Thursday, April 15, 2004
Sheesh Times--Do I Gotta Do Everything Around Here?: Squads Vs. Platoons
Here's another example of an easy factual error that one lousy veteran on the New York Times editorial staff could have easily caught and corrected.
"Last night, they were all around us — in front of us, in back of us, everywhere," said Lt. Lewis Langella, who commands a squad of snipers and infantry on Falluja's outskirts. "They were throwing a whole lot of lead at us, and we were throwing a whole lot back."
Link.
Well, Hoo-rah for Lieutenant Langella. But here's a clue for the New York Times editors:
Lieutenants don't command squads. They command platoons and sometimes companies. Sergeants and Staff Sergeants lead squads. A platoon comprises 2-5 squads.
I can guarantee you that Langella was leading a platoon. Not a squad.
You can't just look at a bunch of guys and call them a 'squad.'
The rest of the article's really good--it's just that the reporter doesn't quite understand what he's looking at, when it comes to military terminology. Which is ok if he's got good newsroom backup.
In the case of the New York Times' military desk, he doesn't.
How long have we been at war, now?
Splash, out
Jason
"Last night, they were all around us — in front of us, in back of us, everywhere," said Lt. Lewis Langella, who commands a squad of snipers and infantry on Falluja's outskirts. "They were throwing a whole lot of lead at us, and we were throwing a whole lot back."
Link.
Well, Hoo-rah for Lieutenant Langella. But here's a clue for the New York Times editors:
Lieutenants don't command squads. They command platoons and sometimes companies. Sergeants and Staff Sergeants lead squads. A platoon comprises 2-5 squads.
I can guarantee you that Langella was leading a platoon. Not a squad.
You can't just look at a bunch of guys and call them a 'squad.'
The rest of the article's really good--it's just that the reporter doesn't quite understand what he's looking at, when it comes to military terminology. Which is ok if he's got good newsroom backup.
In the case of the New York Times' military desk, he doesn't.
How long have we been at war, now?
Splash, out
Jason
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