Recommended Gear

This is a recommended gear list for a patriot going on a patrol that will last up to 3 days. This is tailored to be for an assault type mission, maybe an ambush, or combat patrol. This is just a minimum standard for gear, and it is open to personal preference. This gear list is based on my experience and works for my team and I.




First Line Gear (The clothes you are wearing and the items in them)

 

•  Weather appropriate clothing (non-chafing)
•  Good quality boots
•  Good quality socks (wool preferred)
•  Non-chafing undergarments
•  Ball cap/Boonie/Beanie
•  Sidearm with at least one spare magazine(holster)
•  Knife
•  550 cord
•  Fire starter
•  Compass
•  Tourniquet

 Second Line Gear (Gear you need, but can ditch if you have to)

 

•  Chest rig/Plate carrier
•  Rifle Mag pouches (8-10 mags minimum)
•  Fighting knife/Tomahawk (Personal preference)
•  Blood type patch
•  Spare parts for primary weapon system
•  Tourniquet
•  Safety glasses/sun glasses
•  Comm gear

 

•   Battle belt
•  Rifle mag pouches (2 or more)
•  IFAK with blood type patch
•  14 gauge needle (2)
• CAT TQ (2)
• Chest seal (2)
• EMT shears
• Gauze (H&H, Curlix, Quickclot, 3” rolls) (2)
• Gloves, Nitrile (4 pair)
• Israeli Battle Dressing (2)
• NP Airway/Oral airway
• Quickclot sponges (2)
• Duct tape
• Sharpie
• Providine/Iodine 0.5 oz (4)
• Tape, Surgical 2”
• Trauma Cards
• Trauma pads 5” X 9” (3)
• Triangular bandages (2)
• Bacitracin 0.9g (8)
•  Gun oil
•  Fighting knife
•  Pepper spray (anti dog tracking)
•  Multi tool
•  Hearing protection (Amplified type)
•  Gloves, Tactical, or leather
•  Handgun magazines (2 or more)
•  Dump pouch
•  Handgun holster (or use a tac holster under BB)
•  Water filter/purification tabs
•  Water carrier/canteen
•  Storm proof lighter and tinder

Patrol Bag/Third Line Gear (Longer term sustainment items)

 

•  Spare ammo in mags (4-6 or more full magazines)
•  Water carrier(s)
•  Water purification (tabs/filter)
•  Rations (3 days minimum)
•  Eating utensils
•  Large Ziplock bag(s) for trash
•  Waterproof bag(s) for inside pack, to keep everything dry
•  Sleeping system
•  Hammock
•  Thermal tarp with 550 cord to hang it
•  Self-inflating sleeping mat (Without which all your body heat will disappear)
•  550 cord
•  Firearm cleaning kit
•  Gun oil
•  Socks X2 (wool)
•  Foot powder
•  Blister kit
•  Camo face paint
•  Seasonal spare clothing/rain gear
•  Gillie Suit
•  Shemag/sniper veil
•  Beanie/Balaclava
•  Gloves
•  Folding saw (coil hand saw)
•  Multi tool
•  Knife
•  Flashlight (with red lens)
•  Compass
• Maps of AO (in water proof case)
•  Flexi-cuffs (large zip ties)(at least 2 sets per person) 
•  Write in the rain notebook and pen
•  Medical kit
•  Bug spray
•  Small shovel to dig cat holes for poop
•  Baby wipes
•  Hand sanitizer
•  TP
•  Lip balm
•  Vaseline/petroleum jelly (to help mitigate chaffing)
•  Hard candy (to help prevent coughs and for morale/quick energy)
•  Caffeine pills (helps you stay awake on guard duty/patrolling)
•  Wind proof lighter/flint & steel/Tinder (Dryer lint works great)
•  Medications if needed
•  Mission specific gear: radios, batteries, wire cutters, breaching tools, long range weapon system, shotgun, flares, booby traps, thermal imager, tangle wire, early warning devices, drone (for scouting), burlap or camo for OPs

I personally put everything in my pack in ziplock bags, then most of my gear in the main compartment of my pack also goes into a water proof/float bag. Please use this list for you and your team. Modify it for your own use/AO.



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Gear for the American Patriot: The Tactical Patriot Store
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EQUIPPING THE GUERRILLA FIGHTER, PART ONE (The Survival Load)

The guerrilla fighter is a true light-infantryman in the classical sense of the term. He is essentially, a woodsman-scout. The guerrilla operates in a manner that emphasizes the expert use of his personal small-arms, the use of stealth in all of his movements, using the available terrain and cover to counter the supposed technological advantages possessed by regime forces, and an expert grasp of the fundamentals of small-unit, “hit-and-run” maneuver warfare.

 

The guerrilla possesses the trained ability to operate day and night, over varied, broken terrain, using his field-craft expertise and whatever technological assets are available to him, to escape enemy observation until he chooses to attack. When he moves, the guerrilla moves from one position of concealment to the next. He strives to utilize appropriate movement techniques to maximize the value of masking terrain. When not changing positions, the guerrilla remains motionless and hidden from observation by regime forces that may possess the most advanced STANO (Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Night Observation) tools available. Like his woodsman-scout forebears, the guerrilla carries only the necessities to ensure his survival and combat effectiveness. Additional, unnecessary weight leads to excessive, accelerated fatigue, impedes and slows movement, and leads to a compromising over-reliance on the technology represented by the equipment, rather than his native wit and skill in field-craft.

The light-infantry paradigm is not found in Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicles, or even HUMVEE-mounted convoys to a disembarkation point two kilometers from an objective (although both of these certainly possess value in their own right). The light-infantry paradigm is found in field-craft, mobility, tactical expertise, and marksmanship. The ability to sneak inside the enemy’s reactionary gap un-noticed, strike with overwhelming violence-of-action at his weakest points, and then disappear into the surrounding environment before a reaction force can be mustered, is the key to interrupting the enemy’s OODA loop. This “hit-and-run” ability is the chief tactical advantage available to the irregular, small-unit force.

 

Conventional force militaries no longer possess a true light-infantry capability. The fundamental problem, over-burdening foot-mobile infantry soldiers has existed nearly as long as armies have existed. The modern development of advanced technological war-fighting assets has exacerbated the problem rather than remedying it. Despite the best efforts of military logisticians and theorists, the load of infantry forces has continued to increase. The modern, conventional-force “light” infantryman is often required to carry loads far in excess of 120 pounds, even when operating in difficult, broken, and steep terrain such as the alpine environment of the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan.

The load of infantry forces has been a subject of intense study since the 1700s, and is still a problem that has never been resolved. Technological advancements in weapons, STANO, communications, and personal protective equipment have added to the soldier’s load. This has only been partially mitigated by advancements in load-bearing technologies and attempts at miniaturization.

 

According to an unidentified infantry first sergeant of the 187^th Infantry Regiment (“Rakkasans”) of the 101^st Airborne Division, concerning load-bearing during Operation Anaconda during 2002,

“We had extreme difficulty moving with all of our weight. If your movement would have been to relieve a unit in contact or a time-sensitive mission we would not have been able to move in a timely manner. It took us 8 hours to move 5 klicks. With just the vest (Interceptor Body Armor vest) and LBV, we were easily carrying 80 pounds. Throw on the ruck and you’re sucking.”

 

Studies conducted by the United States Army following World War Two found that the average infantry rifleman had carried approximately 55 pounds during movements in the field. These studies concluded that this was the maximum weight for an approach-march load that would still allow the fighter to fight effectively when he got to the fight. A decade later, a follow-on study determined that this still applied, but allowed for a maximum 48 pound fighting load in actual combat, if carried by a conditioned fighting soldier.

 

The fighting load is doctrinally defined as the actual load carried by a soldier during combat. The approach-march load, on the other hand, is the load carried by the soldier in order to get to the fight. It includes the necessary equipment to survive until he gets to the objective.

Despite the advances made as a result of these studies, by 2003, soldiers engaged in dismounted combat operations in the mountains of Afghanistan were carrying a 60-80 pound fighting load and an approach-march load that was often (during true dismounted operations, rather than vehicle-based patrols) in excess of 130 pounds. The heaviest loads, typically carried by M240 assistant machine-gunners, were often in excess of 150 pounds. These figures, it is important to remember, are the doctrinal loads, and do not include the almost inevitable inclusion of personal items by individual soldiers.

 

As the previous quote from the Rakkasan first sergeant illustrates, today’s conventional-force light-infantry soldier simply cannot move fast with his doctrinal load. Additionally, these loads were developed based on a regular re-supply via rotary-wing aircraft or ground-vehicle convoy every 48-72 hours.

The guerrilla fighter will not have these support assets. He will be forced to live out of his rucksack almost exclusively, with his re-supply provided by previously established caches hidden throughout the operational area. The guerrilla light-infantryman must overcome these liabilities. The ability to function as a woodsman-scout will be absolutely crucial to the survivability of the guerrilla fighter.

 

The survival load/fighting load/sustainment load model is a useful framework for the logistics planning of the future guerrilla. The surest way for the guerrilla to maximize his ability to apply his light-infantry capabilities is to minimize his load-bearing requirements while utilizing re-supply caches and safe-houses throughout the operational area.

The survival load is the items that the individual warfighter carries on his person, either in hand, in his pockets, or on his belt, but not attached to the fighting load-bearing equipment. The concept behind the survival load is that it will allow the operator to escape and evade hostile pursuit and survive indefinitely, if not comfortably, long enough to return to the control of friendly forces. For the guerrilla fighter, this is the perfect goal for the survival load. While the guerrilla is unlikely to conduct combat operations without the benefit of his fighting and survival loads, there are numerous reasons that he may need to have mastered the survival load concept. Whether conducting a clandestine infiltration of denied, regime-controlled territory to conduct an operation, or simply the need to dump all of his personal gear in order to run faster while trying to escape an overwhelming enemy force while breaking contact, the guerrilla must develop and carry a survival load that takes into account his personal field-craft and knowledge.

 

Too often, even among survival “experts,” the solution to the survival load idea is misinterpreted as a hardware issue. The trend to rely on a survival “kit” is not the answer. The guerrilla fighter should never rely on the “Altoids can survival kit.” Instead, the focus should be on the effective use of the tools he would normally carry on his person, facilitated by proper field-craft and survival knowledge. As in everything for the guerrilla, software trumps hardware.

At its fundamental level, the survival load consists of:

 

·         Sidearm. In extreme evasion scenarios, or covert operations conducted in regime-controlled built-up areas, this will function as your primary arm. The primary attributes necessary are that it be utterly, unfailingly reliable, and readily concealable. Because of its role as a personal defense weapon, perhaps in direct-action combat missions, as opposed to simple self-defense against one or two hostiles, a magazine-fed, high-capacity semi-automatic pistol is the ideal choice.

·         Knife. This is a field-utility knife. While the possibility of its use as a combative weapon should not be overlooked, this knife is far more likely to be used for fire-building, shelter and hide-site construction, and the manufacture of traps and snares under survival conditions than it is to be used for silencing enemy sentries by stabbing them in the throat. While a fixed-blade knife may be the ideal, a stout folding knife, kept suitably sharp, more than adequately fills this role, while simultaneously being eminently more concealable (in the interest of intellectual honesty, I feel obligated to note that I carry a Cold Steel push-dagger for an EDC knife, and generally have no fewer than three folding knives on my person at any given time. As a team sergeant once pointed out to me, “Sergeant Mosby, a man can just never have too many knives on his-self!” My Victorinox Swiss Army knife probably gets more daily use than any other tool I own, of any sort. –J.M. Additional Note: I’ve since dispensed with carrying the push-dagger.–J.M.)

 

·         Sun/Safety Glasses. In the mid-1990s, the Ranger Regiment issued Ray-Ban sunglasses as part of a new Ranger’s central supply issue. Nevertheless, Rangers were not allowed to wear them, because it was considered non-uniform (WTFO? I never did understand that. –J.M.). Today, thanks to the advances developed by operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the use of safety lenses is generally accepted as mandatory. Polarized, tinted lenses during daylight, with ANSI Z87 safety ratings will increase visual clarity, reduce eye strain and fatigue, and protect the war-fighter’s eyes from battlefield debris and some shrapnel. The two most popular manufacturers of “tactical” sunglasses are Oakley and Wiley X, but any tinted safety glasses will suffice, and may look far less conspicuous than the latest cool-guy, CDI selections from U.S. Cavalry (again, in the interest of intellectual honesty, I have to admit, I wear Oakleys for work, and Wiley X for daily wear. –J.M.)

·         Cordage. Cordage is, rightly, considered a critical tool in the survivor’s tool kit. The simple truth is, there is no such thing as too much cordage in a survival situation. Many long-range surveillance units (LRSU, the operational descendants of the older LRRPs) and some ODAs, make it part of their standard operating procedure (SOP) to replace the laces in their field boots with 550 cord. It’s out of the way, readily accessible, and the operator is never without the requisite material to construct field-expedient shelters, snares, fishing lines and nets, and even poncho rafts for water-crossing operations (to this day, every pair of boots I own has had the laces replaced with 550 cord. –J.M.).

 

·         Compass. While the woodsman-scout background of the guerrilla light-infantryman means the fighter should possess the ability to determine directions, at least roughly, without a compass, he should rarely, if ever, be without a compass. The ability to reliably traverse terrain that the enemy considers impenetrable is the strength of the guerrilla. Possessing a compass, whether a standard orienteering compass on a lanyard around the neck, or a simple button compass on a watchband, should be considered a necessity for the guerrilla, as part of his ability to escape and evade when needed.

·         Fire Starter. This may be a simple waterproof match-safe stuffed with weather-proofed “hurricane-lifeboat” matches, a flint striker, or a flint-and-steel kit. The serious survival expert will never allow himself to be caught without some means that he can use reliably, to build a warming fire to stay alive.

 

·         Water Purification. The final aspect of the survival load that can never be overlooked is the ability to procure or manufacture safe drinking water. Historically, evaders have suffered horribly from dysentery after being forced by necessity, to drink stagnant, putrid water infested with bacteria. It is critical that the guerrilla devise a method of purifying water on the run in an evasion scenario. With the prevalence of store-bought bottled drinking water, soda, and sports drink, the guerrilla should always be able to find a receptacle to carry his water, as long as he can purify it to make it safe for drinking. Whether a small container of iodine tablets, a filter straw, or a pocket-sized, “standard” water purifier, it is critical to possess safe, clean drinking water to stay alive, healthy, and effective ( I use a product called “ION Stabilized Oxygen” for water purification. I’ve used it all over the world, purifying water from stock tanks and ditches, without ever getting ill. It’s smaller, lighter, and more effective than any micro-filter I’ve ever seen or used, and I can keep a bottle in the pocket of my jeans without noticing it).

Different experts on survival will recommend different elements to add to the “survival load.” When considering it as part of a layered, tiered approach to guerrilla equipment however, a minimalist approach, reinforced by proper field-craft training and survival knowledge, will more than adequately provide the essentials needed to keep the guerrilla fighter alive during escape and evasion scenarios in the remote chance that he has to ditch his fighting and sustainment loads, or is compromised and forced to E&E during covert operations in denied territory that precludes the carry and use of the normal fighting load.

Part Two of this article will discuss the layout of the guerrilla fighting load, with Part Three covering the sustainment load. The final installment, Part Four, will discuss strategies for the construction and use of re-supply caches.

Nous Defions!

John Mosby

Somewhere in the mountains

Combat Rifle – Basics to help keep you Alive

I have always been a little wary of the term ‘gun fighting.’ I trawled YouTube and the internet in general before my training course to get an idea of what people were up to and therefore what may be in people’s heads when they showed up to my courses. There is a lot of ‘tacticool’ and a lot of ‘Hollywood’ out there. In my opinion, there is altogether too much standing on square ranges, engaging targets from a standing position, as if they are not shooting back and as if they are not potentially in depth or cover and able to take you out as you stand there. Some of it seems very impressive but in my mind much of it is almost in the category of ‘circus trickery’ carbine mastery - showing off. Although there is a lot to be said to being awesome with your carbine, most of this lacks tactical application and if you don’t have all day every day to practice, you will be missing out on good solid basics and putting yourself at great risk.

Some of the instruction also appears to incorporate drills almost for their own sake that appear to have been invented as ‘something to do’ on what are otherwise very limited ranges.

I see a lot of this training as an equivalent to boxing training by just punching a heavy bag. It’s not punching back, and I can stand there and hit it all day, looking good. When it starts to hit back, you need to think about moving, duck and covering….

What you need to focus on are very good basics. I will attempt to explain some of this below:

Reaction to Contact: This can be covered by RTR, which stands for:

Return fire

Take Cover

Return Appropriate Fire.

What does this mean? It means that once you come under fire, or see the enemy, you immediately bring reactive fire onto the target in an attempt to kill, disable or at the very least distract the enemies aim at you (if you miss close!) You then take cover. You then adopt a fire position and bring accurate fire onto the enemy. This is the first part of your reaction to contact and will be followed up depending if you are alone, or with others, and whether you are in an offensive or break contact mode. So, basically, what you do next all follows from your initial reaction of RTR.

When you train with me, I will drill into you not only the initial ‘R’, but also the ‘Take Cover’. This can simply be in the form of reaction drills where the target comes up (front. right, left or rear), you go from a ready to a fire position and engage with a controlled pair. But MOST IMPORTANTLY you then go into cover, which can be simulated on the basic range with a step to the left or right and taking a kneeling fire position, following up with a steady aimed shot from the kneeling, or prone position, to simulate the final ‘R’.

It’s a 360 degree battlefield. In any situation you cannot afford, if you can avoid it, to be hit by a rifle round. That is penetrating trauma and particularly in a post-collapse situation your ability to either fight the resistance campaign, or protect your family/tribe, or both, will be severely curtailed or over. Done. So let’s get away from standing ‘gun fighting’, however fast you can run your gun.

However the thing to note about the RTR procedure is that the initial ‘R’, the initial return fire, is also optional. In a close quarter engagement you will need to react fast and get accurate fire onto the enemy. That works in a situation where you both see the enemy and they are close enough for you to get a quick accurate shot or two off into them before taking cover. It’s a judgment call. Many times, either in a wooded or longer range or even desert environment, you will come under contact and not initially locate where the fire is coming from. In such a situation returning initial fire from the standing position may get you killed. You could fire into likely cover, but that is best done from the last ‘R’ i.e. Return Appropriate Fire after having taken cover.

Therefore, if you come under contact from an unknown location and cannot effectively return initial fire, to try to do so will leave you standing there effectively frozen on the enemy’s ‘X’: Far better to skip the initial ‘R’ and just move straight to Take Cover. Once you have done that, either alone or with your tactical element, you can scan and attempt to locate the enemy before going into your follow on drill as appropriate.

The most effective reaction I have seen of this unseen enemy situation  is exemplified by a team coming under fire from a range of 100-200 meters where the enemy was not immediately obvious, the team immediately bomb-bursting and zigzagging into cover, followed by locating the enemy, communicating this, and bringing accurate rifle fire down upon them.

If we go back to the initial ‘R’ then we will see that the reaction is a balance of speed and accuracy as ranges increase. You will train and know yourself what distance you are effective out to. At close ranges you will be best to use the point shooting method, looking over the sights, and immediately engage the guy before he hits you. As ranges increase, you will be moving to your sights with quick reactive controlled pairs, until you find that you need to hesitate and acquire the target for just that faction of a second longer. You will know where your skills are at and you can work to improve that. There will be a point, where you either don’t see the enemy after the first contact, or they are at a longer range, where you will know you are best to simply get into cover before returning fire.

So, second in importance to being a good reactive shot is the overwhelming importance of TAKING COVER. Russian conscript troops train to assault by exiting their APCs and running towards the enemy positions firing their AKs on automatic from the hip. And that is supposed to happen after a massive bombardment designed to leave no one alive to assault. I have seen pretty much that level of skill on the internet videos out there, the difference being that the standard US Civilian is firing from the shoulder as he does the Hollywood line walking towards the targets.

When you move from individual reaction drills to fire and movement, you are using a combination of cover and accurate fire to maneuver, either towards or away from the enemy. You may be crawling, moving in ‘dead ground’ out of sight of the enemy or conducting short rushes covered by your buddies. However, whenever you are not moving, you are in a fire position in cover. If you are not firing or moving, you are in cover. I always train from the very basic level that if you have any stoppage on your weapon, from an empty magazine to an actual stoppage/malfunction, you are at least getting down onto one knee to simulate taking cover. If you are on a movement lane then you will actually take cover.

If you happen upon a chance contact, let’s say it’s out there in the woods, and you deal with the first guy or two with your well drilled carbine skills, you simply don’t know where the rest of them are. Don’t stay up on your feet going all Hollywood. Take Cover. If you are with a team, at least two of you, which I hope you are, then you will go into fire and movement either to assault forward and clear, or to break contact back out of there.

This leads me onto a related topic, that of ‘bounding overwatch’. I take issue with how bounding overwatch is mistermed and also with some of the ‘tacticool’ madness that I see creeping in. Ok, so here it is:

Fire and Movement: This is the principle where movement under enemy direct fire is achieved through the combined use of suppressive fire and cover. If there is no cover (think billiard table) then you rely solely on your suppressive fire to allow maneuver. The principle of fire and movement (or maneuver) can be summarized by the words “no movement without fire.” This applies at any element from a pair up to a battalion. It’s not the size of the elements that matters, it that fact that they are fire and maneuvering.

Bounding Overwatch: This is where you are not actually firing at the enemy. There is no enemy seen but you believe the threat to be high. You are placing elements in position to provide potential fire support. So think of it like ‘dry’ fire and movement. Again, it does not matter what size elements you have, from two buddies up to two platoons. Think about having to move over some open ground and you think there may be enemy in the area: you place an element down in cover on the hill to give potential fire support. You then move an element across the open ground, they take up fire positions, and the original cover element then moves up. If at any time it goes hot due to enemy contact, you are immediately going into fire and movement. In this sense, bounds taken in bounding overwatch can be further than the usual “I’m up, he sees me, I’m down” short bounds usually done during fire and movement.

Ok, so now we have established the difference between fire and movement and bounding overwatch, we can now see the utility of being able to switch between the two and also use bounding overwatch as a way to conduct a high threat move or clearance through or towards an objective. Watching some of the prepper shows, I saw some tactical madness with buddy pairs ‘moving tactically’ in an exaggerated half crouch back to back. Front guy walking forwards, rear guy back to back walking backwards, moving slowly in the open. NO.

This is where this kind of madness creeps in. Nobody is supervising this and it just spreads because people think it is the thing to do. Let’s go back to our solid basics. If you and a buddy had to move through an area where you had to clear, or move to an objective where there was a high threat of enemy contact, what would you do? Bounding overwatch right? Yep.

But what about covering the rear, I hear you say? Well, you are moving through and over the ground so you are covering that ground and the rear is the ground you just covered. You check rear anyway as you are moving, but you don’t walk backwards. This was learned from years of experience on patrol: it used to be done, for example on endless long patrols by the British Army, but you just don’t walk backwards anymore. You will trip and fall. Turn and look, then resume. There is nothing wrong with coming together in your pair for a halt, and placing one covering front/flank, the other rear/flank. That is a basic security formation for a halt.

So in summary, what has this article been about? It’s been about the need to build a good solid foundation of basic skills. I have said this before, and I chuckle to say it again, but that's all there really is: good solid basics, practiced until they become slick second nature drills. Don’t be misled by tacticool snake oil salesmen. Learn to run your gun in the standing, kneeling and prone positions, learn to use cover with your fire positions; learn the importance of taking cover.

One final thing: PT. PT is crucial. Fire and movement under enemy direct fire is an anaerobic activity – you will not be able to suck in enough oxygen to make it comfortable. However we are all training to survive here and you may be older or in not such good physical condition. This does not disbar you from these techniques. Yes, when conducting rushes during fire and movement the faster you can cover that ground the less likely you are to be hit. But there is an important distinction between speed and momentum.

Momentum is keeping up the pressure on the enemy by the use of accurate suppressive fire that is killing the enemy or making them keep their heads down in cover, allowing you to maneuver. If you can locate the enemy and generate such suppressive fire you will allow yourself to move. You may be able to move in a steadier fashion, talking account of your slower speed and utilizing adrenalin to spur you through it. On my ranges, if you are less physically capable, I will not exhort you to efforts beyond your capability. At the very least, this would compromise safety. You will do the techniques at a steadier pace, and take away the fact that you need to work harder on your PT.

Max Velocity

Live Hard, Die Free

Small Unit Training Ideas

TRAINING IDEA - Crossing Obsticles
 
* Set up a 1-3 mile patrol with your group where you can plan a route that you must:

(1) Cross a river, using several different methods
(2) Cross a highway or roadway, again using several different methods
(3) Cross a bridge. (highway or railroad)
(4) Cross a wire fence. (all types)
(5) Cross a 'open' field area. 
(6) Move through an area of dense underbrush or trees

* Practice using a improvised "rope bridge" when crossing the river. Getting yourself & your equipment across should be a challange. A 10'-15' wide river would work best.

* Practice moving your unit across roadways. Use a remote less used road if your less experienced & work your unit up to crossing busier roads. 

* Practice crossing bridges. Depending on the A.O., crossing a highway or railroad bridge may be your only choice, but remember that actually crossing a bridge is a last resort. It is too dangerous to do on a regular basis, it acts as a funnel to force you into a certain area where the bad guys can set up an ambush.

* Practice crossing fences. Any type fence you have in your AO. Barb-wire, wooden, electric, cyclone, etc. Learn to cross 'em all. Plan FTX routes so you have to cross different fence typs & different conditions. 

* Also practice crossing 'open grassy fields'. Find an area where you must crawl on your stomachs for at least 100 yds where ya can't be seen. 

Make your FTX's as realistic as possible. Put a level of danger in them. Practice your stealth/movement skills and cross/recon private, posted lands. Do real recon missions on possible future use lands without being detected. 

There is a right and a wrong way when crossing obstacles and the wrong way may cost a life. Get out in the field and practice, practice, practice. 

Another good thing to practice are open field transitions, and of course CQB. If you are wondering what these are go to you tube and watch some videos on them. I will get into open field transitions in a later post.

Patrolling 101

PATROLLING 101

 


PLANNING PHASE

A detailed map should be made; covering the route, including terrain features selected for orientation
The use of difficult terrain must be considered in route planning. Impassable terrain is very rare
An "offset" in the route should be planned when applicable. An offset is a planned magnetic deviation to the right or left of the straight line to an objective. It should be used to verify the location right or left of the objective. Each mil offset will move a person one meter to the right or left for each 1000 meters traveled

When the patrol is to infiltrate a hostile area, an alternate rendezvous must be selected

When selecting your weapons, you should try to select ones that use the same ammo and or magazines to facilitate cross use between team members

All weapons must be cleaned, operationally checked, and test fired before departure. The weapon must not be cleaned after test firing, due to the possibility of putting the weapon back together wrong, or something else being wrong. Individual weapon cleaning equipment should be carried on all patrols 

Gloves should be included in your personal kit to protect your hands, anyone that has been in combat can attest to the fact of how valuable gloves are. I personally suggest that they be worn at all times when on patrol

At least two flashlights and two each of such critical items as binoculars, wire cutters, or any other items you feel your patrol may need, must be carried 

Ponchos can be used to make litters, construct rafts, conceal lights, and as shelters. Also each man should carry two canteens or a large water bladder on long patrols

Every member of the patrol should carry an extra pair of socks, socks are one of the most valuable and important items in the foot soldiers kit 

A rope is a necessity and can be used for many things including but not limited to, binding prisoners, climbing or descending obstacles, securing your gear, setting up camp, and crossing streams
Duct tape is also very useful and can be used to secure rifle swivels, slings, and other items which might rattle. It should be used also to tie back loose clothing

Personal camouflage is a very important aspect of patrolling. Ensure when applying cammo face paint to use darker colors on the high areas, and lighter colors on the recessed areas. Ensure that you cover every inch of exposed skin, whether it be the back of the neck, or behind the ear, have a buddy go over your job and double check it. 

At least one sharp knife should be carried by every member, one being a folder/pocket knife, and one should be a combat/survival knife

Security must be provided by assigning every man an area of responsibility, when on the move, and during breaks/remain over night location (RON). Each member should be assigned a different, but overlapping sector of fire while on the move, or in a fixed position

At least two members should be designated as pacers, which means they count their steps, then the average of their individual counts should be used

Maps must be folded where the section being used is visible, before departing so they can be more easily handled when checking. Maps must not be marked, unless laminated and a grease pencil is used

Compasses should be preset before departing your staging area or home base. More than one should be preset for each setting required, and every member of the patrol should have one, and be proficient in the proper use of the compass

A list of questions and answers should be designated prior to leaving on patrol to be used as "challenge and pass" words. Which are used to challenge anyone approaching the patrol, or that the patrol approaches. When this situation occurs the first person issues the challenge word, or phrase, then the person being challenged answers with the pass phrase, or word

Leaders need to be involved in recon patrols so that they can get a real world feel of the areas patrolled

All signals whether they be visual, or audible to be used should be simple, prearranged and rehearsed prior to departing on patrol

Time for patrol members to obtain their night vision must be planned. This is to allow personnel to acclimate their night vision as it starts getting dark. This should entail about 45 minutes prior to and 45 minutes after darkness has fallen to allow for proper night vision acclimation. You want to halt the patrol and allow no movement during this time if at all practical.

The patrol should be inspected carefully before any dry run through, and before departure. During this inspection make each member jump up and down to listen for any noise being made, then fix with 550 cord, or duct tape. Men should be questioned to check their knowledge and understanding of the mission

All inhabited areas should be avoided, unless these areas are the point of the patrol 

Plan to utilize ridge lines for movement if in mountainous terrain, in that you do not ever under any circumstance travel on a ridge, plan your route to travel about 1/3 of the way down the ridge, or below the crest enough to not be silhouetted by the crest. The skyline should be avoided 

Luminous tape, or "snake eyes" should be worn on the back of the collar, and greatly aids in control and movement on dark nights. The collar should be turned down if close to enemy

All radios and other communication equipment should be checked before departing, and ensure that everyone knows the comm plan, including which channels to use and proper radio protocol

It is too late to consider planning and preparation when the patrol is in no man's land, so make sure you plan for every eventuality, because Mr. Murphy is out there and will come get you when you least expect it

ON PATROL
 
On small patrols, the count should be sent up automatically after each halt or passage of a danger area. In large patrols, a chain of command should be used to account for men

Navigation should be checked frequently. The patrol commander is responsible for this, but every member should offer backup if necessary
 
On long patrols, the point man and compass men should be changed occasionally, because these positions are very mentally demanding and you want your patrol members to be fresh, and ready to go at a moments notice

Weapons are always carried at a ready position. The patrol must be able to return fire instantly and effectively. They must have their zones of fire and roles within the team down pat

Enemy wire should be cut only when necessary. A reconnaissance should be made first

Take advantage of any noises such as wind, vehicles, planes, and combat sounds to cover any movement or action that you need to make that makes noise

There should be no movement on roads and trails unless absolutely necessary, and even then to get out of these areas as soon as you possibly can

Movement can be aided in daylight, especially in dense terrain, by using night compass settings

Do not move across the enemy's front

Over short distances such as the width of a road, the compass can be used for signalling at night. a piece of luminous tape can also be used, but ensure that your signalling cannot be seen from any other direction than your own team

Crossing roads in enemy territory is a matter of common sense. Each situation may dictate a different method. Established procedure will not be violated if a proper reconnaissance is conducted before crossing an obstacle. Adequate security should be established and movement should be silent and quick to avoid detection. A main point of consideration in any road crossing is control of the patrol and their actions. Crosses should be done at a curve, or other area that does not offer a long distance viewing. 

Some of the accepted methods for crossing roads are:

(1) Patrol can form a skirmish line and move quickly and quietly across the road
(2) The entire patrol can form a file, following the footsteps of the members in front of them, in order to minimize footprints, and cover up the patrol numbers
(3) Members cross the road a few at a time until the whole patrol is across the road

When necessary to leave a wounded person to be picked up on the return trip, another person should be left with them. 
Walking wounded can return on their own to friendly areas, or can remain with the team if needed. When the enemy is near, the wounded should be removed from the immediate area before applying first aid
Enemy positions or obstacles should be by-passed, unless they are the point of the patrol, or if engaging them is needed

The patrol's location should be known at all times, by all members of the patrol. This is particularly important when there is a change of direction or the patrol is transported by air or water. A relatively slight error can cause a missed objective

Security must not be jeopardized by letting ear flaps and hoods interfere with the hearing ability of the patrol

Talking should be kept to a minimum. Arm and hand signals should be used to the maximum, and should be one of the items members are tested on prior to leaving on patrol

When enemy positions are being reconnoitered, a covering force must be kept within supporting distance of the reconnaissance element to facilitate cover fire if necessary

Trash must never be thrown on the ground while on patrol. It should be buried and camouflaged to prevent detection by the enemy, as with everything while on patrol including feces and pee as well as any food 

When friendly agents such as partisans are contacted, the entire patrol must not be taken to make contact with them. One or two people should make the contact and the others should provide cover

A unique and disposable patrol password should be used forward of friendly positions, this is different than the challenge/pass that I covered earlier, this is a challenge and a pass phrase that is established once out on patrol and is only known to the members of the patrol

At halts and during movement, odd numbered people observe to the left, and even numbered people to the right, or visa versa, just ensure your guys know where they are covering

When people have difficulty staying awake on security and at halts, the number of halts should be minimized, and the people should assume a kneeling rather than prone position

Personnel should be allowed to sleep on long patrols when possible, but proper security should be maintained

To aid in navigation stars should be used but it should be remembered that they move. The patrol's location should be confirmed on a compass

Smoking or chewing must not be permitted, because they make way too much smell, and can be noticed quite a ways off

The method of finding the North Star (if in the Northern Hemisphere) and the Southern Cross (if in the Southern Hemisphere) must be known and also the watch and sun method of finding North, and South

During halts the communicator should position himself to the left of the patrol commander in order that the handset can be held in the patrol commander's left hand

So that is a run down of a bunch of good information to use to plan your patrols, in no means is it a complete list. There are many more items that should be trained on and employed in a patrol, but this will get you headed in the right direction hopefully.
 

Guide to the Recon Patrol

This is a GREAT article I found, and thought readers of this blog would really enjoy.
I did not write it, nor do I claim any of it as mine, the source is listed below.

A Practical Guide to the Recon Patrol,
by TMC from The Survival Blog.com

Okay, the stuff has hit the fan, you have made it to your retreat, and you are geared up, stocked up and ready to survive. Inner security has been established, with LP/OPs located at likely avenues of approach. You at some point will start to wonder what else is out there, how far away it is, and what it means for your group. You might want to start implementing the recon patrol.

While I could write what may very well be a small manual on the subject, I will just put out the basics that will point you in the right direction to successfully run a patrol. As most retreats will not be in the desert, I am using the normal type terrain expected in a well selected retreat. Your mileage may vary. I will also not go into detail on certain subjects that can easily be researched. If I did, I would surely exceed any limit on how large a document on the subject should be. Rather I will concentrate on things learned in the field, not in any manual.

What exactly is a recon patrol? Field reconnaissance is the gathering of information of your surroundings in a stealthy manner. You will use this information to determine the safety of your current position and it will most likely be a determining factor for your daily operations planning. Information gathered can give you an idea of opposing force (OPFOR) strength, intentions, direction they are traveling and the likelihood of them coming in contact with your base element. While much of the doctrine is the same a standard patrol, the recon patrol is a bit different than a regular patrol. The recon patrol is to gather information on your surroundings without making contact with other elements.

That being said, I have on occasion been ordered to use harassing techniques to slow down or try to change the course of an element, which I will touch upon later.

Patrol Size

The size of a recon patrol is going to be smaller than the standard squad patrol. You are trying to be invisible and the more boots you have on the ground the more noise you will make. In my experience, a four person team is the size limit which I would recommend. Three is the optimal number, and two being the least that should go out. This is in comparison with the standard squad patrol size of nine (if you are lucky enough to have that many in your squad. [Even active duty military units are often short of manpower versus their authorized strength under their table of organization.]).

Patrol Equipment

Travel light, flee the fight. Unless you come across a solo element, you will most likely be outnumbered and if compromised you will need to hastily retreat. The preferred engagement ratio is 3:1, so bear that in mind.

Weapons

Take light carbines such as the M4 or Mini-14. I choose the AK-47 for myself as I believe it has a lot to offer for this type of mission. Should you get compromised, you will need to lay down a furious wall of fire to make the enemy think they just encountered a platoon or a least squad sized element so semi-auto is in my opinion a bare minimum. Larger weapons such as the M1 Garand or long barreled assault rifles will slow you down as they are heavy and cumbersome, but if that is what you have you will have to make do.

Even though I sometimes carried a sidearm, it would be better just to take a couple of extra mags for your primary. This is much better added value weight. You should pack two reloads for your combat load just in case you keep getting paralleled by OPFOR and have time to refresh magazines. The “light” part seems to be getting to be a stretch with this type prep, which is why I stress lighter ammo such as 5.56 or 7.62x39. The 7.62 NATO ammo gets pretty heavy with this type of packing and does not add much value in a reconnaissance mission.

If you do have a mule in your team (a human one) and he has skills with a sniper rifle, you may want to consider taking it along in an appropriate style carrier as a target of opportunity may come up that may be just way too good to pass up. This does violate the "no contact" premise of the recon patrol, but proper escape route planning can be implemented to help with this scenario. Just a thought and should only be done by experienced personnel.

Optics

Optics such as binoculars or [spotting] scope are pretty much necessities. The further that you can stand off and observe your objective the better off you are. Binoculars with some type of "flash kill" device are recommended. Also make these quality optics that you are comfortable using. I don’t mean you have to buy a $1,000 pair of Steiner's. For under $40 at Walmart you can get Bushnell’s 10x42 hunting binoculars that are clear as a bell and very rugged. You can use a sheer sniper veil over them as a kill flash. Rifle scopes are okay, but require that you expose yourself a little more than with binoculars. Generally, you also have a better field of view with binoculars. In my opinion binoculars are a better choice.

Food

You need to travel light, so try to keep this to a minimum. A recon patrol should be fairly short, a day or two probably at most. If it is going to be extended,then pack 2-1/2 times the food you think you will need. Utilizing light foods like jerky that you can carry a lot of will go a long way. I learned that one the hard way. When a two day patrol turns into six days that extra little bit of "Pogey bait" is worth it and can be rationed. Also learn what is edible in your surroundings as this can help sustain your mission without being a burden on your supplies.

Take foods that need little or no preparation. Jerky, trail mix, MREs and foods of that nature are recommended. Try to avoid foods that are particularly aromatic, such as curry, onion, garlic, etc. I can’t tell you how many times I have found an OPFOR element’s area of operations (AO) just by smell. While in Korea, I could find Korean [troop] elements by their body odor due to their diet of kimchi sometimes up to 400 meters away, depending on the wind and how long they had been out.

This odor discipline also includes cigarettes, No smoking! Obviously colognes and other “smelly goods” have no place on a recon patrol.

Communications

Radios should be carried but utilized only when absolutely necessary. Chances are your patrol might take you out of radio communication reception distance especially if you don’t have high power equipment. This is risky, but sometimes necessary. You need to know the operating limitations of your comms equipment and operate accordingly. Designate times and places to transmit from if you cannot [continuous] maintain radio contact during the patrol.

Uniforms

Camouflage should go without saying. The type will obviously be determinate on your terrain and season. Burlap with proper color spray paint is a great way to make cheap [outline] breakup for weapons. It can be manipulated to just about any terrain out there. You can use [burlap strips] to throw off scent-detecting animals such as dogs by using fox urine or other types of masking scents. A very useful item indeed. Helmets and body armor are optional, but I do not recommend them on a recon patrol. The body armor is heavy and can impede your quick getaway. It merits are known factors in the safety of soldiers, but in this mission you need to be able to flat out run if compromised. The ballistic helmet is also heavy, but its main downfall is the fact that it masks your environment. It can impair your vision and it mostly covers your ears and keeps you from hearing sounds that may be the enemy. A Boonie cap is the first choice, patrol cap is second for traditional headgear.

Plan the Route

Route planning is essential. Pick a route that will minimize danger area crossings and contact with high traffic areas. Do not use roads, rivers, trails or any other obvious routes of travel. You may skirt these areas to view them. Never plan a straight route. Use various patterns of travel such as zigzagging or button hooking. This keeps the enemy off guard as to where you came from. Also, should you think you are being trailed, do a wide 360 until you come back on your own tracks. If you encounter more tracks than yours, then you are being followed. React according to your [contact] SOPs. Learn to use a compass and map. While GPS systems can be useful tools, they are not always reliable and in a Grid Down situation may not even function. Know this: the US Department of Defense owns all the GPS satellites and merely provides data to GPS companies like Garmin so their GPS devices will work. Should the government choose to, they can encrypt them at will and leave your commercial GPS worthless.

Learning how to use a compass and map can be a fun experience for everyone. It can give kids and adults alike a great sense of accomplishment and help get you or keep you in shape. Map and compass skills can trump a GPS any day, and on many occasions I have been right on the mark while the guy using the GPS has been wandering around waiting for the satellites to give him a decent grid. Rely on basic navigation skills. Technology is a crutch for the weak.

 Plan Actions

Make sure to plan out the time you are leaving, time to be on the objective, time you will transmit information if necessary, and time you expect to be back. Plan for contingencies, such as what to do if you make contact, where to meet if you get separated, and what frequencies to be on at what time of the day. Most of these will be dictated by your groups prior established SOPs. Follow them.

 Preparing for the Patrol

If you follow proper procedure when you leave the base of ops you will conduct "stop, look, listen, and smell" (SLLS). This is to get you oriented to your environment. However, I have found that a short 10 minute halt like this is not nearly as effective as having the recon team acclimate [to the natural environment] over a day or so without distractions such as television, radio, or any other man-made devices that are not essential to ops. In a grid down situation this will most likely not be a problem.

Your sense of smell, hearing, and vision get better the longer you are out. If possible, do this and you will be much more inclined to pick up on enemy positions and movement long before they pick you up. Make sure all equipment gets inspected, including weapons and optics. Make sure all equipment is quiet and free of protruding gear or things that will snag on foliage. This includes weapons that have a multitude of “Mall Ninja” gear hanging off of them. While it may be value added in a MOUT situation, it is just more junk to hang up on vegetation and obstacles. Have each patrol member jump up and down and run in place with their gear on to identify anything noisy and use 100 m.p.h. [olive drab duck] tape or 550 [parachute] cord to lash it down.

Make sure food and water are easily accessible as you may be eating on the fly. Check for proper and complete camouflage. Get ready to roll, get your mind right. On the Patrol Use your wits. Be aware of your environment, and anything that may not be right. Learn to use nature to warn you of potential danger. Have you ever been close to a squirrel’s nest in the woods? He will let you know you are too close by making a lot of noise. This type of natural warning device can serve you as well as hinder you. Be mindful of nature and learn to move in the woods as part of your surroundings rather than against it. This takes time, is a learned behavior, but can be done by just about anyone.

Avoid sandy terrain where you will leave an obvious trail. Use rocks and other terrain to move while minimizing [leaving] sign and making noise. Be mindful of how loud your footsteps are. That is a common mistake I see soldiers make all the time. They don’t listen to how much noise they are making. Learn to roll your feet. This can be practiced around the house while doing chores. Just learn to walk quietly.

On the Objective

If you are doing an area recon, which is a specific area you want to check out, make sure you spend the time you need on the objective to properly gather intelligence. Walk a zigzag pattern to cover as much terrain as possible. If you are doing a point recon, which is a recon of a specific target such as a house or a point on a road, lay your team in collect as much info as you can. Include info you would normally not consider important as later on down the road you may find it useful. Remember, you can never collect too much intel, but you can collect not enough. You can sort through what is important later on when you have time to analyze the intel.

While glassing your objective, make sure only one member of each buddy team is using binoculars, while the other keeps an eye out for anyone who may be using a clandestine approach to your location. Use a notebook to write down everything you see.

Departure

When the allotted time on the objective is complete, always leave the objective in a different direction [than from which you approached]. Pick up any trash or tell tale sign of you being there. Brush over where you were laying, cover any foliage cuts you might have made. Try to leave no sign at all that you were ever there. Maintain noise discipline on the way back just like you did on the way in. You are in just as much danger going home as you were going out. Don’t get complacent. Well, there you have it. You can research the patrol by using military manuals and implement what I have written here for a successful mission. This will give you a heads up on what’s out there and give you an advantage over any element that may be inbound on your location.

Knowledge is power, and if you have solid intel on your enemy and surroundings, then you have the tactical advantage. I hope this is of use to you.

Hope you enjoyed this article, and now have a couple more tools for your tool box.