Week 7- SQUAD LIVE FIRE

Week 7 is really the first week that we introduced tactical movement. The week encompassed SQD STX and ended with a Squad Live Fire Exercise, that was student ran. 

Monday-Thursday- Our platoon departed to the field on Monday for the week. I didn't mention before how pain staking it can be to go to the field. Before you can go you have to do a full pack out (because as Lt's in the Army, we still cannot remember to bring everything on the packing list), followed by weapons draw, all within a one or two hour period, to hurry up and wait. A little bit of advice, be squared away and you wont be known as "that guy" who screws up the platoons departure time. Ok back on track, the first part of the week was dedicated to the training of squad level tactics. It included things like LDA crossings, Clearing a trench, near ambush, and battle drill #1. Most of this should be a refresher for you but if you have forgotten its a good way to relearn. If you have good platoon trainers they will do everything they can to get you up to par on all the drills. Another thing that your platoon trainers bring to the table is real life experience in employing these tactics, and better ways to do them than what doctrine dictates. I learned new things and added to my knowledge of basic battle drills. 

Friday- Live Fire

     The live fire range was set up so that you move along a route, receive contact, then you react to that contact appropriately. This means you will have to execute battle drill #1 or a flanking movement, and this can be a little nerve recking if you allow yourself to think about the consequences if your buddy is not paying attention. To midegate risk, each squad has to be validated on a blank firing run. During the blank run you do everything the sam as if you were shooting live ammunition. 

     A brief look into the conditions for the day, 102 degree temperature, wearing IBA, ACH, FLC (like the LBV) and carrying a combat load of ammunition, oh and I forgot to mention I was given a 249 machine gun right before to use. Our blank run was a little rough but still good enough to be validated, and although we were good to go, our squad continued to conduct rehersals ( it made a huge difference in the end). We were the first up for the live fire portion, and we acctually were the first IBOLC class/ squad to run through the new live fire course. With us being the guinea pigs yet again, it brought some attention, like the post commander, a two star general. The general wanted to come out and see our training, so he came out in full kit and walked the lane with us (I thought this was a good example a leadership, that he was coming down to our level just to see what we were doing, it really wasn't intrusive as you might think).So withe the whole C Co. staff, the General and his aid and a few other observers, we began our live fire exercise. All in all it went really well, we had great intensity and we were all impressed with our squad leader. 

    Notes: I learned a few things about being a leader in a combat/ or just in a live fire lane situation. You do not need to be the best shot or the fastest guy, because as a leader you do not shoot, you are there to lead and direct your subordinates. 

I also realized that in the real army there are many ways to complete one task and none of them are wrong. Different units have different ways of doing things, like clearing out a trench, even though they might be different doesn't mean they are wrong. If you have a basic grasp on the tactics then you will be able to adapt to the units SOP.

Its a fast paced week and you will learn and refine your understanding on battle drills. Come to the course with a basic understanding of all the drills and be ready to learn new and better ways to conduct them. And have fun because they are paying you to run around in the woods with live ammo and shoot at stuff with your buddies, so your going to like it.

Week 6- Heavy Weapons

This was a short week for us due to the holiday. 

Monday- Classroom instruction on Call for Fire and Machine Gun Theory, it was something I absolutely wanted to learn, going to a light infantry unit I will be using mortars and setting machine guns a lot. Be ready to take thorough notes because there is a huge amount of information thrown at you. Again bring some knowledge of the systems with you otherwise you could be lost the entire time. There is a machine gun theory test at the end of the week as well. 

Tuesday-Wednesday- We fired the 249 and 240B machine guns for day and night familiarization, I was a little awestruck during the night fire. We had a line of 10 249's and 10 240B's and to have them all firing at once and seeing the tracers skip off the barriers into the sky, it made me glad I was in the infantry and that I would not be on the recieving end of that. 

Thursday- Recovery and the written exam. The exam was not very hard and if you studied a little bit you will do fine. As for weapons cleaning, again a fun filled day packed with CLP and carbon build up. I had to keep telling myself its good practice and the right thing to do. This is also a great time to get to know your platoon

Week 5-First Responder & LANDNAV

If any of you have been to LDAC this week is a complete refresher. Nothing new and land navigation is no more challenging.

Mon-Tues- CLS training, if you are CPR or First Aid qualified....forget everything that you have ever learned. The army has a bit of a leg up on the medical field in trauma. The instructors were all in combat, two were doctors and one was a Special Forces medic for 10 years, they knew their stuff. Just pay attention most of it is common sense and or a refresher from LDAC. There is a written and hands on exam at the end of the instruction.

Wed-Fri- Land Navigation, there is no way to break it down, if you have done it once then you know exactly what to expect. You will get 4 practice runs on the course before you actually test, one is with your PL trainer (a CPT) and two with a buddy. There is only one test it is a day-night course beginning at 0500, so if you are worried about night land nav then you can just wait until the sun comes up and find your points. The course is really spread out and your points hit every corner of it, get ready to run if you want all 8 points. Most of the students got 6 (the minimum as of this cycle) but if you are settling for the standard thats on you. Make sure your boots are broke in because you are going to put some miles in.

Week 2- Role Platoon Leader

Sorry this is a little out of order. Week 2 was a slow paced week with classroom instruction. This is a new week in the IBOLC schedule, they are focusing on how to train, counsel, award, and manage your platoon. Its a great to know the administrative side of being a PL so you don't have to rely on others for a crutch.

Monday- Role of a PL, we learned what a PL is responsible for and what he should do upon arrival to his unit. No secret there, everyone always says to listen to your PSG and don't try to re-invent the wheel, but if everyone says it and beats it into your head its got to be true. Later in the day we went to CIF and got our issue, it was a very efficient process the people there are actually good at their job. Side note, inspect every item you get even if you hold up the line, we had a few guys with missing or damaged equipment that they will have to pay for during turn in.

Tuesday- Army writing process, it is a direct to the point form of writing that the army uses. It takes a little bit to get used to it because buzz words or adjectives are omitted to make it shorter and to the point. Our first assignment was given to us after a block of instruction on counseling statements.

Training management and resilience training finished out the week. The training management briefs had good insight on how to conduct training, but it lacked the specifics of what type of training for your unit would be beneficial for certain tasks. Resilience training was brutal, it was a two day slide show of the feel goods. With so many soldiers coming back with PTSD or having other psychological problems, the army created resilience training to prepare soldiers for the rigger of combat and stress. Although it was hard to swallow at times it really is needed in the army and it could save lives.

Overall the week was easy but the instruction is very fast paced, so any knowledge on the subjects will help to reinforce or further your knowledge on it. Study how to write a good initial counseling statement for your PSG because it will set your expectations for the platoon as well as for the PSG, its very important. NCOER's shape soldiers careers and the difference between a good NCOER and a great one could mean promotion for him.