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Post by Hawkeye on Feb 15, 2016 0:37:49 GMT -5
That would be very useful, especially in conjunction with a Land Nav compilation sticky. I think most of us could use at least a refresher in it. Hawkeye, Is there any way we could get a course outline for your series? That is if you have it planned out already. Don't have a fixed outline yet.
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Post by Hawkeye on Feb 15, 2016 0:38:33 GMT -5
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Post by trailrunner909 on Feb 15, 2016 22:01:27 GMT -5
Hawkeye thanks again for posting up this series. I think you covered most of this but id like to put together a cliff note version of why conduct security (reconnaissance) patrols. Here are my thoughts, please correct and add to as necessary. And as always adapt to METT-TC:
WHY CONDUCT SECURITY PATROLS
Maintain up to date intelligence.
Develop an innate familiarity and knowledge of the surrounding area.
Practice and develop skills. Reconnaissance patrolling encompasses many individual and team skills. Reconnaissance is also a task required by all other patrol missions.
Morale. Help to alleviate the static siege mentality. In the traditional bug-in scenario you find yourself besieged by the world. Regular and aggressive patrolling turns the besiegers into the besieged. Fosters alertness and confidence.
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Post by Hawkeye on Feb 28, 2016 23:17:33 GMT -5
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Paul
New Member
Posts: 85
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Post by Paul on Feb 29, 2016 20:48:56 GMT -5
John,
What brand of battle belt do you recommend? Is it HSGI too?
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Post by judomayhem on Mar 1, 2016 1:15:29 GMT -5
Nice vid, I'm looking forward to the next one.
Low tech, I'll try to post pics of my battle belt/chest rig combo later. A couple of suggestions: A buttpack, filed with a spare rifle mag, mylar survival blanket, matches/Bic, fire starters, boo-boo kit, pill pack and stripped down MRE is mandatory for an armed civilian IMO. Modeled after what SF soldiers carry when operating far out in front of supply lines, it is basically an E and E kit. Another "mandatory" imho bit of gear is a JUMBO blow out kit. I stole the idea from the contractor/merc James at Death Valley Magazine. His company mandated that individuals carry two standard sized or one jumbo kit, as they operate in small teams and their medic is more likely to be engaging enemies than a standard US Army medic or Navy Corpsman, and thus initial response time is delayed. I'll search for their packing list. I know it had pretty much double what the Army issues us. Two tourniquets, etc.
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Post by judomayhem on Mar 1, 2016 1:34:26 GMT -5
Here is the old DVM entry on their SOL IFAK: [Note: He also carries shears.] SOL – IFAK Over the past decade of working as a contractor in shit-holes around the world and living and traveling in the 3rd world one thing I have always learned to have close by is an IFAK. Depending on what sort of gig I am on or where I happen to be traveling “IFAK” can mean anything from a backpack packed to the brim with medical kit to a cargo pocket with some QuikClot, some tissues and a Band-Aid. Basically if you are an operator working in the worlds hot-spots you need to understand that your IFAK needs to be customized to whatever operation you happen to be on. That can be everything from looking from some rich guys missing kid in Bangkok to running PSD missions in Afghanistan. The particular IFAK I am going to go over today is one of the ones I currently use as a TL running missions (everything from PSD to Convoy Security) for a private security contractor in Iraq. This IFAK was put together by our Company Medic to be used in a very specific situation. Without giving away any OPSEC shit, lets just say we are way squared away when it comes to having the best medical supplies and highly trained US medics on our missions. So basically if someone (hopefully not the medic) is injured we have not only the medical kit to treat them but also a top tier medical professional on-board. I call this particular IFAK the “SOL-IFAK” – meaning if I have to reach into it, it is because I am a combination of injured, unable to physically move from my position, cut off or pinned down and my teammates or medic can’t get to me and I have to treat myself ASAP. It is not for helping others (but it still has the components to do so if necessary), not for treating myself quickly and running to our medic – it is a you are all alone and “Shit Out of Luck” with half your leg 4 feet away along with a few holes in ya type of IFAK. Pretty much the only time the SOL-IFAK will get reached into is if I am lying on some shitty Iraqi highway, bleeding, pinned down behind some broken down eighteen wheeler that is 12 flatbeds away from my guntruck/teammates and I am not expecting medical assistance immediately. The SOL-IFAK will keep me alive until my team kills everyone and the team medic is able to treat me and then gets my ass off the X and on DBA. Note: All the items in my SOL-IFAK were selected by (Call Sign: KeyWest) a highly experienced PSD/CSD Civilian Security Contractor Combat Medic who is a former U.S. Army Medic, Civilian firefighter and EMT. Descriptions and why those items were chosen were written by him, so thanks to ‘KeyWest’ for helping me with this article.
SOL-IFAK Contents Let’s start from the beginning… basic first aid. Apply manual pressure and elevate. Next dress wound. Next apply a pressure dressing. Next, apply a tourniquet. These have been the basics of first aid and how it has been taught from the beginning. However, there are now some different options to keep close.
Cravat The first most basic part of this kit would be a cravat. This can be used as a sling, for a pressure dressing, to be used in conjunction with a splint, and as a tourniquet. We carry at least 2.
Field Dressing The next most basic part is the field dressing -2. This can be used to be applied to stop bleeding, cover a wound, decrease chance of infection, and can also be used in conjunction with others at the same time. One thought to keep in mind is that one field dressing will usually hold about little less than a pint of blood. This is important to understand because your blood will keep you alive. If your first field dressing has soaked all the way through it’s past time to move on to the next step.
Quick Clot (Two Types) Now on to quick clot. This item comes in different styles. We carry 2. The quick clot combat gauze and the quick clot (ACS) Advanced Clotting Sponge. The regular quick clot combat gauze is for temporary use to control traumatic bleeding. This means major bleeding.Don’t use this if you scratch your knee, or scrape your elbow. This is for major trauma. You would open the package and apply to open wound and apply pressure for at least 3 minutes. Sometimes you may have to use more than one. At this point you would wrap and tie the bandage to maintain pressure on the wound and evac as soon as possible.
Quick Clot (ACS The quick clot (ACS) is for a little more traumatic wound and is used for emergency external use only. This package also reads “Do Not Eat”. I’m not even gonna ask why that is printed on this package. You need to wipe away any excess blood around the wound then pack the wound with the mesh bag in the package. Sometimes it may require more than one. It’s important to remember that direct pressure over the wound is never forgotten. Apply pressure for at least 3 minutes. This product will produce heat to be aware. Wrap and tie a pressure dressing over the wound and evac as soon as possible. It’s also important to put the package in a pocket or stuck on you somewhere so medical staff will act appropriately when you receive hospital care.
Emergency Wound Dressing The next part of our kit is the Emergency Wound Dressing….its a hemorrhage control compression dressing. It has its own device that enables you to one handedly apply pressure to a wound while dressing the wound.
Abdominal Dressing Our next part of the kit is a small abdominal dressing. This is used like any other field dressing except its bigger to cover those exposed guts. And at this point, you might as well kiss your ass good bye because you have a very short time to be at a hospital.
Wound Dressings The next 2 wound dressings are elastic in nature and provide pressure when applied. However the sponge is not as thick so other dressing may be required. One thing I’d like to point out is that once a bandage is applied…. Never remove it. Just keep adding to it.
One Handed Tourniquet The next hemorrhage control device we carry is the one handed tourniquet. It’s always nice to be able to stop a major blood flow in a second and stay alive, rather bleed out from a leg blown off. Tourniquets should be the last course of action. Apply a T on your forehead and note the time if possible. At this point shock will start to come into play and you may be unable to function. But with training, focus, and determination you can apply a tourniquet to yourself.
ARS Needle Decompression Another part of our kit is a ARS Needle decompression. Once you are shot in the chest you thoracic cavity (your chest will start to fill with air… maybe blood. The needle decompression can be used to expel the air and allow your lung to function as best it can. Remember to roll to the injured side. This will allow your good lung to function as best it can for as long as it can.
HYFIN Chest Seal The last part of our kit is a HYFIN Chest Seal. This is an occlusive dressing. It is placed over the wound and will not allow air to enter the chest cavity and will allow air in there to escape. One point to examine here… many chest shots have exit wounds. You are not gonna be able to apply a chest seal to both. Its only if you have and entry point. At that point, lay with the injured side down and apply the resources you have.
Thanks again to my Team Medic for helping me with this article
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Post by panzer0170 on Mar 1, 2016 7:08:46 GMT -5
John, What brand of battle belt do you recommend? Is it HSGI too? Depends how much gear you're trying to carry on it. I find a lot of the battlebelts available commercially are very thin and the pouches flop about and beat you to shit, if you're putting a large load on them. Thicker belts like this one; www.kitmonster.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/72/products_id/1898 will hold more weight, even without a yoke. It'll depend what you're loading it down with.
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Post by Hawkeye on Mar 1, 2016 8:24:22 GMT -5
John, What brand of battle belt do you recommend? Is it HSGI too? I've been using an ATS one for quite a few years now. While not "exactly" what I want, its come pretty close and has always been decent gear. HSGI makes great stuff, but I'm not a big fan of their molle belts. I've just heard too many stories from people of how hot they get around the waist due to the neoprene lining. Back when I was using HSGI shoulder pads on my plate carrier, I experience the same issues with them as they are made the same way with the same material. Very comfy no doubt, but would create hot spots on the tops of my shoulders fairly quickly. Not a fan of having it wrapped around my waist.
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Post by omnivorous on Mar 3, 2016 2:33:38 GMT -5
There's this annoying little thought that keeps coming up in my head about the ammo load for ACs, and its based off this notion that its nearly given they would be "operating" in very small elements, so the carry load needs to be lighter. Now, this coupled with Hawkeye's reasoning for wanting to carry a pistol with him while patrolling, which I don't disagree with at all and wouldn't at all think about NOT having my Glock 19 with me, but the reasoning to not have additional ammo for the rifle I don't understand. Given the smaller element will not be able to produce the same volume of fire on the unit level, the likelihood of it to necessarily increase on the individual level would seem greater to me. Now, whether the patrol would be on foot or mounted will, obviously, have an impact upon the individual carrying load, of which there is much which could be thought of as fluff. I'm not so much thinking ACs should load-up like they would be looking for a fight, but should have enough to be able to break-away from one should it find them, especially if there is a large, roving gang of ne'er do wells, which would likely pursue a small group of ACs, under some misbegotten notion of success based upon simple weight of numbers and the false confidence provided by ignorance/stupidity.
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Post by panzer0170 on Mar 3, 2016 6:32:53 GMT -5
I personally like the idea for the AC of having a smaller load on the chest and a smaller load on the belt. It allows you to use each individually or combine the pair. Whilst I certainly agree with the idea that the individual 'soldier' doesn't need ready mags coming out of their ears, I think if you're going to carry them in a pack you may as well carry them on your beltline. I'll caveat that with an assumption that you're operating in a somewhat temperate environment, and you subscribe to 'bombs, water, ammo' for your fighting gear, and any other gear whatsoever is carried in a ruck or some other form of LBE. There was a piece I was reading by MV taken from a blog post (but I read it in his e-book) about the weight an AC should be carrying, and how it should be in the 35-55lb range (with 55lb being an upper extreme, and actually not something he advocates). I think so long as you can get in under that weight classification with all the gear you need to survive and operate effectively, you can take as many mags as you like
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Post by Hawkeye on Mar 3, 2016 9:30:04 GMT -5
Never said not to have additional rifle ammo. Just not on your chest or waist.
As for MV's load, keep in mind he's coming at it more from a militia aspect and not so much from a NPT/AC/survivalist/prepper aspect. The two are fairly different in many ways.
For a 2 man patrol, with both carrying 250-280 rounds of rifle ammo not counting handgun ammo, that's 500+ rounds between the 2. I would venture that there will be a 90% chance that a group of 10 ghetto goblins wont have half that much ammo on them combined. Even with their limited ammo supply, it only takes 1 lucky shot to ruin your day. I'd rather be able to out run/maneuver them than to try and outshoot them in a fight that I didn't plan/initiate. Think about who and what the threat is going to be.
The human body is designed to carry weight on the shoulders/back more than it is the chest and waist.
There are also a number of psychological reasons to not carry a metric ton of ammo on your chest/waist. It will almost be a certainty that we will have a very finite ammo supply. The more you carry on your chest/waist, the more likely (likely the key word) one will be under stress, to hose rounds down range at a cyclic rate. Not having as much up front should (hopefully) force you to think more on movement, E&E skills, and avoiding getting into fights in general not of your own choosing and making, vs subconsciously waltzing along and getting lazy (consciously or subconsciously) because you have a lot of ammo hanging on you. Otherwise, you get into a couple of skirmishes, hose through your ammo, and suddenly you'll find yourself with some empty ammo cans and empty mags with nothing left to load into them.
These are just my suggestions mind you. Obviously, feel free to do as you choose for your own use.
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Post by panzer0170 on Mar 3, 2016 11:17:57 GMT -5
Interesting thoughts on the psychology of it, Hawkeye. I was coming at it more from the 'if you're going to carry it, better to have it available', but I can see the logic behind purposely restricting yourself from being able to access ALL of your ammo in a flash. I'd perhaps disagree about the back being the best place for weight (based on any decent large ruck designed to carry weight giving you a belt to do it with, and examples without such as the UK military system relying on resting that large bag on belt gear) but I'd definitely agree the chest is not a good place to hang more than a couple of pounds because of injury risks - Part of the reason I like UW rigs is that you can't get 9 mags up front even if you try (well... on most of them!)
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Post by trailrunner909 on Mar 3, 2016 22:37:07 GMT -5
Another way to look at number of mags needed, regardless of where they are carried:
Use the two man security patrol example, and an accidental movement to contact scenario (everything else is going to be you observing and evading). How much time do you need to break contact? Magazines=time.
Each of you will probably burn one mag on contact. Chances are, unless you are dead, you will be bounding backwards and laying it on thick till you are safely in cover. As long as you are in line of sight, one of you probably needs to be firing.
Dry run it a a few times, then run it half speed and full speed live. Remember it is an individual with a carbine attempting to gain and maintain fire superiority. When you need those rounds you need those rounds, and you more than likely want enough left over to throw together a hasty ambush if they are pushing you hard, and then maybe break contact all over again.
From experimentation I know I need 3-4, and then another 3-4. So a total of 7ish.
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Post by omnivorous on Mar 7, 2016 4:30:11 GMT -5
If the patrol will be on foot the whole time, one could carry more gear on the belt. Maybe even do away with the pack, and move the most essentials to the belt line. Rather obvious possibilities, but possibly viable options, I think.
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