For almost ten years now, the United States military has been fighting a new kind of war, against both conventional and unconventional forces.
Their opponents, while minimally equipped and trained, are inspired by strong beliefs and willing to take any action to achieve victory.
These battles have been fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, ranging from fighting in rugged mountainous terrain to close-in fighting in cities.
Small unit tactics have become the premiere engagement occurrence with highly tactical fighting the basis for deciding victory or defeat.
In this new kind of warfare, terms such as IED and UAV have taken on a new significance. The US military has learned to fight these wars using new weapons, new techniques, and new tactics.