Before invading Ukraine six months ago, most of the Russian military hadn't been "at war" since leaving Afghanistan back in 1989. That is enough time for nearly everybody with war experience to retire and be replaced by people who've heard no gun fired in anger.
The current brass thought their outfit was mostly for show, and was unlikely to be called on to fight. The sad state of their preparedness and logistics in Ukraine seem to support this assessment.
That same view has not been widespread in the U.S. military which has been in shooting matches in a variety of places off and on over the past decades. Having people with recent "at war" experience is a real plus for our forces. I wonder if we realize what an edge that gives us?
