Capt Teach
Veteran Member
Below are the details of my week end spent at http://www.onpointtactical.com/ Apache Scout weekend was everything I would expect a TB2000 gathering to be.(without the complaining)
Arriving in the Jersey Pine barrens, I still wasn't sure what to expect from the class. I had found out about the training from a tracking emailing list, but I couldn't imagine spending a whole weekend looking at the ground, and trying to read sign. Well, what I got was more than I had expected and covered many of the skills we write about here on TB everyday.
Friday morning we were issued replica M-4's (real size and weight) to drill in basic infantry tactics. Fire and maneuver, assaulting, patroling, breaking contact, road crossings, hand signals, etc. More or less infantry training 101. It felt good to get dirt down my underwear again and I began to perk up, knowing this would not be a boring week end of plant identification and learning the constellations.
We then had some lecture on the Apache's, and how they were able to keep over 60,000 U.S. Army troops running around in circles. It seems the Apaches were quite adept at caching supplies. This enabled them to lead troops deep into the desert where they would quickly exhaust their supplies and turn back. We than learned about Apache style caching.
We went into the barrens and our instructor, Kevin said, "there is a cache within 20 yds. of where we're standing, see if you can find it." We couldn't. He showed us how it was constructed, and what was needed to make a similar cache. We learned about the Apache scout pit, and then we went to another location to dig/construct a cache. The advantage of this type of cache is they are easily accessable, without tools, and yet large enough to store weapons, clothing, food, etc. A big advantage over the PVC pipe, glued on caps, etc. If freezing is not an issue in your locale, water can also be stored. We discussed tunneling, and how it's been used to our enemies advantage in both Vietnam and Afghanistan. Later we learned about different camo, and face paints , etc. We compared different commercial types and discussed expedient methods of constructing/using camo, sniper veils, ghillies suit, etc. Then we broke for dinner and to plan our night mission.
The mission was to leave the campsite area, without being seen by the other campers, and find where Kevin had set up camp. The area was something less than a mile square, and he said he'd make it easy on us by lighting up his camp, playing a radio, etc. We also knew he was good at, and enjoyed playing with boobytraps, trip wires etc. We then had to worry about being spotted by the Rangers. Here we are, grown men, with very realistic looking M-4's, camo'd up, sneaking through the woods, it might make the local lawmen nervous. We were supposed to gather intel on his camp. # of persons, vehicles, weapons, etc. It took us two hours to find his camp, and that was with it lit up like Newark airport. When we moved in, I was at point and we made it to within about 50 yds. We could see him (Kevin) sitting in the truck, with the light on, reading the paper. We could also see his two small sons, apparently asleep in the back. Just as I started to move closer I heard this little voice shout, "there they are, I see them." Apparently two more sons, both younger than 10 had been sitting near the front of the truck, out of sight, but very alert for the recon patrol. The spotlights came on and we just flattened out and stayed put. After a few minutes, we learned to crawl backwards and exfiltrated the area. When we got to the pickup point, our cell phones couldn't get a signal for awhile to arrange the pickup. Communications were a problem all weekend. Lack of cell towers for phones and being between Fort Dix and Maguire AF base didn't help I'm sure. FRS radios were only good to about several hundred yds. with no intervening terrain.
Post mission review was informative. Some of our "issues" were quite revealing, and thankfully this exercise was for fun. Although there was quite a bit of moon, and we could easily follow each other from at least 20 yds. distance, we were completely unable to see hand signals. This meant closing up our formation to the point where whispering was used to communicate. Not good discipline at all. We found that one of our party's dark black hair looked about like the reflectors on a new Cadillac in the moon light. My camo which was made up of British dpw and a dark ski mask... looked just like a person in the forest wearing a ski mask. With the simple addition of a boonie hat my outline changed enough to eliminate that problem. We also learned that young children think ambushing pot bellied, middle aged men is more fun than watching for Santa Claus.
That was day one, beginning at 0900 and running until 2300. Day two would begin with the signature we leave of our presence, whether it's the charge card we buy with, the surveilance cameras all around us, or our footprints in the bush.
Tracking, counter/anti-tracking, etc. Awareness of our environment, and I don't mean saving the whale. I mean knowing or sensing when something is amiss in our surroundings. Ambush/counter ambush, avoiding an ambush.
Then another night mission, slightly different theme, but again educational.
Sunday morning was about boobytraps. Not just the old figure 4 type dead falls, but exploding, illuminating types also. Tips on improvising and /or how to obtain materials for this use was discussed in detail. Also avoidance of traps was covered. For educational purposes only.
I left out many details, but suffice it to say it was well worth the expense of time and money. The opportunities to network with others was priceless.
Again, in the interest of time and space, I didn't cover everything, but if anyone has specific questions, please ask.
One final point. I asked everyone their reason for being there to learn these skills. 100% responded, "avian flu".
Capt Teach
Arriving in the Jersey Pine barrens, I still wasn't sure what to expect from the class. I had found out about the training from a tracking emailing list, but I couldn't imagine spending a whole weekend looking at the ground, and trying to read sign. Well, what I got was more than I had expected and covered many of the skills we write about here on TB everyday.
Friday morning we were issued replica M-4's (real size and weight) to drill in basic infantry tactics. Fire and maneuver, assaulting, patroling, breaking contact, road crossings, hand signals, etc. More or less infantry training 101. It felt good to get dirt down my underwear again and I began to perk up, knowing this would not be a boring week end of plant identification and learning the constellations.
We then had some lecture on the Apache's, and how they were able to keep over 60,000 U.S. Army troops running around in circles. It seems the Apaches were quite adept at caching supplies. This enabled them to lead troops deep into the desert where they would quickly exhaust their supplies and turn back. We than learned about Apache style caching.
We went into the barrens and our instructor, Kevin said, "there is a cache within 20 yds. of where we're standing, see if you can find it." We couldn't. He showed us how it was constructed, and what was needed to make a similar cache. We learned about the Apache scout pit, and then we went to another location to dig/construct a cache. The advantage of this type of cache is they are easily accessable, without tools, and yet large enough to store weapons, clothing, food, etc. A big advantage over the PVC pipe, glued on caps, etc. If freezing is not an issue in your locale, water can also be stored. We discussed tunneling, and how it's been used to our enemies advantage in both Vietnam and Afghanistan. Later we learned about different camo, and face paints , etc. We compared different commercial types and discussed expedient methods of constructing/using camo, sniper veils, ghillies suit, etc. Then we broke for dinner and to plan our night mission.
The mission was to leave the campsite area, without being seen by the other campers, and find where Kevin had set up camp. The area was something less than a mile square, and he said he'd make it easy on us by lighting up his camp, playing a radio, etc. We also knew he was good at, and enjoyed playing with boobytraps, trip wires etc. We then had to worry about being spotted by the Rangers. Here we are, grown men, with very realistic looking M-4's, camo'd up, sneaking through the woods, it might make the local lawmen nervous. We were supposed to gather intel on his camp. # of persons, vehicles, weapons, etc. It took us two hours to find his camp, and that was with it lit up like Newark airport. When we moved in, I was at point and we made it to within about 50 yds. We could see him (Kevin) sitting in the truck, with the light on, reading the paper. We could also see his two small sons, apparently asleep in the back. Just as I started to move closer I heard this little voice shout, "there they are, I see them." Apparently two more sons, both younger than 10 had been sitting near the front of the truck, out of sight, but very alert for the recon patrol. The spotlights came on and we just flattened out and stayed put. After a few minutes, we learned to crawl backwards and exfiltrated the area. When we got to the pickup point, our cell phones couldn't get a signal for awhile to arrange the pickup. Communications were a problem all weekend. Lack of cell towers for phones and being between Fort Dix and Maguire AF base didn't help I'm sure. FRS radios were only good to about several hundred yds. with no intervening terrain.
Post mission review was informative. Some of our "issues" were quite revealing, and thankfully this exercise was for fun. Although there was quite a bit of moon, and we could easily follow each other from at least 20 yds. distance, we were completely unable to see hand signals. This meant closing up our formation to the point where whispering was used to communicate. Not good discipline at all. We found that one of our party's dark black hair looked about like the reflectors on a new Cadillac in the moon light. My camo which was made up of British dpw and a dark ski mask... looked just like a person in the forest wearing a ski mask. With the simple addition of a boonie hat my outline changed enough to eliminate that problem. We also learned that young children think ambushing pot bellied, middle aged men is more fun than watching for Santa Claus.
That was day one, beginning at 0900 and running until 2300. Day two would begin with the signature we leave of our presence, whether it's the charge card we buy with, the surveilance cameras all around us, or our footprints in the bush.
Tracking, counter/anti-tracking, etc. Awareness of our environment, and I don't mean saving the whale. I mean knowing or sensing when something is amiss in our surroundings. Ambush/counter ambush, avoiding an ambush.
Then another night mission, slightly different theme, but again educational.
Sunday morning was about boobytraps. Not just the old figure 4 type dead falls, but exploding, illuminating types also. Tips on improvising and /or how to obtain materials for this use was discussed in detail. Also avoidance of traps was covered. For educational purposes only.
I left out many details, but suffice it to say it was well worth the expense of time and money. The opportunities to network with others was priceless.
Again, in the interest of time and space, I didn't cover everything, but if anyone has specific questions, please ask.
One final point. I asked everyone their reason for being there to learn these skills. 100% responded, "avian flu".
Capt Teach