#6 First lets clear something up from Spolumble: You have "Scout" confused with some older definition of the term. A US Army Cav Scout operates as part of a Scout Troop (Company), usually in a team or squad sized element. You write as if PFC Davis was operating on his own. Wrong assumption. Secondly, 20 years old, he was in at least 2 years, and had already been on deployment for 6 months, so although he wasn't salty yet, he was no cherry either. Airborne soldier (4/73 Cav Sqdn, 4th BCT, 82nd Abn Div).
I was a Cav Scout. It was our training and our job to be out in front of the main force, find the enemy, track him, report on him, direct fire or weapon systems onto him, and if necessary, engage him to disrupt him. The classic SALUTE tactical report. Dismounted patrolling, and counter patrolling are part of the job - and in the Airborne, a major part of it (compared to armored cav). We were trained constantly in E&E, as well as infiltration, and "not being seen" (fieldcraft). This was from the get-go, right out of advanced training. Recon, tactical movement through the FLOT and infiltration into the enemy was our specialty.
PFC Davis was undoubtedly NOT out there alone, he was part of a cav fireteam, and he had experienced NCOs leading him. He and his troop were likely on a mission to "prepare" a battle or movement area, which means they had to find advanced tactical positions for the regular infantry that were sure to follow - either reduce the enemy hide areas (by clearing them), thus denying the terrain to the enemy, or grabbing it for a recon position to decrease the likelihood of unobserved enemy activity against the main body or further friendly units in the area. Thats what Cav Scouts do.
The hard fact is that sometimes the bad guys do get one up on you - its part of war, and being in "indian country" as the first-in. The risk of death comes with the job. As I knew back in my day, so he also knew the risks when he volunteered. God rest his soul that he is coming home to rest too soon. Lets not forget what a loss we take daily by young men like him. |