Western military training fails in Ukraine, highlights gap in war preparedness – US Army veteran
The United States’ prolonged focus on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism has led to a lapse in its ability to effectively engage in conventional warfare against comparable adversaries, an American veteran, engaged in Ukraine's conflict with Russia, asserts, as reported by Business Insider on May 2.
US Army training primarily focuses on guerrilla warfare and counterinsurgency, particularly referencing experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A US veteran, who served in Iraq as a contractor after leaving the US Army and now works as a combat medic in Ukraine, speaking anonymously, stated that America and NATO “have allowed the skills needed for a major war to atrophy.”
Conflicts in the Middle East have been significant, costing numerous lives, but the war in Ukraine represents “an industrial war with levels of destruction not seen since World War I and II,” according to the veteran.
Americans and their allies are unaccustomed to fighting at a disadvantage compared to their enemies, the veteran added.
The veteran expressed concern that most training is now geared toward guerrilla warfare rather than preparing for conflicts against near-peer adversaries like Russia or China.
Read also: Veterans from 50 countries join HUR’s International Legion to aid Ukraine against Russian invasion
He also criticized the quality of military training in the United States and Europe, stating that it failed to adequately prepare him for combat in Ukraine.
Another American veteran in Ukraine told Business Insider (BI) that his friends in the US Army seek advice on fighting with drones or in trenches, as these topics are not covered in US training.
Furthermore, many Ukrainian soldiers trained in NATO countries have deemed the training inappropriate or insufficient, according to BI.
According to American veterans, training in the UK, for example, lacks essential skills for navigating minefields, artillery, or other battlefield threats.
A Ukrainian commander, trained by American, British, and Polish soldiers, remarked last year that following their advice would have resulted in his death.
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The US veteran believes that Ukrainians excel in certain aspects of modern warfare compared to the United States.
“I believe that Ukrainians could teach Western military and NATO something just because we haven’t fought a conventional war in ages,” the veteran concluded.
Read also: Texas paratrooper and Iraq veteran reveals his reasons for protecting Ukraine
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
