As for the issue of water purification, I believe the likely remedy can come through innovation and purification methods that are already available to us. For innovation, there are several simple methods of filtration that require minimal resources to accomplish. An example of this is a simple sand filter. All that is required of this is a cylindrical shape approximately 1-2 meters in height and enough sand to fill that shape. Water can be poured into the top of this filter and drinkable water will be tapped from the bottom. A collapsible, light-weight cylinder could be distributed to rifle companies, and managed by company HQ elements. Another possibility that is already in existence is the iodine tablets. They are lightweight and effective. The key to whatever solution used is the active incorporation of those purification methods during training that the unit engages in.

As for how to avoid receiving the “bloody nose” that is experienced in the first few days of combat, I do not believe there is a perfect solution to remedy it. Regardless of the quality or quantity of training pursued by a unit, the absolute shock and gruesomeness of combat will ultimately shake those that are untested in its realm. Even those experienced in combat are prone to becoming fatigued or “shell shock” around the 90-day mark of continuous combat, according to LTC (ret.) Grossman in his book, On Combat.  Though we always talk about “tough, realistic” training as a way to mitigate it, I believe the problem is the actual execution and quantity of this training. More often than not in the Army, we train and evaluate the unit until they can successfully accomplish a task. In reality, we should train that unit until they cannot fail to accomplish that given task. Real combat does not make soldiers rise to the occasion, but they almost always sink to their level of training. That is why I believe the dull, boring, repetitive training is the type of training that can save lives and lessen that “bloody nose.” Weapons marksmanship under stress from a multitude of firing positions, magazine changes and correcting malfunctions, individual movement techniques, and other individual tasks trained to repetitions saves lives.