Pop Quiz

CounterTerrorist\Hostage Rescue Unit training programes are designed

  • To create emotionless killing machines

    Votes: 5 22.7%

  • To break down the basic personnality of the trainee, allowing the CT\HRU to reshape the individual's

    Votes: 2 9.1%

  • To find and magnify the weaknesses within each operative so that they might be overcome

    Votes: 6 27.3%

  • To foster teamwork and team unity

    Votes: 9 40.9%
  • Total voters
    22
Fair enough. CT\HRU believe that the correct answer is to foster team work and team unity. It was an interesting mix of choices. I was surprised to see votes for CT\HRU training soldiers to be emotionless killers. It just so happens that the LAPD SWAT suspends officers who kill a suspect. But from the way some soldiers talk, you do get the impression that they enjoy it.
 
I thought the "emotionless killing machines" option was either a 'red herring' or a trick answer.

The second option sounds like it's coming from a bit of cynic.

I was stuck between the last two, but I chose the third one because I thought it'd make the most sense to achieve. Although I should have paid attention to the word "magnify". That sounds a bit weird.
 
Originally posted by Phillip Tanaka
Fair enough. CT\HRU believe that the correct answer is to foster team work and team unity. It was an interesting mix of choices. I was surprised to see votes for CT\HRU training soldiers to be emotionless killers. It just so happens that the LAPD SWAT suspends officers who kill a suspect. But from the way some soldiers talk, you do get the impression that they enjoy it.
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I'm just surprised people voted for the 'magnify weaknesses' one... given that the whole thing about SWAT and HR/CTU teams is that they work together well, to cover one another, and thus efficiently handle the problem.
 
Well I took the test, and I think I chose the third one the first time around. I'll have to either try and transcribe it or see if I can find where it went. And yeah, I think the answer that training is to turn soldiers into emotionless killing machines was a red herring. But without mentioning any names, there are people who firmly believe that soldiers, cops, the whole shmeng are cold blooded killers.
 
Originally posted by Haesslich
I'm just surprised people voted for the 'magnify weaknesses' one...
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That's 'cause I missed the magnify bit. Finding and overcoming weaknesses is a very good thing to do in teamwork, IMHO. The strengths of individuals within a team should overlap weaknesses of others.
 
Originally posted by Wedge009
The second option sounds like it's coming from a bit of cynic.
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Actually, some of these special forces training programs list that answer as the reason. I remember watching an interview with an officer from a Polish elite unit, and that was precisely what he said - that it's all about breaking down the individual and rebuilding him from scratch as part of the team.
 
Well, it's not like the military has much use for democracy... I can certainly see the advantages of their approach. In a combat situation, you want to be sure that the whole team is thinking along the same lines. Individual opinions are not especially valuable in such a situation.
 
But individual creativity can be vital in outwitting and outthinking the enemy. There has to be a balance: you can't brainwash soldiers so much that they're just dummies who follow orders, but by the same token, there needs to be discipline and a clear chain of command.
 
Yup. The sum of the indivual is just as important as the sum of the group. Overspecialise and you breed in weakness. It's slow death. SEAL Team Six and it's offspring Red Cell were so sucessful because these warriors were not the same as everyone else. Steve Hartman, Allen Dewey, Albert Trembly, Dan Capel, Piccalo Meed, Harry Humpheries, et al have diffirent personnalities. Capel is now a school principal. Hartman helped create a security service. Trembly does what he wants these days. But they all pulled together to make Six and Red Cell a success. Another example. You know how you would shoot down, say, any type of Capship easily because they acted almost exactly the same? Avoid the fire and shoot back. As nearly invincible as the Fralthi appear, they're easy to beat. If every ship in the game was a Fralthi then it'd be too easy, because you know just how they act.
 
Originally posted by Wedge009
But individual creativity can be vital in outwitting and outthinking the enemy. There has to be a balance: you can't brainwash soldiers so much that they're just dummies who follow orders, but by the same token, there needs to be discipline and a clear chain of command.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately aspects of democracy are in direct contradiction with the necessary requirements of a military. A military following the republican democracy theorized by Jean Jacques Rousseau would find itself quickly unable to perform because of conflict with the General Will of the people, people being soldiers in this case. In entering public service, soldiers would be required to check private wills at the door, yet the military command structure would be paralyzed and unable to act, for doing so would inevitably put soldiers knowingly in harm's way, nullifying the general will and collapsing the social contract of such a democratic union.

God damn, get these political science demons out of my head. :(
 
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