I did everything possible to avoid getting into combat".
"Once they get into combat, they have seen almost every possible scenario," said Leslie Dubow, project director for Games for Training, the Army's acquisition program for games.
When they get into combat in the cities, which, from the beginning, we had specifically said would be dangerous and difficult, you put yourself in their position, they had the inherent right of self-defense.
Referring to all the casualties, she said, "I say, 'Oh, that could happen to him.' " To try to prepare herself, and help her husband, she has written him a series of letters and sealed them, so that when he gets into combat and is not reachable by e-mail, he will have something from her to read.
Yeah, the game goes from being a potential success to an instant failure as soon as you get into combat.
"I got in 21 jumps and saw a lot, but didn't get into combat because of an injury I received during maneuvers," he said.
Feller said, "I told them I wanted to ... get into combat; wanted to do something besides standing around handing out balls and bats and making ball fields out of coral reefs".
For the soldiers and commanders of the 101st, who had waited weeks in the desert for an opportunity to get into combat, the raid was a blessing -- the very first taste of this war for any of them.
