Combat veterans: Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Respectfully, may I ask a question (in details)?

Question

I pray that I offend no one. How much does surviving a tour of duty in combat have to do with skill of soldiering (training, intellect, instincs, ect.) and how much has to do with...luck? Again, thanks.

Answer 1

Everyone has survival skills. The training etc just adds to the probable survival. It is all interdependant.

Answer 2

to survive war you become war, you train for war, intellect turns to war, instincts become war, and this thing you call luck is not there. the closest you could come to luck is your brothers there with you. Have a nice day

Answer 3

It is a combination of many things..but in the end if your number is called then there is not a thing you can do to prevent this..

If it happens then so be it..

Answer 4

It really depends on what your job is in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Most troops never leave the base and either work in offices, are mechanics (although some mechanics go out on convoys in case a vehicle breaks down), are cooks, or do some other non-combat job.  Those troops almost never get killed and if they do it was a result of a rocket or mortar attack on the base that hit them or a non-combat related injury.

The ones who are usually in danger are the infantry guys, the medics, the truck drivers, Civil Affairs, and anyone else who goes outside the wire on a daily basis.  Even so, you would have a better chance of getting killed walking through Chicago or LA alone than you would deploying to Iraq.

Answer 5

that has to be the weriods question ever!  your training helps yes but its all instinct  you do what your suppost to do without question....  anyway when its your time its your time  

Answer 6

With the Americans behind you 'supporting' it's largely a question of 'friendly fire.'

Answer 7

Odd question.  Its really all of the above.  I've never known anyone who survived on pure luck alone.

Answer 8

skills, intelligence, common sense, luck, superstitions (if you believe)  and your spiritual beliefs.

all play a part!

Answer 9

Although I have been in the military I was never in combat but I would easily hire anyone with military experience over those without it. The discipline you learn while serving is worth more than any other experience will give you.

Answer 10

Both

A well trianed soldier or Marine will make wise choices and use tactics that will extend his chances of surviving.

That being said a shooter doesnt have to be good just lucky. Any round can find it's mark. Also IED's make it almost imposible to know everything around you. When a trash pile, dead animal or almost anything else can potentionaly blow up skill doesnt help much

Answer 11

It is a combination of all.  There really is no way to explain why one survives and another does not.

Answer 12

Its starts will a very well trained NCO to know when things are good and when they are bad...  a real NCO would first off not put his soldiers in a very bad senario.  Iraq is bad but intel....what we get of it helps.  I would not take my team out to the middle of no were , when air is red and nothing around to support you.  also infantry soldiers are trined to watch everything....they are trained to shoot, move and destory the enemy.  Luck can play a part but its knowing what to do when everything goes down.  A good leader and well trained soldiers will know what to do when that coures happens.  then luck doesn't have to play a part if everyone works together.  IED you train what to look for and respect whats on the road...personal i was light infantry so walk was something i took first and driving came second.  My soldiers didn't like it but it made them stronger....and took the road play out of the whole game.  down side is we didn't have heavy gun support.  Well instincs....well you learn that from just being in your ao after a few weeks....if no one is around and they are normaly around that area....something is going to happen....if cars are not on a normaly traveled road.....something is there...its not instincs really is common sense.  so yeah there ya go hope that helped.