> After all, everywhere else but the military tech gets more powerful and simpler to use. And more disposable. If your modern whiz-bang gizmo dies in the field

> After all, everywhere else but the military tech gets more powerful and simpler to use. And more disposable. If your modern whiz-bang gizmo dies in the field on civvy street, that may mean a trip to the store. Even those things that can be repaired or worked around are beyond the knowledge and capabilities of most owners/users these days. If it happens on the battlefield, you're dead if you're relying on things you don't understand and can't at least jury-rig to work when they go bing. And no, you can't reschedule. And along with the training you need to make it work, you'd damned well better have the conditioning that allows you to use the training when your own personal ass is on the line. If you are to have a military at all these days, it pretty much has to be a standing military (regular plus reserves). Ad hoc forces are cannon fodder and little more.