To me, it seemed better to have some concealment. This always seemed like a mistaken generalization from the far more valid tactic of advancing within buildings down the center of a hall and away from walls--especially concrete or brick walls--to avoid ricochets and fragments. But I was signal corps with limited tactical training. What did I know?
Well, it seems my wonder was not so off base after all, based on Israeli Gaza experience that we have adopted after all:
One Israeli experience contradicted American doctrine, which urges troops to advance in the middle of streets to avoid ricochets from walls. The Israelis found that getting shot in the center of the street was more of a danger than ricochets. The U.S. has largely switched to the Israeli method.
This makes far more sense.
