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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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Post # 43, Preparations and Conduct of Patrols, rule # 11

AHOY,

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

FRAGMENTED FIGHTING FACTS

Preparations and Conduct of Patrols



Basic rule # 11



11) Keep distance:
Second in command in stern of patrol, first up front. For patrol members, dispersed at 45’-55’ feet intervals, if terrain allows. Dispersion reduces WIA especially if enemy fire hits ammo of crew served weapons or grenades. It also makes it more difficult for enemy to get a count, as he must wait longer for patrol to pass.
With groups, this could be not everyone leaving at the same time to go to the same i.e. next location. Or not setting i.e. hanging out with each other once everyone arrives. Members could play it casual gradually introducing one another and joining up at a certain table as security situation is assessed. 
In dessert, large units should converge on objective than scatter as an anti counter attack tactic, especially from air. Also recon units stay farther away from main units and move in deceptive directions from main units.
MOUNTAINEERING; Route Selection; Crossing re-entrants as near to the watershed as possible. (All the land area that drains into a stream system is called a watershed) Bad weather limiting visibility can lift quickly. Don’t get caught in open areas or camp in them. In general the shortest route was not always the quickest; the trick was to avoid obstacles such as cliffs, quarries scree/rocks, bracken, ice, snow and bogs. Often the best descent is on a different route than the ascent. When looking for a firmer surface, watch for darker/dirty/settled snow this absorbs more heat and thus hardens faster than lighter/clean/fresh snow. Windward sides more packed easier traveled. Pick route where you can traverse downhill as quickly as possible. When you must ascend a dangerous slope, climb to the side of the avalanche path, and not directly up the center. Since most avalanches occur within 24 hours of a storm and or at midday, avoid moving during these periods. Units should travel before sun up, not at noon, not during unusually high or low temperatures. Late night or early morning patrols are best especially if daytime temperatures are going to rise above freeing. Avoid cornices from above or below. Avoid convex slopes stay high in slopes or low in tree line. You have to pace yourself, breath and march rhythmically. Traversing the slope in a zigzag i.e. switch back manner. The number of stragglers may be expected to increase. You had to make up time by running down the easy slopes. On the uphill keep your feet horizontal on the slopes. Avoid areas next to logs, rocks, trees, where the surrounding snow has melted away, creating hidden ice hazards. Cross danger areas one at a time. Use same path, keep mouth covered with cloth, loosen or remove skies. Remove your hands from ski pole wrist straps. Detach ski runaway cords. Prepare to discard equipment. Put your hood on. Close up your clothing. Deploy avalanche cord. Make avalanche probes and shovels accessible. If caught in slid swim or roll, working towards the edge of the avalanche. If you feel your feet touch the ground, give a hard push and try to "pop out" onto the surface. If buried spitting can help determine up or down, also throbbing in head. When your buried your breath fresses around your head trapping the carbon dioxide and you are asphyxiated. Avalanches accounted for more than ½ the KIA during alpine fighting in WW1.
AVALANCHE SEARCH AND RESCUE TECHNIQUES; when the snow comes to rest it sets up like cement. Don’t shout unless you hear rescuers immediately above you; in snow, no one can hear you scream. The respiration of an unconscious person is shallower, their pulse rate declines, and the body temperature is lowered, all of which reduce the amount of oxygen needed. Chances of survival after burial by an avalanche are approximately 90 % if the victim is located within 15 minutes. However, probability of survival drops rapidly and, after two hours, chances of survival are remote. Suffocation accounts for 65 % of fatalities, collision with debris accounts for 25 % and hypothermia and shock accounts for 10 %. In many respects, a moving avalanche resembles a liquid. A human body, with a higher density than the flowing snow, would be expected to sink deeper and deeper into the avalanche; however, several factors influence the body's location. Turbulence, terrain, and the victim's own efforts to extricate himself all interact to determine the final burial position. Efforts of the victim to extricate himself by vigorous motion and "swimming" definitely minimize burial depth. Conversely, the limp body of an unconscious victim is likely to be buried deeply. If any indication of the location of the victim is found, random probing starts in that vicinity. Establish from witnesses where the victim was located just before the avalanche to determine the point where the victim disappeared the "last seen" point. Using this and any other information, establish a probable victim trajectory line leading to high priority search areas. If two points of the victim's trajectory can be established, a high probability exists that the victim will be near the downhill flow line passing through these two points. The tip and edges of the slide are also likely areas to search. A human body is bulky and is apt to be thrown toward the surface or the sides. The majority of buried victims are carried to the place of greatest deposition, usually the toe of the slide. Any terrain features that catches debris are also apt to catch a victim. The likelihood of a victim being buried in a particular bend is proportional to the amount of debris deposited there. The victim tends to be retained above the obstacle. An obstacle may simply delay the victim's motion, leading to final burial down flow from the obstacle. Maximum speed of the flowing snow occurs at the avalanche center. Friction reduces flow velocity along the edges. The closer the victim's trajectory is to the center of the slide, the greater will be his burial depth. Probing for victims; probe Poles, 10 feet long two ski or tent pools, designed to attach to each other. The ski pole can be reversed, probing with the wrist strap down; or the basket can be removed so that the point is down (the preferred method), which allows the ski pole to penetrate the snow more easily. Probing Lines; for the probing operation to be effective, probing lines must be orderly and properly spaced. To ensure systematic and orderly probing. A string may be used to keep the probe lines aligned, but will require added time to maintain. Probing does not come to a halt when a possible contact is made. The probe is left in contact and the line continues. A shovel crew follows up by digging down along the pole. Dig in shifts, one standing by to assist when needed. Such a plan of operation is especially important when more than one victim is buried. Striking a body gives a distinct feel to the probe, which is easily recognizable in soft snow but less recognizable in hard compacted snow. A common problem is encountering debris that can be mistaken for the victim. Debris usually much more solid causing vibrations through probe. The probers themselves work silently. Probers are spaced the same as for the coarse probe. Each man probes in front of his left foot, then in the center of his straddled position, and finally in front of his right foot, then does the reverse. Types and characteristics; Starting points average 10 k’. Speeds average 200 mph. Slope Aspect; any slope of fresh snow (which dose not cohere) with an angle of repose of around 25 degrees or steeper suspect until it settles, Slopes as gentle as 15 degrees have avalanched. Most avalanches occur on slopes between 30 and 45 degrees. Slopes above 60 degrees often do not build up significant quantities of snow. When the avalanche danger is high avoid Northern, eastern and southern facing slopes? South and west slopes are harder and harden earlier in season and after storms? Most prone to avalanches in spring. Snow on north facing slopes is more likely to slide in midwinter. South facing slopes are most dangerous in the spring and on sunny, warm days. Slopes on the windward side are generally more stable than leeward slopes. Loose snow (aka point) avalanches; dangers of powder snow slides are suffocation or being swept over cliffs. Start at one point on the snow cover and grow in the shape of an inverted "V." Most frequently during the winter snow season. They often fall as many small sluffs during or shortly after a storm. This process removes snow from steep upper slopes and either stabilizes lower slopes or loads them with additional snow. Wet loose snow avalanches, large avalanches of this type, lubricated and weighed down by melting water or rain can travel long distances and have tremendous destructive power. Coastal ranges that have high temperatures and frequent rain are the most common areas for this type of avalanche. Occur in spring and summer. Slab avalanches are generally considered more dangerous than loose snow avalanches. Slab release is rapid. Are more likely to occur on convex slopes when cohesive snow begins to slide on a weak layer. The fracture line where the moving snow breaks away from the snow pack makes this type of avalanche easy to identify. Slides of wet snow freezes more solidly upon stopping. Settled snow looks darker than new flake. Compacted snow normally will not avalanche. Ground Cover rough terrain is more stable than smooth terrain. On grass, scree or on smooth rock, the snow has little to anchor to so slopes of even moderate steepness, are liable to avalanche. Or if seeping water peculates under snow forming ice base. Evidence of Avalanching look for recent avalanches and for signs of wind-loading and wind-slabs. Fracture Lines avoid any slopes showing cracks. Sounds beware of hollow sounds a "whumping" noise. They may suggest a radical settling of the snow pack.
TRIGGERS; Vibration, earth tremors have triggered avalanches. Units should always trigger avalanches before crossing if tactical situation permits. Using passing helicopters, heavy equipment, explosions.
Temperature, early ski mountaineers in the Alps noticed that avalanches sometimes occurred when shadows struck a previously sun-warmed slope. When the temperature is extremely low, settlement and adhesion occur slowly. Avalanches that occur during extreme cold weather usually occur during or immediately following a storm. At a temperature just below freezing, the snow pack stabilizes quickly. At temperatures above freezing, especially if temperatures rise quickly, the potential for avalanche is high. Rapid temperature changes, packed snow expands and contracts with temperature changes. For normal density, settled snow, a drop in temperature of 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) would cause a snow slope 300 meters wide to contract 2 centimeters. Precipitation, storms can deposit dry snow early, which bonds poorly with the heavier snow deposited later. About 90 % of avalanches occur during or within twenty-four hours after a snowstorm. The rate at which snow falls is important. High rates of snowfall (2.5 centimeters per hour or greater?), especially when accompanied by wind, are usually responsible for major periods of avalanche activity. Rain falling on snow will increase its weight and weakens the snow pack. Wind, sustained winds of 15 mph and over transport snow and form wind slabs on the lee side of slopes.
TEST; Snow Pits; snow pits can be used to determine slope stability. Dig the snow pit on the suspect slope or a slope with the same sun and wind conditions. Snow deposits may vary greatly within a few meters due to wind and sun variations. Dig a 2-meter by 2-meter pit across the fall line, down to ground level. Once the pit is complete, smooth the face with a shovel. Conduct a shovel shear test; a shovel shear test puts pressure on a representative sample of the snow pack. The core of this test is to isolate a column of the snow pack from three sides. The column should be of similar size to the blade of the shovel. Dig out the sides of the column without pressing against the column with the shovel (this affects the strength). To isolate the rear of the column, use a rope or string to saw from side to side to the base of the column. If the column remained standing while cutting the rear, place the shovel face down on the top of the column. Tap with varying degrees of strength on the shovel to see what force it takes to create movement on the bed of the column. The surface that eventually slides will be the layer to look at closer. This test provides a better understanding of the snow pack strength. For greater results you will need to do this test in many areas and formulate a scale for the varying methods of tapping the shovel i.e. shovel lifted to a constant height before dropping onto column. Conduct a Rutschblock test; to conduct the test, isolate a column slightly longer than the length of your snowshoes or skis (same method as for the shovel shear test). One person moves on their skis or snowshoes above the block without disturbing the block. Once above, the person carefully places one snowshoe or ski onto the block with no body weight for the first stage of the test. The next stage is adding weight to the first leg. Next, place the other foot on the block. If the block is still holding up, squat once, then twice, and so on. The remaining stage is to jump up and land on the block.

(Reference, Step # 3 Concepts of Operations, part B) maps, models and weather. COE rule # 3 Formations “men learned” and rule # 5. And Appendix PCP rule # 13 for information on glaciers and Appendix MM&W for more information)


This concludes this post of Preparations and Conduct of Patrols, Basic rule # 11

" 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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