TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army
TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army
TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01Topping’s crew scanned their helmet displays and looked down occasionally to get the fullerpicture on the glass panels. They could see the rest of RSTA and, so far, not even a hint of a redicon to indicate threat.“I wonder how long it’ll take Ibn Ander’s goons to react to that flare back there, sergeant?”Specialist Booth, the driver, asked as he took up the new heading.“Not long at all if they’re half as good as OPFOR at Irwin, Ted,” Topping replied. “We allneed to stay on our toes. The Hummingbirds and Wasp unmanned aerial system’s we launchedought to give us plenty of warning. 194 Besides TF Green is getting Predator and Global Hawkfeeds. If anything heavy enough to light up their sensors moves it’ll be some pretty spectacularfireworks.”“Yeah, assuming it’s bad guys. What happens if some farmer’s tractor pops up?”“Well, that’s why us blood and guts RSTA guys are here, Ted,” Sergeant Topping repliedthinking this marshy field and the looming jungle were a far cry from the Amphitheater at Irwin.“Damn!” Booth yelled. “Did you see that?” he screamed jerking the FSV-R to the right toavoid a massive carcass that could have been a cow or an elephant.It was barely warm enough to register with their thermals. Whatever had killed that animalwas not very friendly. It looks like it had been shredded or butchered inexpertly. Toppingtensed, remembering how the insurgents had mounted IEDs in animal carcasses in Baqouba.“Scans explosive free, sergeant,” Specialist Mike Wright announced. He had the directionalsniffer control as well as their 20 millimeter cannon to operate.“Water buffalo,” Booth announced. “Looks like a mine got it. Sure there’s no explosiveresidue Wright?”They rolled by the dead animal, senses heightened to the hidden dangers. Everything lookedabout right to Topping, but that made him especially wary. The mine threat made himcontemplate dismounting some scouts. Before he could tap in that order RSTA 1-4 went red onthe screen and then blank!“Incoming!” Screamed a voice on the previously silent radio. No identification on thecaller, Topping noted.“Driver hit it!” Topping shouted. Casualty signals now lit up the screen near where 1-4disappeared. They surged forward, the mine detector set on highest sensitivity. Toppingcouldn’t assume it was a mine that got his buddy’s FSV-R. Could be indirect fire, which meantsomeone, or something, was watching them. Best to keep moving recording the track whichwould automatically arrive on all RSTA screens as a cleared route.Outside the FSV-R the air was thick with moisture and buzzing with insects. Booth, thedriver, responding to digital commands from Topping zigged and zagged around obstacles he198
TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01couldn’t even see. It was pitch dark making even their infrared and enhanced optics displaysvibrate eerily. A loud explosion and huge ball of fire behind them shook the ground and rockedthe FSV-R.“Dear God,” Topping worried, “A Condor?”What had started out as a stealthy security mission where TF Green had the advantage oftotal surprise now seemed like an orchestrated ambush, but where were the enemy icons? Noreads from any of the overhead systems picked up anything.Captain Brown in RSTA 6 on line with Topping’s position, tapped in a spot report and got aninstant confirmation on the Condor and one of third platoon’s crews being lost. Insertionaborted. Alternate Landing Bravo, came the next message. They were on their own. Nothing todo but continue the mission and aim for linking up at Bravo with the rest of the battalion. Brownsagged in his seat, taking a pull from his Camelback, exhausted from more than 36 hours withoutsleep and drained of adrenalin reserves. “Must be missiles,” he thought. That would explain theabsence of enemy icons. That also meant that the Anderian’s possessed standoff defenses moresophisticated than predicted.He had to pull the RSTA Company together and get to Bravo before light, and do it from themiddle of a booby-trapped jungle. He found himself longing for the OPFOR and Granite Pass atthe National Training Center.Should he check on 1-4 or go back to the Condor? “No!” his mind struggled, “The mission’swhat matters.” The Captain ordered the protect battle drill which all his elements weredoubtless executing already. Their systems were capable of picking up threats from on boardand external sensors. Brown knew better than to rely on them alone, bracing for more Anderiansurprises.This continued account of a fictional battle only begins to paint the intensity of prolongedoperations in a combat environment. Similar accounts taken from historical battles are rife withthe sheer terror and total exhaustion the Soldiers coped with for sometimes days on end. Whatthis encounter in AO Foxden demonstrates is that the stress experienced in combat does notnecessarily require direct engagement in furious close swordfights. An asymmetric opponenttaking advantage of his home turf and relatively simple and inexpensive devices can turn eventhe most modern and well trained force on its heels. Leaders in such an environment can freezeup, become fatalistic, and suffer rage at not being able to strike back. Loss of sleep, fear, loss offriends and major weapons systems thought indestructible, exacerbates the leader’s challenges.199
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<strong>TRADOC</strong> <strong>Pam</strong> <strong>525</strong>-3-7-<strong>01</strong>couldn’t even see. It was pitch dark making even their infrared and enhanced optics displaysvibrate eerily. A loud explosion and huge ball of fire behind them shook the ground and rockedthe FSV-R.“Dear God,” Topping worried, “A Condor?”What had started out as a stealthy security mission where TF Green had the advantage oftotal surprise now seemed like an orchestrated ambush, but where were the enemy icons? Noreads from any of the overhead systems picked up anything.Captain Brown in RSTA 6 on line with Topping’s position, tapped in a spot report and got aninstant confirmation on the Condor and one of third platoon’s crews being lost. Insertionaborted. Alternate Landing Bravo, came the next message. They were on their own. Nothing todo but continue the mission and aim for linking up at Bravo with the rest of the battalion. Brownsagged in his seat, taking a pull from his Camelback, exhausted from more than 36 hours withoutsleep and drained of adrenalin reserves. “Must be missiles,” he thought. That would explain theabsence of enemy icons. That also meant that the Anderian’s possessed standoff defenses moresophisticated than predicted.He had to pull the RSTA Company together and get to Bravo before light, and do it from themiddle of a booby-trapped jungle. He found himself longing for the OPFOR and Granite Pass atthe National Training Center.Should he check on 1-4 or go back to the Condor? “No!” his mind struggled, “The mission’swhat matters.” The Captain ordered the protect battle drill which all his elements weredoubtless executing already. Their systems were capable of picking up threats from on boardand external sensors. Brown knew better than to rely on them alone, bracing for more Anderiansurprises.This continued account of a fictional battle only begins to paint the intensity of prolongedoperations in a combat environment. Similar accounts taken from historical battles are rife withthe sheer terror and total exhaustion the Soldiers coped with for sometimes days on end. Whatthis encounter in AO Foxden demonstrates is that the stress experienced in combat does notnecessarily require direct engagement in furious close swordfights. An asymmetric opponenttaking advantage of his home turf and relatively simple and inexpensive devices can turn eventhe most modern and well trained force on its heels. Leaders in such an environment can freezeup, become fatalistic, and suffer rage at not being able to strike back. Loss of sleep, fear, loss offriends and major weapons systems thought indestructible, exacerbates the leader’s challenges.199