PATROLLING PART 3 Individual Movement Techniques This article will cover Individual Movement Techniques (IMT). First lets cover some “DON’T’s”: DON’T use a “machete” – the blade “sings” for miles – and you leave behind a 4 lane highway for someone to follow. It also quickly fatigues the person swinging the machete. DON’T travel on trails or roads. This will allow you to avoid being in a well prepared ambush. DON’T talk. Talking is a target indicator. There are three different categories of IMT’s. We will go from simplest to the most complicated. The simplest IMT is what we called the “Herd of Elephants” (HoE) technique. This was said mostly tongue in cheek – but it is the IMT that is the loudest. When loaded down if full 1st/2nd and heavy 3rd line gear – it is just too enormous of a load to be able to be as quiet as when one is going with less gear. That is the cold hard truth. Your body is working hard enough to carry the enormous load that it is next to impossible to employ “stealth” techniques. Sure – you try and be as quiet as you can – but you won’t be as quiet as when you are able to lighten your load. That is why when a deep reconnaissance patrol is called for – the team establishes what is known as an ORP (Objective Rally Point) – which is a place where all the 3rd line gear is left behind with at least two men to provide security – so the “Reconnaissance” element can move forward with a MUCH lighter load – and thus employ “stealth” techniques to a much greater degree. Our second category would be used when one is just carrying 2nd line and maybe a light 3rd line. With the lighter load – you are able to be quite a bit quieter than the HoE method. Here you will walk – but before really stepping down hard with your foot – you will be able to “feel” under your foot and be able to stop putting weight down if you feel a stick under your foot. The sound of a breaking stick carries quite far – and is unmistakable. Don’t break branches that you may be walking into/through. Move around them so they don’t break. The Point Man (PM) needs to try and pick a route that will be the quietest, i.e. the least amount of branches to walk on/through – but that is not always possible or advisable – depending upon a number of factors – but it is his responsibility to pick the best route for the team. The last IMT is what I call the “tiger mode”. We have all seen pictures of a tiger when he is stalking prey – right?? Well – that is how we want to move when we are in “tiger mode”. Tiger mode is carrying minimum gear (a lot of the time I would just have my 1st line with me along with my longarm and an extra mag or two stuffed into my cargo pockets) – for maximum stealth with less fatigue. Tiger mode is devoid of any jerky movements. The head swivels SLOWLY on the neck. All movements are slow, calculated, and deliberate. There is NO un-necessary movements of any kind. You are walking in a half crouch. Your hands and arms – if they move at all – move S-L-O-W-L-Y. Your legs – move S-L-O-W-L-Y. Watch a sloth walk. He movements are so slow that is almost appears to not move at all. Same with a tiger or other large cat when it is hunting/stalking. Movement is S-L-O-W – deliberate – focused. Every step is tested for noise before full weight is applied. The eyes are constantly moving, scanning – near and far. The head moves very little and when it does – it is SLOW movement – and just enough so the eyes can see what they need to see. All senses are on “full alert” – ESPECIALLY the “sixth” sense – you know – when the hair stands up on the back of your neck – and you don’t fully know why?? Your ears are attuned to the surrounding sounds of nature – and will pick up on the slightest change. Movement speed is SLOW – deliberate – focused. One needs to be in great shape to do the “Tiger Mode”. It takes a lot of strength and stamina to do it for much more than an hour. While taking steps – stop ALL movement with one leg in the air – as you would if you had to FREEZE. Hold that position for a few minutes. Then go on for a few minutes – then freeze with the other leg in mid step. Do that for a while to build up your muscles and to improve your balance. Do it in full 2nd line to turn it into an exercise that will build up the right muscles.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 14:53:22 +0000
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