that can be assembled into larger units based on the specific mission needs, with headquarters units operating independently until forces are actually assigned.

This is exactly what I wrote for GURPS Traveller: Ground Forces when designing the Unified Armies of the Imperium.

I should've gone to West Point...

Comments

[meglimir.livejournal.com]

That is nifty!

[taschoene.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I remarked on this during the playtest, but modular brigades are not exactly a new concept. The Army's move is inspired heavily by Douglas Macgregor's Breaking the Phalanx (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0275957942?v=glance) and John Brinkerhoff's "Brigade-Based New Army" (http://www.carlisle.army.mil/USAWC/PARAMETERS/97autumn/brinkerh.htm) in Parameters, both published back in 1997. And they weren't breaking all that much new ground, really. Armies have looked at modular organizations like this in one way or another since the end of WW2.

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

I based my work on the Soviet Army, so yeah it's not new, but damnit, the US Army is copying me!!

[chaoswolf]

So one of the higher ups in the military might be a GURPS player who read your section & stole your idea?

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Hell, I have sightings of the book at the War College (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Army_War_College)

[todkaninchen.livejournal.com]

This sounds eerily like the pre-WWI Army, including the 2 x 2 x 2 Division. Divisions of 2 Brigades of 2 Regiments of 2 Battalions plus support units.

Then again, I guess Divisional operations aren't supposed to be the priority.

I don't like the reduction in Artillery though...

[jeffreyab.livejournal.com]

So why didn't you go to West Point?

[gridlore.livejournal.com]

Well, failing everything in High School was a detriment in getting an appointment. Seriously, I did not give a shit about doing the work and maintained a stellar 0.5 GPA for three and a half years. I enlisted in November 1983 and my mom found a program where I could take the GED test for High School credit. I dropped out of high school (stayed in the school musical, though)and took two classes a day, hung out at my local game store for a few hours, went to rehearsel, and graduated three days before my classmates at Leigh.

Formal education methods and I have never gotten along well. My one attempt at college (at San Jose City College) was an equal disaster. The amusing part is i have been asked by professional astronomers where I did my graduate work, and one wanted to know if I had a doctoral advisor yet!

Had I had my shit together, gotten an appointment, and graduated I would have been in the class of 1988. After 18 years active service, I would probably be a LTC or very junior COL. Had I just stayed in the Army as an enlisted man, I'd probably be a SFC now.

Hmm.. I should have gone to the Point.. Army won 3 of the 4 Army-Navy Games during "my" class years. :)