Casualties

Mar 24, 2003 23:43

CNN.com is listing the US casualties who've had their families notified:

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/index.html

Leave a comment

Comments 2

Something weird ... charlesdee March 25 2003, 07:15:57 UTC
Didn't the military used to use a rank called "Private?" The lowest ranking soldier on the list of KIA's on CNN is a corporal - which is (I think) the lowest you can get without being a Private.

I guess this might be the result of our professional military machine - no one in combat from the bottom ranks.

Still, it's weird what a high proportion of officers are on that list. Murphy's Rules of Combat say they should be "in the rear with the gear."

Reply

Re: Something weird ... rantmo March 25 2003, 13:16:28 UTC
The military does still have a Rank, three Ranks actually called Private.

E1 - Private
E2 - Private 2nd Class (Pv2)
E3 - Private First Class (PFC)
E4 - Specialist (SPC) or Corporal (CPL)
Corporal is a command position, Specialist is a rank-and-file. Jenn's a Specialist
E5 - Sergeant
E6 - Staff Sergeant
E7 - Sergeant First Class
E8 - First Sergeant (I think)
E9 - Sergeant Major

As for Officers (I can never remember all of their progression), they do go out on the front lines. Hell, in the Air Force it's the officers who do all the flying and dying.

Reply


Leave a comment

Up