Most Army Squads Falling Short on Infantry Skills

via Military.com

The U.S. Army says it will meet its readiness goals by 2022, but young sergeants in most infantry and close-combat units don't know how to maneuver their squads or do basic land navigation, Military.com has learned.

For example, sergeants in the majority of the Army's active brigade combat teams (BCTs) don't know the importance of gaining a foothold when leading squads on room-clearing operations, according to a series of report cards from the service's Asymmetric Warfare Group, known as the AWG.

The findings come at a time when the Army is racing to transition from the counter-insurgency mindset that existed in Iraq and Afghanistan to one focused on preparing combat units to fight in large-scale, conventional battles against a foe of equal strength.

Story here. 

This ain't shocking or alarming.  After spending years on a terror hunt and operating out of FOBs they're now expecting to turn on a dime back to conventional warfare against peer competition?

Not bloody likely.

A couple of years and the rust will be scrubbed off.

What should be more concerning is whether or not Battalion Commanders even know how to maneuver their forces.

Every squad will fail if the Battalion doesn't put them in position to win. This is one time where bottom up is the wrong direction to correct things.  If the Army wants to set the right tone then it needs to go from the top down.  Bang on Regiment/Battalion first.  Company/Platoons/Squads will fall in line.  It won't work the other way around.