4 ms·

It's kind of insane how many documents the armed forces put out like this. Hundreds upon hundreds of pages dedicated to one topic or another. Everything broken

It's kind of insane how many documents the armed forces put out like this. Hundreds upon hundreds of pages dedicated to one topic or another. Everything broken down into a template or series of steps, often with little mnemonic devices to help you remember things. Everything standardized and given official nomenclature. Want to know what an infantry platoon and squad does? Here's 826 pages: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ATP%203-21x8%20FINAL%20WEB%20INCL%20C1.pdf https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ATP%203... . What about an infantry company? Here's 618 pages: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN8519_ATP%203-21x10%20Final%20Web.pdf https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN8519... . And those just cover the basics of organization, movement, attack, and defense. Want to know how to call in artillery support? Here's 256 pages: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN21932_FM_3-09_FINAL_WEB.pdf https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN2193... . 92 pages on military deception: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN15310-FM_3-13.4-000-WEB-2.pdf https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN15310-FM_3-1... . 192 pages on recognizing aircraft by sight: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN3274_TC%203-01x80%20FINAL%20WEB.pdf https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN3274... . 146 pages on "Army Ceremonial Music Performance":https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN3102_TC%201-19x10%20FINAL%20WEB.pdf https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN3102... . There's just a ton out there if you want to dig around: https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/TC.aspx https://armypubs.army.mil/ProductMaps/PubForm/TC.aspx .

airhead969 5y ago
Job security ftw. Even if it's useless in practice, churn it out to make General PHB happy.
afandian 5y ago
Maybe it's a form of organisational dissociation to deal with the horror of what's on the other end of the weaponry. If you were in a position of influence in the army would you choose to soul-search about bombed children or try and construct some meaning around "Figure 4-1. Movement of the staff and command bugler around commander of troops".
- throwawaygh 5y ago
  It's a jobs program. Someone has to employ all those boys who majored in the humanities at the academies and other feeder schools for the officer corps.
  - airhead969 5y ago
    Related: Project 100,000 - Build those org chart pyramids, grow budgets, and get promoted. The MIC is about spending as much money as possible. Officially, it's $721,531,000,000 FY2020 "In 2018, it was announced that the Department of Defense was indeed the subject of a comprehensive budgetary audit. This review was conducted by private, third-party accounting consultants. The audit ended and was deemed incomplete due to deficient accounting practices in the department." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States#Reform https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_...
- lolbrels 5y ago
  War is inherently horrific. Being able to operate systematically under such conditions is invaluable. I think you could have come to that conclusion without the anti-war rhetoric, we get it - atrocities of war are terrible, this is not a unique/interesting perspective.
m463 5y ago
A friend worked as a physical trainer in the military and described things like boot camp and getting soldiers on board. One funny thing she said was the moment they got off the bus, she had someone in her face in perfect military dress, screaming at her every minute of the day and night. She figured out later that they would take short shifts swapping off, getting in people's faces, then leaving and relaxing before showering and changing clothes and doing it again for a few hours. They got recruits from every walk of life. They were taught every skill, not only how to march or make a bed military style, but also some had to learn how to brush their teeth. Every skill is new to someone. I guess it makes sense to document everything so you can teach it and make it uniform.
- swader999 5y ago
  My wife trains our kids this way.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - jackallis 5y ago
    ?
    - swader999 5y ago
      The smart dressing, the loud commanding voice, the whole drill sergeant approach really.
ww520 5y ago
It's to ensure organization knowledge get passed down.

airhead969 5y ago

Job security ftw. Even if it's useless in practice, churn it out to make General PHB happy.

afandian 5y ago

Maybe it's a form of organisational dissociation to deal with the horror of what's on the other end of the weaponry. If you were in a position of influence in the army would you choose to soul-search about bombed children or try and construct some meaning around "Figure 4-1. Movement of the staff and command bugler around commander of troops".

throwawaygh 5y ago
It's a jobs program. Someone has to employ all those boys who majored in the humanities at the academies and other feeder schools for the officer corps.
- airhead969 5y ago
  Related: Project 100,000 - Build those org chart pyramids, grow budgets, and get promoted. The MIC is about spending as much money as possible. Officially, it's $721,531,000,000 FY2020 "In 2018, it was announced that the Department of Defense was indeed the subject of a comprehensive budgetary audit. This review was conducted by private, third-party accounting consultants. The audit ended and was deemed incomplete due to deficient accounting practices in the department." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States#Reform https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_...
lolbrels 5y ago
War is inherently horrific. Being able to operate systematically under such conditions is invaluable. I think you could have come to that conclusion without the anti-war rhetoric, we get it - atrocities of war are terrible, this is not a unique/interesting perspective.

m463 5y ago

A friend worked as a physical trainer in the military and described things like boot camp and getting soldiers on board. One funny thing she said was the moment they got off the bus, she had someone in her face in perfect military dress, screaming at her every minute of the day and night. She figured out later that they would take short shifts swapping off, getting in people's faces, then leaving and relaxing before showering and changing clothes and doing it again for a few hours. They got recruits from every walk of life. They were taught every skill, not only how to march or make a bed military style, but also some had to learn how to brush their teeth. Every skill is new to someone. I guess it makes sense to document everything so you can teach it and make it uniform.

swader999 5y ago
My wife trains our kids this way.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- jackallis 5y ago
  ?
  - swader999 5y ago
    The smart dressing, the loud commanding voice, the whole drill sergeant approach really.

ww520 5y ago

It's to ensure organization knowledge get passed down.