The Reluctant Partisan - John Mosby (Mini-Review)

[Diz]

Chapter 7: "A Chihuahua Can Kick a Great Dane's Ass", or Battle Drills, Patrolling, and POW handling.

Here is where you learn your basic team training. He covers Immediate Action drills, such as break contact, which should be your most important battle drill you learn. Next comes the Hasty Attack, and Hasty Ambush. With these 3 key battle drills, you just about cover the spectrum of likely events. From there he covers other actions on patrol, such as crossing a linear danger area. Then he goes into occupying a patrol base, and actions on the objective area. Good stuff, straight out of the Ranger manual. But explained a lot better.

He finishes up with a little bit on POW or EPW if you prefer, handling. Especially how to do a proper body search. Or how to flex cuff someone without getting hurt.

This chapter basically gets your small team all on the same sheet of music. You learn to react to enemy contact as a unit, and how to walk together out in the bush. My only criticism here is that these chapters are presented in a different manner than I would do it. It's just a little dis-jointed to me, in how the material is presented. For example, covering IA drills first, and then patrolling SOP. And then throwing POW training in there on it's own, rather tied in with ambush training and search teams. It's all there and good, just in different format than what I'd do.

Chapter 8: "Nocturnal Nature Walks", or Patrolling Skills

This chapter is a continuation of the previous one. More patrolling SOP, such as rally points, patrol movement and formations, with an emphasis on night movement. As I said, the order of presentation of these skills is some-what dis-jointed, but, the info is all here, and solid. If you can sift through all the information and re-format it, you'll be GTG. For example, I would break it down like this: Basic Individual Skills: clothing and equip prep, basic movement, scan, basic weapon's tng & safety. Advanced Individual Skills: land nav, combat shooting, combatives, specialty training (medic, comms, point man, team ldr). Basic Team training: basic team movement, order of march, security halts, danger areas, hand and arm signals, IA/ battle drills, rally points. Advanced Team Training: Patrolling SOP, security, recon, and combat patrolling procedures, entering and exiting friendly lines, establishing a patrol base/ORP, actions in the objective area, deliberate ambush, surveillance, direct action/raid.

Not to be too critical, there is so much to cover, and so little time to cover it, especially in weekend classes and so forth. But I will be expanding upon my thoughts on this subject in another post.

[Hawkeye]

Nov 13, 2014 7:53:51 GMT -5 Diz said:

Chapter 4: "Hips and Heads, Kids, Hips and Heads", or Combat Rifle Training

.............. From here he teaches mag changes, malfunctions drills and the like. I like his balance between "speed reloading" and "reloading with retention". I know we have stressed RWR a lot around here, and have been called to task about it. I find I can't argue with his thinking. He states that there are two times when you absolutely have to speed reload. When you change the first mag on a chance contact, and when covering your buddy as he rushes. In these cases, speed trumps retention. With this in mind, I think you're gonna need at least 40 mags per rifle. Other times he reloads with retention, just we all did back in the day. 'Nuff said.

Hmmm....that sounds.... familiar...... What a concept!

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Thought on TQ placements. I like one on my chest rig, and one on my battle belt. That way if I need two, who says you'll only be shot once, you have quick access. Also, if you have to drop either your chest rig or battle belt, but retain one, then you'll have a TQ with you. I also carry another TQ in my IFAK and at least one in my assault pack. I would get at a minimum two TQs, I like CATs, and a couple SWAT-Ts. The SWAT-Ts is multipurpose as it can be used as a TQ, or pressure dressing and even used to wrap up a splint to an extremity. Just my couple copper clads.

[Diz]

Chapter 9: "Get Off My Lawn", or Defensive Measures

In this chapter Mosby touches on how to defend your location. He discusses how a guerilla base camp might do it and how that might relate to stong-pointing your own home. The concept of static defense is to try and put several concentric rings around your location. As you might recall from Ch. 1, you of the key principles it to try and engage the enemy as far out as possible from your location. In this way, those back home have as much warning time as possible to prepare and possibly evacuate. Your first ring would be the home itself. It must be "hardened" to the maximum extent possible. Next would be sentries stationed around your immediate perimeter. Then OP/LP's at the maximum practical limit. Finally security patrols to push out as far as you can and still be in contact distance with your base. Obviously, this will take lots of guys. You may not have enough to do all of these things. In this case stealth becomes your best defense.

After it is all said and done, you need a defensive plan of how you are going to fight if attacked. And finally, how to evacuate if you are about to be over-run. Mosby is a little thin on this chapter. I would recommend Joe Nobody's "Standing Your Ground" series of books for more in-depth coverage of how to harden your home and survive hidden in plain sight. Or any good military manual, such as FM7-8 for "Platoon in the Defense", or FMFM6-5 "Squad in the Defense", for the basics on establishing a defensive perimeter.

[Diz]

Chapter 10: "Hide and Seek for Adults", or Escape and Evasion

Here Mosby describes what may be necessary for you to E&E to a retreat location. He talks about what a "bug-out bag" might contain. And what skill sets you might need, such as ruck marching, land nav, and tactical movement. He also discusses survival skills, like fire-making, shelter building, and the like.

He also talks about pre-planning a route, with primary and alternate courses. And perhaps reconning the route with pre-positioned caches. This is probably a neglected subject for most. Some have a basic idea of where they might go but have never really planned it out.

This sounds much like what SF or Ranger forces might be expected to do, if forced to split up and E&E after a mission. But it also applies to us.

I would add that splitting up your weapons, equipment, and supplies makes a lot of sense. Even if it's just one set for your truck, and another set at home. That way you are covered regardless of your location. If you loose your truck, or your house, you still have a basic load out to work from. From there I would recommend caching the basics somewhere close to your house, but separate from it. If there is any catastrophe, and your house is damaged, you might not be able to get back in there, at least initially, so having the basics available separate from your home will get you through temporarily. Next up would be cache points on the way to your retreat. And finally at the retreat itself. That's a lot of stuff! You can see why it would be a good idea to buy several good quality items, versus one high-priced one. You can also see why it takes a lot of folks pooling their resources to make a retreat actually work.

We have talked about this in other threads. This is the last resort, on foot, with everything you have on your back, E&Eing to a retreat location. If it comes down to this, it will be one of the hardest tasks you will have to perform.

[Diz]

Chapter 11: "Like A Boss!", or Troop Leading Steps and the 5 Para (or Op) Order

Here Mosby gives a good explanation of the TLP's and OpOrd contained in the Ranger manual but still a mystery to some. This chapter will explain exactly what these things are, what the military does when given a mission. How to sit down a plan what you're going to do. How to convey this information to your unit in an standard format. You will have new-found appreciation for your Ranger manual now that you understand exactly what it's trying to tell you.

All these military acronyms and abbreviations can be confusing at times. Mosby plows through them and explains what they all mean and how they all fit together. By the end of this chapter you should have a fair idea of how to plan a mission, and then be able to brief your group on exactly how you want to go about doing it. With a little practice it will become second-nature. This stuff was burned into my brain-housing group at OCS. I can still quote it verbatim!

[USMC0331]

Glad I started this thread... much more glad Diz is doing the work. :THUMBS UP:

[Diz]

So there's the first 11 chapters. Lots of good information here. I will try and add to it in the coming weeks. As I said, this is probably the best reference for a civilian self-defense group that I have found so far, but I'd like to add and expand on a few things. Specifically more on the organization and patrolling procedures for a small 4-man team, and little more on the actual retreat defense itself.

I would also like to add that this makes an excellent individual skills primer before attending any formal schooling, such as Dedicated Pro's DIRE series, which I highly recommend. If you show up with the physical fitness, combatives, and weapons proficiency described here, you will be light years ahead of the average joe.

In conclusion, there are 3 appendices, which to my mind, are worth the cost of the book alone.

Appendix I: "How Many Suitcases did You Bring?", or Load Bearing Equipment

This is an excellent treatise, taken from the blog, that lays out how, what, and why to select LBE. You can really apply these principles to anything from EDC to a full E&E ruck march load out. Mosby describes his own load out as an example of what to carry for patrolling in a WROL situation. But he gives you the tools to decide what exactly YOU need to carry, not anyone else.

Among the many gems in this compilation are his thoughts on how many mags to carry. While acknowledging that some are running 4 ready mags or less, he believes that a basic load of around 12 makes more sense for us patrolling in a WROL situation. I tend to agree, but want to add that when I'm in static defense, such as any home defense, from a present day break-in, to the early stages of a WROL sit, I think 4 mags makes more sense, especially when combined with body armor. If, and when we move up to patrolling, then the load out could be adjusted. The further out we go, the more mags may be required. Or as the threat level goes up, so does the load out.

He also recommends the present-day Molle II system, which I also happen to agree with. It's a nice compromise between low end junk and high end Gucci gear. The older ALICE gear is great, if you can find it. But this is getting harder and harder these days. The custom stuff is nice, but you will end up paying a lot more than you need to or can afford. This is right in line with our philosophy on this stuff. Everything from battlebelt and individual pouches, to rucksacks. You can find most of these components on line for very reasonable prices. When combined with OCP cammies, and ECWS clothing, you have a complete system in a decent camo pattern.

[Diz]

Appendix II: "Mine is Way Cooler than Yours", or setting up your AR-15 Rifle

Again this appendix is compiled from articles on the blog, but it is an excellent compilation of what to consider when building your own battle rifle. And yes, I consider it a battle rifle, despite what some purist have to say about it. He makes some excellent points on what kind of optics you might require, and also some good thoughts on white light. So for those of you that may be somewhat confused by all the choices out there, this is an excellent primer on the subject.

He recommends a 16" bbl, 1 in 7 twist, mid-length gas, simple rail, with white light, stock LPK, stock BCG, and a simple 2-pt sling. He likes the lower twist rates for 62 gr and above ammo. He likes to keep the parts as simple and stock as possible.

I think this is rapidly becoming a trend out there, especially among serious-minded individuals preparing for come what may. As opposed to hobbyists who continue building tricked-out rifles for all sorts of other reasons.

[Diz]

Appendix III: "Old School, Hard School, Best School", or SF Tricks of the Trade

This is a compilation from the blog, of the classic SF "tricks of the trade" that were circulating in the early 80's, and an updated version that Mosby put together. All of it is timeless words of wisdom, from the days of Roger's Rangers, to modern times. A lot of hard-earned knowledge that will help shape and guide your own T,T,P's. Sometimes you say "duh", sometimes "oh, wow". Good Stuff.

[Diz]

Appendix IV: "Schoolyard Stuff", or Mosby's POI's

This here appendix is probably the gem of the entire book, especially if, like a lot of folks, it's difficult to actually get to train with Mosby. He gives you his complete programs of instruction that he uses in teaching his classes. Pretty good stuff. He includes the basic outlines of subjects covered, as well as the drills/exercises used in the practical application phases. These are: "Combat Rifle", periods 1-10, with drills, and "Security Patrolling", periods 1-13, with practical exercises.

The Combat Rifle stands alone as an excellent COI for the budding rifleman. Mosby is from the SF school of thought, which includes other notable trainers, such as Paul Howe, Kyle Lamb, and Pat MacNamara. His train of thought and drills are very similar to what these guys are doing, with an emphasis on what a civilian self-defense group may need. He is a big believer in the "A drills" as taught by himself and all these guys, as opposed to old school, static KD range training, that some traditionalist still cling to.

The Security Patrolling is an excellent primer to get you up and running as a team. He starts with individual skills and moves into team skills, building up to a complete security patrol. This is basic "G 101" stuff that is densely packed with info. It is also done with the armed civilian in mind, rather than the military team, so I think you will find it much more applicable to your sit than most writings on the subject. If you've ever wondered how you were ever gonna learn all that stuff in the ranger manual, here it is. There are a few things I want to add, but we'll get into that later.

So all in all, here's what's in Mosby's book. It's 363 pages of solid info, which I got through in less than a week, as I was reviewing and commenting. I have already marked the chapters, and will be yellow highlighting it this week.

This book has been very helpful in helping me put together my own Security SOP, and Team Training Plan. It is not the only reference you will need, but it is a key one.

[Patriotic Sheepdog]

Thanks for the review

[USMC0331]

Nov 16, 2014 9:21:36 GMT -5 Diz said:

...mid-length gas...  He likes to keep the parts as simple and stock as possible.

These two are opposing concepts. There is no reason to move away from a STANDARD carbine gas system other than tricking out your rifle. I'd rather have a non-standard trigger that can be changed out to a standard trigger, than a mid-length that will be impossible to replace a gas tube on from BFP rifles. I can always cut a tube down from Full/Mid rifles, he can't grow a standard carbine GT to fit his.

[Erick]

How do you think it compares to "Contact!" ?

[USMC0331]

Better. More clear and all encompassing than Contact.