A question regarding higher ranked officers and being in combat. (reserve, contractors)
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I'm former Air Force. Very few members of my branch are ever in the line of fire, no less high ranking officers.
As a percentage of the force, yes. But from someone who's faced down anti-aircraft artillery, the last time as a senior commander, I'll state it's not totally accurate. It was once said that the Air Force was the only service that sent only its officers into combat; they weren't counting C-130 and C-17 enlisted crewmembers, JTACs, CCTs, and Spec Ops. Colonel Bobby Efferson, wing commander, was hit in Desert Storm, as was Colonel David Sawyer, also a wing commander. Not common, but it happens.
I'm former Air Force. Very few members of my branch are ever in the line of fire, no less high ranking officers.
Times have changed, especially for the AF. With the push for jointness at DoD, many Navy and AF officers are out and about in places where they never, ever thought they'd be. The AF runs PSD teams, and AF officers traveled around quite a bit in Iraq and to a lesser extent Afghanistan.
High ranking Officers have personal security assigned to them in theater. You will never see a flag Officer just wondering about on base. They always have a staff that are with them. The security is also very strict when it comes to high ranking Officers and it is similar to the security that a senior politician receives when traveling in theater.
I'm former Air Force. Very few members of my branch are ever in the line of fire, no less high ranking officers.
They always are, you just dont see it. I gaurentee other countries have tactical nukes pointed at air bases. When the crap hits the fan air bases are going to get tactical nuked. Unfortunatly I live next to a major air base so hopefully its a secondary nuke target so I can get out of town when the news hits of the primary targets getting hit (likely silos that can shoot back with anything substantial).
Location: When you take flak it means you are on target
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I was in the Army a hundred years ago, well actually early '80's. They had protection details as others described. Seemed like they were made of whoever got assigned.
But it seemed to me in the recent wars (news footage) the big commanders like Petreas and others had private contractors or maybe Delta Force type people. You know, Beards McOperator types with sunglasses, shemogs and supressed AR's and other cool toys.
And then there was Patton. He didn't need no silly bodyguards getting in the way and taking his kills!
And then there was Patton. He didn't need no silly bodyguards getting in the way and taking his kills!
General George S. Patton had bodyguards. PFC Roland "Ron" Sluder served as one of Patton's bodyguards as the commander of the U.S. 3rd Army during the reconstruction of the Bavarian government.
I had the opportunity of meeting Sluder at Ft Mead in the 80's. I believe Sluder is still alive.
But did BG Theodore Roosevelt Jr have a detail when he hit Utah Beach, cane in one hand and 1911 in the other?
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