Talk:Force multiplication

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Can someone confirm that the US special forces are 'green berets'? I thought the americans wore caps, and it was the UK Royal Marines who were the Green Berets...

Don't try too hard to figure this one out. Don't use a search engine or anything. Don't accidentally read something like this: United_States_Army_Special_Forces#The_Green_Beret. That might inadvertently clue you in. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.223.221.122 (talk) 21:50, 13 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] General improvements

Deemphasized deception, which, while important, seemed, in the earlier version, to be the main kind of multiplication. Added more doctrinal references, with potential contributions from others. Proposed merging force multiplier into this article.

I have a red link to "swarm tactics", and need to find out if they are represented in any other article, perhaps as a subheading. Howard C. Berkowitz (talk) 14:51, 22 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Ready for review?

Also merged "force multiplier" into this article

There's now a full swarming article, I suspect B class itself. This is probably ready for B-class review -- or better; hope springs eternal. Howard C. Berkowitz (talk) 22:58, 24 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Psychological factors

Some good ideas were added on effectiveness and morale, including the more controversial issue of volunteers being more effective than draftees. Psychological warfare is definitely a force multiplier, but I hesitate to put a detailed discussion of it in the same place as the psychology of one's own forces. Any suggestions on sources would be valuable.

Unfortunately, some of what I believe to be true about these is hard to source properly. For example, I am in frequent communication with active-duty and just-returned active-duty soldiers, US and Canadian, and many make the point that they would be hesitant to serve with draftees. They hesitate because they aren't sure that the draftee will be as motivated or skilled as they are. OTOH, draftees and reservists may bring their own special value. Draftees, at times, have reminded regulars of relevant civilian values. Reservists may bring extremely useful skills from civilian life that aren't associated with their military assignment -- I know of a few cases, in fairly technical units such as Engineers or Ordnance, where a reservist with a skill such as master-level welding was able to create field improvisations beyond the capabilities of the unit. Medical personnel are a two-way conduit of civilian ideas to the military, and vice versa.

Howard C. Berkowitz (talk) 15:34, 4 January 2008 (UTC)