Fieldcraft

Slowpoke · Post by **Slowpoke** » March 26th, 2004, 1:39 pm

Never, ever wear lace tights in the jungle. The wait-a-minute vines snag them something awful.

BadMuther · Post by **BadMuther** » March 26th, 2004, 2:56 pm

Don't eat yellow snow....

Steadfast · Post by **Steadfast** » March 26th, 2004, 7:24 pm

Don't leave tracks in the snow that the enemy can follow. Collect all yellow snow in a jar/plastic bag. Use it in case you are captured as a secret substance just invented for this mission. Do anything to stall and stay alive. Pick the right time to escape as it is your new mission. If they don't believe it is a secret substance, then bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.

BRanger91 · Post by **BRanger91** » March 26th, 2004, 7:32 pm

Ranger Steadfast to add to your comment about carrying multiple canteens instead of a 5 gal or ltr bag. If you break or lose 1 canteen your are down 1qt. If you break or lose a 5 gal or ltr then you are screwed.

'Never keep all your eggs in on basket'

Steadfast · Post by **Steadfast** » March 27th, 2004, 6:43 pm

It is always a plus to smell your garments or switch with your team mates as you get used to your own smell. Use a laundry that uses a orderless soap. if not possible. Wear your clothing a day or two in advance of a mission. It airs out the smell of laundry soap. Never use shaving lotion or after shave. Stay away from body soaps that have strong perfume smell. You guys know what I am getting at. Never give the enemy the edge by smelling you coming. And one other thing. Do not, I say again, Do not eat garlic or garlic pills. The oder premates from your pores and invites the flies to feast on your skin. If you find out at the last minute you are going on a mission dig up some dirt and rub it into your clothing and remove as much smell as possible.

Earthpig · Post by **Earthpig** » March 27th, 2004, 7:42 pm

Desert Sloth wrote:
Steadfast wrote:I've prolly mentioned this before but will say it again. I had a team leader that wouldn't allow any team member bring along his poncho. Poncho liner okay. Well I knew I was in for a tough time as the monsoon's were in full swing. This TL forgo anything that looked like a hide and always did a NDP where the hill had at least a 60 degree incline. Sleeping or staying that way meant you had a tree trunk between your legs to keep from sliding down the hill. The TL's thinking was that the enemy usually traveled at the bottom of each hill or in the draws. The enemy preferred walking on trails, it was much easier. No enemy would think a LRRP team would be sleeping on a hill that steep. When you slept with that tree trunk between your legs and no poncho you were drenched but no noise occurred as the rain dripped onto you.
Don't let your teammates bring GORTEX on a mission (unless you are in extreme cold environments). This shit MAKES WAY TOO MUCH NOISE. It will give you away while you are in your LP/OP. We recently purchased the new Stealth G-Tex from Brigade Quartermaster, kicks ass, will not make noise when you move around or somethin rubs against it.

The only time I recall wearing the heavy duty Gortex was when we did a battalion level skiing 'mission' at Crystal Mountain. We did wear the light-weight Gortex a couple times, but it was worn underneath our BDUs, so it wouldn't be as noisy. Now that I'm a fat, old civilian however, I wear my heavy-duty Gortex parka all winter.

RLTW
EP

BadMuther · Post by **BadMuther** » March 27th, 2004, 8:08 pm

Cotex can be worn under your uniform if you want to keep it silent.....

At lewis, I never went without my gtex!!!!

Bell · Post by **Bell** » March 27th, 2004, 8:13 pm

Practice and learn to use peripheral vision. Especially at night and low light conditions.

Steadfast · Post by **Steadfast** » March 28th, 2004, 6:07 am

Desert Sloth wrote:
EarthPig wrote:The only time I recall wearing the heavy duty Gortex was when we did a battalion level skiing 'mission' at Crystal Mountain. We did wear the light-weight Gortex a couple times, but it was worn underneath our BDUs, so it wouldn't be as noisy. Now that I'm a fat, old civilian however, I wear my heavy-duty Gortex parka all winter.
RLTW
EP
It was the same for us. I did not have a real experience with G-Tex until I got on with SRT. I was the TL for a mission in the Mountains south of here and we had to hump it in towards the crest of the mountains where the illegal narcotic traffic was utilizing.

We were tasked with observing a hiking trail in this canyon and it was still cold as hell up there (it was early MAR). Well this one guy every night would put on his G-Tex and ALL FRIGGEN NIGHT he would keep moving and it sounded like he was ripping VELCRO. We had a group walk up the trail and they were 20 meters away and I alerted everyone and he moves to look and RIIIIIPPPP, the group stops and looks in our direction but could not see us in our hide. I wanted to kill the dude. Anyways, after that I made him keep the G-Tex in the Patrol Base. Since then, I will not allow anyone going out with me on LP/OPs or arrest teams to wear G-Tex.

These examples are exactly what I am looking for, updated versions. Thank you and very informative and educational gentlemen.

In all the missions I did whether or not I had my poncho with me, I never put it on to wear while walking patrol or sitting watching a trail. If we took our poncho's we used them as a floor with a liner atop and one foot off the ground, one was used as a roof. Four guys would sleep side by side. It wasn't always possible to sleep in the wagon wheel method mentioned by Gary Linderer of the 101st LRRP's. It also depended on many circumstances on our surroundings on how we set up our sleeping arrangements. We found, side by side effective for touch communication to alert all others of nearby movement. In the wagon wheel if you couldn't move, you couldn't alert others if they were sleeping. This is not a critize of other methods just differences of practice. When we had better weather we slept further apart but not much further. The idea was to lay still and not toss and turn when you slept. If woken by others, you would train yourself not to speak, just observe or face the person who woke you. Eye to eye communication always says a lot without saying anything at all. A head nod along with eye movement can convey something in that direction the team mate is pointing out. Upon waking it is also good to reach for your weapon as it is merely inches from your hand anyways. There is more but I will let you digest what I have written so far. I would be interested in tactics for NDP in todays or 10 years ago regiment. If OPSEC, say OPSEC and I will understand.

Steadfast · Post by **Steadfast** » March 28th, 2004, 3:26 pm

I have a new question for you Rangers. I hope someone or some can give me the answer. What piece of equipment is it that can read an individuals body heat? Is it infra red? My question is if the enemy has these detection devices. Can you wear an item of clothing that circumvents this equipment and allows you to be undetectable? I see police helicopter using the device? that tracks perps running in the evening. Is this device slightly different than infra red?

McD · Post by **McD** » March 28th, 2004, 5:18 pm

Gortex! Damn you young guys had it made. All we had were those old heavy rain suits which sounded like a garbage bag going through the bush. Which means we didn't wear any rain gear! Of course it was harder than woodpecker lips back then!