Welcome Aboard!

AHOY,


UPDATE 12/21/13, 11:42 HOURS

I am revealing who I am today i.e. posting my name, I am Keith Oeffinger, I was born in San Antonio Texas in 1963. See today's post 12/21/13 .


Update, 01/11/14 12:30 hours;

I would like to say, with only one reply, like three years ago, this blog seems too much like a mirror site to me. And it appears very few patriots are looking back at past posts.

The new “Fragmented Fighting Facts” series of posts that dedicates one post to each Basic rule has now been completed. This series starts with the post tilted “Post # 1, Planning, Preface” that posted on 05/12/13. This series is under the label “Tri-F in progress”. Posts well be updated as I edit or discover additional knowledge thus the series is the most current version of my "Fragmented Fighting Facts" manual. For an old but complete version i.e. all in one post copy. Patriots are welcomed to try viewing one of the “pages” listed in the “special word section” on the starboard side of the blog. I say try due to the fact I’m not sure if they are published i.e. viewable to the general public due to all the issues or HACKING with my blog. There is also a complete copy posted, that is titled, “Tri-F in progress” too, it was posted 11/13/10.

And feel free to fire away with a reply, (sarcasm on).


FLASH REPORT; the “TERRORIST ARE NOT AMONG US, AND NEVER WERE I.E. AL QAEDA IS A STAWL MAN, GHOST”.

The most important lesson that everyone should have taken away from the Boston Marathon bombings was that those young men proved that no al-queda members are in the u.s. Otherwise they too would just go get some presure cookers and had to a parade.

“I AM NOT A TERRORIST” this nation’s worst enemy is FEAR. This fear is being promoted mostly by the back woods, right wing, Christians of this nation. We need to separate church and state, period. And that is of course for the States sake.


I would like patriots to understand that I use the terms "official revealed fact" to mean what everyone is being told by officials, media etc. I use the term "kings truth" to mean what I know or believe to actually be the actual facts. I DO NOT MEAN IT IN A RELIGIOUS WAY. I.E. the term Kings is plural as in those running the show.


Preface for the Fragmented Fighting Facts

Note pink highlighted material is that, that IMO is questionable factually, it maybe an “official revealed fact” that I am questioning. The material may need to be defined i.e. explained more or it could be a personal note. Yellow is location undecided or unedited material i.e. unread that I have not decided on what to keep or not. Green means a change has been made i.e. an update. By noting the green updated highlights a Patriot well not have to read the Fragmented Fighting Facts in its entirety to stay current. Red is important, perhaps the "kings truth".

Newjarheaddean; this is my collection of combat notes. One might call it my anthology of combat tactics, techniques, methods and skills. The note taking began about fourty years ago (I was around 13 years old) with the observation of 10 rules listed with in a book covering the French and Indian i.e. Native American, wars, entitled “Roger’s Rangers”. That’s right the rules that started all this are “Army Ranger” rules, this book was located in the “Westfall” library in San Antonio Texas off of Vance Jackson. I get a kick out of the libraries name due to the general agreement that modern or state vs state warfare started with the singing of the peace treaties at Westphalia. I could not read at the time; however I knew that a list in a book on war would be important. I copied those rules down like a scribe might have written hieroglyphs and had my dad read them to me. . This discovery preceded numerous sources including approximately one hundred books and about a dozen field manuals, of which a few were of WWII era. These were found at libraries, half price bookstores and garage sales. Since going on line in 2007, I have found material on web sites such as “Defense and National Interest” (DNI), “Global security”, “Strategy page” , “Wikipedia” and “Bayonet strength” and “Efour4ever” in the combat lessons learned section. These last two sites cover WWII.

Previously referred to as K.O.O.L.N. (acronym definition, top secret), FLASH REPORTS; I NOW AM TELLING EVERYONE IT STANDS FOR KEITH OEFFINGER'S ORGANIZATION OF LEARNED KNOWLEDGE the joke on me here was I believed Knowledge was spelled with an (N). I was a special education student and did not learn to read until my last year of high school. I have now titled my work “Fragmented Fighting Facts” or “Tri-F”; the name derives from the computer grammar function always alerting me to the fragmented nature of my sentences. This is due to the “just the facts, ma’am” manor the material is written i.e. there has been little if any effort to write in whole sentences or provide context. This is not to say there is no order with Tri-F, in fact there is a theme. I have laid out the information as one might expect a commander or members of a unit to recall it thus utilizing it to conduct a mission.

We start with “Planning”, followed by the section on “Defense”, then there’s “Preparations and conduct of patrols” or “PCP”, and we end with “Conduct of Engagements” or “COE”, i.e. engagements being the term used here for shootouts. Each section of Tri-F consists of numbered “Basic rules”, each basic rule followed by detailed notes that either relate to, explain, or give examples pertaining to the basic rules. As with the general format of Tri-F, each section’s basic rules are laid out as one might need to recall them. This is most obvious in the last section COE starting with basic rule number one, “Flash report”, i.e. actions to take upon contact with the enemy. This sections last basic rule deals with handling POWs.

Keep in mind this is a work in progress; I’m constantly discovering new information to add which in turn still at times requires rearranging things. At the same time, interestingly enough to me, I have not needed to rearrange my original order of the basic rules for quite some time. There are however, two instances where the detailed information fallowing a pair of basic rules became so similar I decided to combine the pair into one basic rule. These two occurrences are noted in footnotes.

Now heed this, out of all the information contained within this work, only an estimated 1% was taught to me while I was serving in the U.S.M.C. Moreover, to put a fine point on it, it’s worth noting I served in Charlie Company, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division, i.e. an Infantry unit. Before my discharge (after only a two year cruse), I attended Jungle Warfare School in the northern training area of Okinawa (for two weeks), Mountain Warfare School in Korea (for one week) and Combat Town Camp Pendleton for MOUT training (for one day). I did not take part in any amphibious training nor did I ever go to Twenty Nine Palms for Desert Warfare training. We did ride around in AAVs once at Camp Pendleton. All in all I would say the only things I missed out on were a beach landing (at Coronado I believe) and a little sun burn, due to the fact that those twenty nine palms, I was told in the early eighties were all located at the front gate of that base. Needless to say, the training did not impress me, and I now know it was not going to get any better as some suggested to me at the time, and still others later claimed that I should have just stayed in longer.

With my position on the lack of training, I do wish to make it perfectly clear that I do support the service women and men in the U.S. armed forces. I also believe them to be as brave as any people on earth, (with the exception of the (Y) generation). My concern is in the way the Infantry especially is being mislead and used. I want people to understand my experience and IMO a lot of evidence suggests Uncle Sam intends to use his infantry in ways that does not include training any generation in the art of “traditional Guerilla combat tactics” i.e. as a “Traditional Commando” would be. I am not talking about “SWAT” team “Close quarter” tactics, like the “Stick dynamic entry”. That tactic should be called the “cluster f**k”. Just call that sort of tactic what it is NYPD (Cops T.V. show bad-boys, bad-boys) in Afghanistan.

The problem is that that tactic was developed by police departments to deal with an objective occupied by drugged up party animals, i.e. untrained civilians. The police never use it in a spur of the minute situation. They use it when the house/objective has been under constant surveillance for mouths in some cases and the police know all manner of information about everyone in the house and the structure and neighborhood in general. The cops choose a time when everyone is pasted out from partying the night before and have long lost any weapons (between the cushions or under the bed) they might have had on them as show pieces during the party. The primary reason for the large numbers of police in close proximity is to make sure the gang does not think the raid is a rival gang “brake in” and thus resist in any way. There is lots of yelling too, thus reinforcing the message that no one is trying to be covert, like one would be to get away with a crime.

This brings up an intriguing observation of mine; that being that by the book an assault should be made from the top down, yet the troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere use the Stick dynamic entry and usually enter from the front door, like a SWAT team. However resent high profile raids show the SWAT teams attacking from the top down. Examples you may recall are the raids on the Shinning path group in Peru in 2000 and the Mumbai raid by Indian forces on the Jewish center in 2008. IMO this proves the existence of what I’ll refer to as a “need to know” training policy, being followed by various governments, the purpose being to limit the number of true Commandos that could become tomorrow’s rebels, apposing corrupt governments. One last thing about the Stick, IMO every single time the regular forces unit conducting one of these foolish Stick dynamic entries comes under fire i.e. runs into resistance, the Stick brakes i.e. the whole unit evacuates and awaits some kind of support form tanks, guns, tubes or air. Bottom line IMO the Stick is used as a probing tactic and is meant to be a moral boosting show peace tactic to make the unit feel as if it has taken a hill, which was nothing more than another empty building, that IMO Intel suggested, was the case before the entry was ordered. Recalling the police policy of long periods of surveillance prior to raids.

It also seems to me that in light of the old saying “you can fight a war with bombs and blockades but only boots on the ground can win it” ( IMO, Uncle Sam has now revised that saying, as fallows) “you can win a war with bombs and blockades, but only the infantry can end the war”, farther more IMO Uncle Sam has gone one more step and decided to use private security companies and local i.e. indigenous people for the infantry role. All this fear of true commandos is all very similar to the “Mujahideen” not being allowed by various governments, to return to their homelands i.e. native nations, after fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan.

And as for the U.S. and other Western nations, training foreigners to fight a counter insurgency goes. IMO this training includes nothing more than police procedures i.e. conducting investigations, forensics, searching individuals and buildings to collect evidence and yes serving warrants, if necessary, with those all mighty “stick” tactics. And of course, lots of “new innovative techniques and tactics” involving CAS and IMO (Old) so called high tech equipment the U.S. Military Industrial Congressional Complex wants to clear out of the warehouses.

All in all IMO Uncle Sam has chosen to put just about all his eggs in one advanced technology system, think Star Wars Storm Troopers or Matrix i.e. the Operator or Morpheus trying to guide Neo and others to safety. IMO it looks something like this; (x) unit go to (x) address, kick in front door, use stairs to your right, go south down hallway to (x) door, it is unlocked, interning room go to (x) window looking out window to the north you will see your target running east though the neighbors garden. All this information and the “live” feeds of target and area of operations would be provided by a fleet of satellites as well as Near space assets that are never mentioned by the media as current military assets and of course there’s the robots, UAVs and a flood of other covertly deployed sensors as well as covert eves dropping of any civilian electronic devices in the Area of operations.

Thus in light of these and similar so called “new innovative, techniques and tactics” (notice the media and governments choice of words “techniques and tactics” as if we’re talking Commando training i.e. why not use some modern high tech terms the system is so eager to introduce us all to normally as a matter of routine), IMO Uncle Sam has placed the traditional Guerrilla combat tactics, on the back burner and is hoping they all go the way of other black arts.

This is not just true of the infantry; let us take a peek at aerial combat. Does anyone out there actually think today’s U.S. pilots are turning and burning, pulling high (G) maneuvers trying to hit the entry windows and get inside the bandits turn. Think any pilot has conducted a yo-yo or split S maneuver lately or made the choice between a single or two-circle fight. Now days its all about stealth, ECM and Smart even autonomous weapons, missiles especially BVR tech. IMO this explains why the U.S. Navy is not concerned with not having a front line fighter equal to the USAF F-22 Raptor. An article I recently read on “Strategy page” mentioned a lot of talk about a Navy F/A-18E at an air show, displaying a little F-22 silhouette decal i.e. a simulated Kill credit symbol/icon. IMO the F/A- 18E did not gun down that kill.

And then everyone knows that just about all now and IMO soon all weapons systems including the bayonet well have a chip in it.

So if the electronics ever fail (maybe due to a shift in the axis of earths electromagnetic field, passed a certain point or perhaps a record size solar flare) IMO it well be the masters of the age-old Guerrilla combat tactics i.e. The Fragmented Fighting Facts Basic Rules that survive, keeping in mind “no one wins”.

I also wish, that those who join the various services where told all this up front i.e. “we do not intend to train you as a traditional Commando”.

Another thing I would like everyone to consider is that; what makes a Marine special is not the training she or he receives, no it’s the steel the youth demonstrates when they choose to join the Marines. Even when compared to the Special Forces, who IMO are only specialists in their particular field, once again mostly high tech specialties and whose ranks are filled with older personnel that have already been serving and have graduated from a boot camp i.e. are aware of the hoop and hype hurry up and wait tactics. And who are then usually chosen i.e. coached into changing their MOS. I am aware of the change in recruitment policy after 2001 allowing for direct entry into the S.F. community. IMO a rarity and IMO it is still not the same as just choosing to go to a Marine Corps Recruit Depot from the start.

Furthermore, to those who just well not accept the truth about the lack of training along the lines of traditional Guerrilla combat tactics. I can now say that I have exchanged comments with a number of Iraqi and Afghanistan combat vets. These comments can be found on the internet if you Google up my call sign, Newjarheaddean also spelled with one (D). IMO it is obvious that the tactics I speak of are news to the vets, some have made commits that proves in combat they were just winging it. And no, I don’t believe that all the vets are observing some kind of code of silence on these tactics including the vets who are against the wars. Unless everyone wants to say that YouTube and other internet companies are conspiring to edit all combat footage that shows these tactics being used and that, the vets are staging other videos that show them (albeit with great bravery) as armatures without a clue and winging it. If anyone ever sees video, showing the tactics listed in Tri-F being used, be sure and provide a link with your comment. I once saw a flash of film on CNN showing combat in Lebanon during the 1980s that showed some of these tactics being used by a Guerrilla fighter. I well also say I do believe that UAV footage is edited by the Pentagon to keep the public from seeing the few but well trained Taliban and other Guerrilla fighters that are using these tactics. Alternatively, maybe people think our professional highly trained well-equipped military is unable to defeat 10 – 20 thousand religious extremist amateur thugs in almost a decade of fighting. All the while killing at least by some estimates 100 a mouth including dozens of top commanders.

Let me also say, on the numbers of U.S. PTSD casualties, i.e. IMO, WIA, (And IMO deserving of a Purple Heart). The Government portrays these cases as a result of fighting a war that is “unlike any other war we have fought before” (LOL). Facing an enemy that is fighting in some mysterious and or cowardly manor that simply cannot be countered by military means. I believe the high numbers are a result of US forces fighting in a manner that is suicidal i.e. pointless and counterproductive to the real world situation. Example; you have a young brave American ready to fight for the nation, while on one of these IMO “Russian roulette parades” someone shoots at the unit from some building, everyone scrambles for cover, as some spray and pray, then after determining the location using SWATS (Soldier Worn Acoustic Targeting Systems) sniper detectors, or one of the many similar vehicle mounted systems the commander calls in some sort of CAS, if someone’s brains have been blow out especially if it was an officer or the location is vague, a real “crowd pleaser” maybe used i.e. 2000 pounder.

IMO this is how 90% of engagements (fought by regular infantry units) are resolved. Special Forces are now and in the feature more and more regular infantry well be using the Matrix. And to those that think this is the exception I say show me the number of WIA or KIA (On either side) by small arms fire i.e. during traditional firefights. Even if one includes sniper fire those figures are really low. So IMO after witnessing all the carnage and innocent civilian life being lost and receiving all those looks from the witnesses, it is the American that realizes it is his unit that is not fighting right.

This is reinforced and really sinks in back in the states when the vet is asked to tell the Commando stories that never occurred and thus the vet must tell the truth i.e. give up the Commando reputation, keep it all inside or start lying. If the first option is chosen that unveiling reality is demoralizing and makes it all not worth it. If either one of the other chooses are made IMO the vet becomes the ticking bomb. And I can tell you all that many times, I have recalled being told once that “when you go home keep your mouth shut about the things we did. If you don’t you well be thought of as a liar or crazy and either which way your life well be over”. That First Sergeant was right, but like my daddy use to say, “He’s right but he does not know why he’s right” i.e. IMO the First Sgt. thought of what we did in terms of remarkable heroic feats. However, IMO certainly since the beginning of the Vietnam era, it is the lack of training i.e. the manner in which our service women and men are fighting that keeps this tragedy going.

I would also suggest the vets of today are just like I was 25 or so years ago in the sense that they know there training is lacking, however, they just cannot explain what’s missing. However unlike me they refuse to accept that old fashion “black arts” are the answer i.e. should be the basis of basic training. And I now know the “Black art” tactics they and I should have been trained in and I can now say, “The PFC that told the Corp it was out of step, now has provided the proof”. What surprises me is that most vets it seems don’t care at all about the tactics I speak of and seem to view me as an unpatriotic “party pooper”, when I’m just a U.S. Marine trying to improve the Corps and save lives. Bottom line IMO the infantry needs to consist of unmarried i.e. undistracted, NO CHILDREN, dedicated true professionals, trained in the tactics listed in Tri-F and many more I am sure exist.

And to those that say “chivalry is for the museums” I say “first we must have peace on earth”.

One Newjarheaddean

“Let no Marines ghost say if my training had only done its job”

" Give me a million dollars and I well change the world"

" When it comes to persecution and suffering that fairly tale about christ dose not have (S) nothing on me"

" I well bet my lucky start"

“IKYG”

G-day!

Update; 12/19/14 09/53 hours




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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Post # 33, Preparations and Conduct of Patrols, rule # 8

AHOY,


Update; 06/12/13 10: 39 hours this was just the title change. 

Fragmented Fighting Facts

Preparations and Conduct of Patrols



Preparations and Conduct of Patrols, Basic rule # 8

8) Step toe first:
This is done two apply pressure on soul of foot gradually and evenly, this also muffles noise of braking twigs. This would also change up your digital gate signature that maybe on some database of some system tracking you. 

(Reference, Planning, intelligence preparation of the battle field, I.P.B., “SP the oldest biometric”)

Crawling, (Monkey walk) supporting yourself with fest and placing knees where fest where. (Leopard crawl) supporting body with elbows and toes only. Esp. suited for crawling over leafs. Always lift feet high and pay close attention to avoid lose rocks on slopes and hills. Low crawl; hold the rifle sling with your thumb at the upper sling swivel, with the balance point of weapon on top of the fore-arm (ie see sawed on forearm), keeping the butt just off of the ground. Push your arms and right leg forward, then cover ground by pulling with the arms and pushing with the right leg. Keep the whole body flat, and change the pushing leg frequently to avoid fatigue. High crawl; cradle your rifle on top of your arms, with the muzzle off the ground. Proceed by alternately advancing right elbow and then left knee, then left elbow and right knee. Use short movements, keeping your knees well behind your buttocks. Keep your head and your buttocks low.


TRACKING
The best way of judging the effectiveness of a stick, (i.e. dog tracking team) is to note how often they track into contact. If constantly being fired on first, then they are only marginal. Good trackers will be able to tell how far ahead the enemy is. During assaults, trackers are too valuable to risk in a fire fight. However when crossing obstacles such as rivers, streams, roads, the tracking team becomes the security and first over (to keep any spoor on the other side undisturbed). When operating, use hand signals at all times. The Tracker: is responsible for reading and interpreting the spoor for the team leader. The flankers: these two members who are also trained trackers are responsible for the forward and flank security of the tracker and will probably see the enemy first. As the tracker becomes fatigued rotate duties so all trackers remain alert. The standard tracking formation is Y shaped, with the flankers at the ends of open legs of the Y and the tracker at the junction, with the team leader about 5 meters directly behind him. Fallow on troops can be in a column behind or in echelons to both sides in X formation. This allows the troops to move forward at once and leaves the trackers a gap to fall back through. Much of’ tracking means noting what is out of context in nature and realizing the cause. When examining spoor always keep your head slightly up and look 15 to 20 yards ahead of you. Move from sign to sign and always be sure of your last confirmed sign before you move on to the next. Make sure the print is not one of your own and keep a record of the different type prints you encounter. Plaster impressions, drawings, photos or even a copy of the soles themselves should be on record with local intelligence units. Once you identify a particular track, follow it. Target units may split up or scatter, until you are left following one set of tracks. If you have the personnel, assign tracking teams to each set of tracks. If not, pick one and run him to ground, then pick another. Try to stay with the main body, if possible. You may get lucky and nail the commander or end up following the spoor to a RP where you can am­bush the entire unit. If you lose the spoor be patient, go back to the last positive spoor confirm and mark it. From multiple elevations conduct a quick scan. If no spoor is relocated, brief team to the nature of the searches (i.e. type and duration) to be use. Then begin searches to relocate the tracks. Types of search patterns; the most common are the cross grain, the box search and the 360-degree sweep. Cross grain method, the tracker moves laterally from the spoor either left or right about 100 meters and then doubles back toward his original line of march. Each time he turns, the tracker should advance about 50 to 75 meters forward before doubling back. If you have moved approximately 500 meters ahead of the last spoor and still cannot find the tracks, resort to the 360-degree method. 360 degree method, making ever increasing circles from last confirmed tracks. Some trackers have been known to circle as far as five kilometers from the last confirmed spoor until they cut the trail of their prey. Box method, this is boxing off all four corners of area, starting on the two sides of the spoor in direction of march. This method is best when you have enough troops for teams.
Weather; all indicators well be effected by weather. Can either aid or hinder. The type of country - Savannah or Mopani forest. Things lack depth in overcast weather. The position of the sun relative to the direction of travel. The most suitable position is when one has to track towards the sun. Use the last rain or strong wind to determine timing. Rain flattens or washes litter into low lying areas and turns paper into pulp. Exposure to weather can cause food cans to rust at the opened edge; then, the rust moves toward the center. Wind dries tracks and blows litter, sticks, or leaves into prints. By recalling wind activity, one may estimate the age of tracks. Example, one may reason "the wind is calm at present, but blew hard about an hour ago. These tracks have litter in them, so they must be over an hour old." However, he must be sure that the litter was not crushed into them when the tracks were made. On windy day, sand remaining on pebbles within tracks can indicate a fresh track. There are two distinct types of spoor; ground spoor and aerial spoor. Ground spoor is normally made by a boot or foot print and aerial spoor is in the form of trampled grass, broken bushes, broken cobwebs, spider webs usually take about an hour to be replaced by the insects. Knowing spiders usually make nest in morning hours could help. Might be wiped off onto a nearby tree or bush. Ground spoor can be defined by tracking concepts: displacement, stains, litter, (poorly disciplined or untrained units may leave a trail of litter) urine and excrement, frequently indicated by house flies, mopani bees, yellow butterflies and, during the rains, dung beetles. DDD; if the target party members realize they are being followed, they may try DDD using a stream to cover tracks. Determining the difference between staining and displacement. Both terms can be applied to some indicators. For example, muddied water; displaced mud also stains the water. Muddy footgear can stain stones in streams, and algae and other water plants can be displaced by lost footing. Rocks overturned have a lighter or darker color on the opposite side. Overturned rocks take a couple of hours to dry in direct sun, longer in shade. The person entering or exiting a stream creates slide marks scuff bark off roots or footprints, stains stones or the bank, gets vegetation wet. Normally, a person or animal seeks the path of least resistance; therefore, look for departure signs in open areas with gradual sloping banks. Or where there are large overhangs of tree branches.


(Reference, PCP rule # 9)

Trails exiting streams may appear weathered by rain due to water running from clothing or equipment. This is especially true if the party exits the stream single file. The existence of a wet, weathered trail slowly fading into a dry trail indicates the trail is fresh. Displacement; takes place when anything is moved from its original position. Im­pression of rifle butts being used as canes up steep slopes. The color of Scuff marks, scratched or chipped bark darkens with time; sap oozes, then hardens as it makes contact with the air. Chewed vegetation by persons or accompanying animals. Foliage, sticks, vines may be dragged or broken while cutting through heavy vegetation clearing a trail with a machete. Age track by the state of dryness, broken twigs and vines require about 10 hours for the pulp inside begins to turn brown. Grass blades will remain green for about a day after being broken, but after a few days turns brown. The reflection of light from grass or leaves displaced at an angle. When one walks through a field overturned leaves well now have their damp side exposed. Stones and sticks overturned, scuffed or removed from their original position, show a different color underneath. Disturbed dew drops on grass and plants will indicate passage of something within the last few hours after sunrise. Dew usually remains for about 4 hours after sunrise. Stains/spoor; a stain occurs when any substance from one organism or article is smeared or deposited on something else. When bloodstains are fresh, they are bright red. Air and sunlight first change blood to a deep ruby-red color, then to a dark brown crust as the moisture evaporates. Spatters or drops are not always on the ground; they may be smeared on leaves or twigs. Bloodstains, can determine the wound's location. If it seems to be dripping steadily, it probably came from a wound on the trunk. If it appears to be slung to the front, stern, or sides, the wound is probably in the extremity. Arterial wounds appear to pour blood at regular intervals with heart beat. If the wound is venous, the blood pours steadily. A lung wound deposits pink, bubbly, and frothy bloodstains. A bloodstain from a head wound appears heavy and slimy. Abdominal wounds often mix blood with digestive juices light in color, and has an odor (acidic?). One can determine the seriousness of the wound thus how far the victim can move unassisted. Staining can also occur when muddy footgear is dragged over grass, stones, and shrubs. Thus, staining and displacement combine. Crushed leaves may stain rocky ground that is too hard to show footprints. Roots, stones, and vines may be stained where leaves or berries are crushed by moving feet. Analyzing Footprints; a foot or shoe print is a good example of displacement. If a tracker finds the tracks of two men, this may indicate that a sniper team is operating in the area. Footprints may indicate direction, rate of movement, number, sex, and whether the individual knows he is being tracked. Or for example, a print that was left by a bare­footed person or one with worn or frayed footgear indicates that he may have poor equipment. Rapid movement or running is apparent, if footprints are deep and with long strides, splayed out toes with toe prints deeper than heel prints, skid marks, and badly damaged vegetation. Old dried dirt, maybe from different area, stuck in treads will change print and may fall out on rocks. This dirt also indicates pass surface traveled. Prints that are deep, short, and widely spaced, with signs of scuffing and with toes splayed out indicate person is carrying a heavy load. Persons walking backward have a short, irregular stride. With an unnaturally deep toe, and soil is displaced in the direction of movement. To determine the sex study the size (women are smaller) and their toes are more splayed out than the males. Women tend to be pigeon-toed, while men walk with their feet straight ahead or pointed slightly to the outside. The stride is usually shorter than men’s. The rhythm or length of stride is a guide to where the next footprint can be found. If the stride is shorter than usual or the trail is erratic or circuitous, this may indicate walking in the dark. If particles of soil are beginning to fall into the print, or water still filling in the print is very resent. If the edges are dried and crusty, the prints are at least 1 hour old, varies with terrain. A light rain or morning dew cycles may round the edges of the print. By recalling when the last rain occurred, one can place print into a time frame. Impressions and Prints in mud will usually take about an hour to fill with water, depending on the amount of moisture in the earth. If the track is very fresh, water will not have run back into the depressions. The water will run back later, muddy water collects in new footprints in swampy ground; however, the mud settles and the water clears, normally the mud clears in about one hour, although time varies with the terrain. First of all the mud pushed up around the depression and kicked forward by the foot leaving the ground will begin to dry. If the tracks are pock­marked, they were obviously made before a heavy rain and, if not pock-marked, they were made after the rain. Note look to see if the tracks were pock-marked by water dripping from trees. Determining Key Prints; the last individual in the file usually leaves the clearest footprints; these become the key prints. Cut a stick matching length of the prints and notch it to indicate the width at the widest part of the sole. Then study the angle of the key prints for the direction of march. Look for an identifying mark or feature i.e. worn or frayed footwear, to help identify the key prints. If the trail becomes vague, erased, or merges with another, use key prints to ID unit. To count the total individuals being tracked use the box technique. There are two methods to employ it. The most accurate is to use the stride as a unit of measure. Draw a line from the key print heel across the trail. Then move forward to the key print of the opposite foot and draw a line through its instep. This well form a box to analyze with the drawn lines forming two sides, and the edges of the trail forming the others. This method is accurate for counting up to 18 persons. 36-inch box method; if key prints are not evident. Measure a 36 inches long cross section the edges of the trail as the sides of the box. Count each indentation or partial print in the box and dividing by two. This method gives an estimate it is not as accurate as the stride measurement. Should you discover a resting place, count the places on the ground and no matter what the number, add two and report that number. Troops carrying loads set down at halts make indentions like box edges, crushed grass and twigs can help to identify the load. A reclining soldier also flattens the vegetation. Look for cigarette butts. A number of them in one place with evidence of only one person in the immediate area could give time table of halt. Check the campfire’s heat. Wild life; there are many paths in the bush made by game during their nightly or seasonal movements. These animals avoid steep or slippery slopes and therefore game paths will normally provide easy going. Patrols can use these trails when quick, silent movement is required. Flushed from their natural habitat, animals and birds are another example of displacement. Most wild creatures are shy of man and will seek shelter if he has been in the area. Listen for animals snorting or running and note the direction. The Grey Loerie when disturbed will utter a loud and drawn out “g-way” call, and often follows the intruder, thus alarming the quarry or warning the tracker. The honey guide bird and ox-pecker both have the same “give away” effect on both quarry and tracker. Squashed animal or insect life and whether it has been attacked by ants, location of ant mound would be advantageous to note. Changes in the normal life of insects disturbed bees, ant holes uncovered and Tom spider webs, often spun across open areas, trails. If one does not avoid these webs, he leaves an indicator. Game Tracks; most animals lie up during the day and move about at night. Animal prints superimposed on the spoor will tell you that the spoor was made prior to nightfall. If human prints have a double set of animal spoor superimposed and spoor shows that the game has moved in both directions, the human prints are probably at least 24 hours old. If the animal spoor show that game has moved in one direction only, then the human prints were probably made during the night after the game had moved down to water but before the game moved back. The reverse is also applicable; if you see the spoor on the animal prints, the spoor was made sometime after sunrise.


(Reference, PCP rule # 3 and Defense, rule # 5 Features of Recognition, “Wild Animals” as well as Disguises decoys and diversions, “Mujahideen traveling”)

This concludes this post Preparations and Conduct of Patrols, Basic rule # 8

" Give me a million dollars and I well change the world"

" When it comes to persecution and suffering that fairly tale about christ dose not have (S) nothing on me"

" I well bet my lucky start" IKYG


G-day!




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