Field Report – March 13, 2010
Field Report - March 13, 2010
Night movement, set up an OP/LP
We would like to thank our embedded journalist on this training mission, Katie Currid from the University of Missouri at Columbia, for coming along and photographing us for posterity.
As our training event started in the early afternoon, the temperature was in the forties, with a constant light rain falling. The training began with Cpl. Hurd giving a class on establishing an LP/OP. Our training mission was to consist of two squads, one to establish a Listening Post/Observation Post, and another squad to attempt to hunt down the first squad.
Once the class was done, Col. Sumpter took care of our unit business, announcements and information dissemination. With the conclusion of unit business, SSgt. “Cookie" Kline treated us all to a fantastic lunch of Garlic infused Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans with Bacon and Brownies for dessert. Luckily the rain stopped during lunch so we had a much better chance of staying dry out in the woods.
As our lunch settled the Cpl. gave the Operation Order for our mission. The Sgt. went over terrain and mission boundaries. Our unit was split into one of two squads, the LP/OP squad, and the hunter squad. With this final information, the two patrols separated and began planning the details of their respective missions.
As the LP/OP squad prepared to leave, squad leaders did an equipment check on their squad making sure everyone was adequately geared for the temperature and weather conditions. The LP/OP squad headed into the woods first. The weather was a bit chilly, but the ground was soft and easy on the feet aside from a little mud. We had a good evening hike practicing hand signals and squad movements. We eventually arrived at the spot we picked and we set up under the concealment of a large stand of brush. By this time it was plenty dark. We made sure to have strict light and sound discipline while observing our target.
By the 2100 deadline the hunter team had not located the LP/OP so both teams were called in by radio. We finished the training with a standard mission debrief to discuss what went right and what went wrong and what we need to do different. By then it was time to pack up and head home. All in all a very successful training.