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Old 02-09-2012, 20:32   #16
Jefe
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Just in case you're not already:

Task out your paragraphs in the WO

APL/PSG does 4, RTO does 5 and you do 1-3. You can have somebody else do 1, but I advise against it. This takes a load off you, shows you are delegating as you should and familiarizes your key guys with the plan (cause they are doing it!).

good luck.
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Old 02-10-2012, 14:52   #17
VanZwieten
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Dozer:

Thank you very much, that specific advice is AWESOME and I've got it down in a notebook. It's cool to hear that you worked LDAC and even better to hear that you found it so rewarding. And thank you for recognizing the significance it is to my life; it may not be Ranger school, but it can definitely have serious consequences, good or bad.

My favorite is "Be funny. If you are not funny like the funny guy." Luckily, I find it easy to make buddies and I'm hoping to use that influence to help motivate my squadmates.

Others: I can't believe how much I'm learning for this. My unit has great instructors and advice, but I can see that it gets kind of homogeneous and it's awesome to get outside scoop.
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Old 02-10-2012, 17:37   #18
The Reaper
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Originally Posted by VanZwieten View Post
Dozer:

Thank you very much, that specific advice is AWESOME and I've got it down in a notebook. It's cool to hear that you worked LDAC and even better to hear that you found it so rewarding. And thank you for recognizing the significance it is to my life; it may not be Ranger school, but it can definitely have serious consequences, good or bad.

My favorite is "Be funny. If you are not funny like the funny guy." Luckily, I find it easy to make buddies and I'm hoping to use that influence to help motivate my squadmates.

Others: I can't believe how much I'm learning for this. My unit has great instructors and advice, but I can see that it gets kind of homogeneous and it's awesome to get outside scoop.
This is not where your first post belongs.

TR
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Old 02-10-2012, 21:00   #19
pjbluetogreen
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Piss poor planning produces piss poor performance!!!
Plan (KISS: keep is stupid simple), Check your Plan, Rehearse, Inspect your teams gear (and yours), Rehearse IADs and your plan B for when it all goes to hell.
When all else fails don't forget to Shoot Move and Communicate
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Old 02-10-2012, 21:50   #20
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KISS

I don't think anything has been missed, but here are my 2 cents..

Understand and utilize the Troop leading procedures. If you don't know what to do next, ASK. Never violate the Principles of Patrolling. METT-TC will drive most all of your decisions. OKOCA will dictate how you move on the ground. Understand that different instructors will have their idea of what right looks like. Find out what that is, and do it that way. If you find yourself with nothing to do, YOU are MISSING something! Time will always be your biggest enemy, so use it wisely. Reference the Ranger HB Feb. 2011 version if you are stumped. There were are also some minor doctrinal changes, so make sure your RHB is the version I stated previously.

I threw out a few Acronyms and other terms that consist of various sub-tasks. Don't just memorize them, understand the "why" behind the "what" when you are doing each step.

I'm sure I could go on longer, but my Guinness is getting warm.

What you gonna do PL?

CH
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Old 02-11-2012, 01:38   #21
NeverSayDie
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While never having never been to LDAC, I do remember a peice of advice given to me by one of my MSIV's who made it into the double digits of the OML, right before I lead my first lane:

"Violence of action on the objective, and command presence. Its so simple that everyone forgets to make it a priority, but its F*cking vital. Get everyone hyped up! have'em do jumping jacks if you have too, but don't let them start just going through the motions or lull themselves into a relaxed state. If you let them do that, they won't snap out of it until the lane walker assigns the third casualty"
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Old 02-11-2012, 05:51   #22
Dozer523
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Originally Posted by Jefe View Post
Check out the Sapper Handbook as well. I found its patrolling material to be better than the Ranger Handbook.
I love it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Reaper View Post
This is not where your first post belongs.

TR
OMG Van. Now I have to kill you.

Last edited by Dozer523; 02-11-2012 at 05:54.
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Old 02-11-2012, 10:08   #23
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Originally Posted by NeverSayDie View Post
While never having never been to LDAC, I do remember a peice of advice given to me by one of my MSIV's who made it into the double digits of the OML....
This has got to be the beginning of some really solid advice and a great war story.

Is there a shortage of professionals on this site with CIBs, SF and Ranger Tabs to dispense first-person patrolling advice?

TR
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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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Old 02-24-2012, 03:00   #24
zoolander6
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Dont ask for tricks, dont ask for advise. Learn from your mistakes, youll remember them more once you recycle. The lessons learned will follow you for the rest of your life and benifit you more when it counts OCONUS instead of G2'ing a situation or school. If young E-3's can learn and execute patrols so can you.

my .02 (2nd time mountain phase vet)
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Old 02-25-2012, 22:58   #25
NoRoadtrippin
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Oh how I miss LDAC....my first big "Army trip" away from home. I tried real hard to get those doctors to send me home those first couple of days. I clearly didn't know what I was getting myself into. Can't overstate how glad I am none of them listened to me.

For a CDT, I'd say that definitely violence of action and leadership presence will go a long, long ways. There will be a dearth of this at LDAC and in many other STX lanes you will participate in over the next however many years.

I don't want to say much more without some sort of green light from the Mods since this was posted under the SF questions board.
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Old 02-26-2012, 01:52   #26
LongWire
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I can't stress the importance of SOP Development enough. If all of your guys don't know what to do in case of (insert action), then its not an SOP. Know them backwards, sideways and forward. Keep them simple, and know that they are METT-T/ situationaly dependent. The Australian peel can be an effective movement but it looks pretty stupid doing it out in the middle of the flat open desert. Knowing where/how the terrain effects your movement can pay dividends when it comes to speed/security. If you are going to lower one you better have a good reason to, and raise the other one. You can lower security, but you will never (intentionally) drop it.

If everyone in your patrol can't figure them (SOP's) out, then bring them up to speed or adjust it so they can. Weak links will be felt, and its usually the squared away ones that end up having to make up for it. Focus on the team, and you will remain a team. Individuals will find themselves divided, and we don't leave anybody behind.

When in charge, take charge. When not in charge......Pay Attention. Just because you aren't in a position doesn't mean that you can switch off and be clueless. Help your leaders out by being a good teammate. This will help you when its your turn. Fuck your buddy and see........Don't fuck your buddy!!!!!

Check your guys and check yourself constantly. Know where all your stuff is at and make sure it stays there. Count your guys and make sure that they are doing okay. Take breaks when you need to, but know that you have a destination and a timeline.

Know your limitations. Don't break your guys trying the impossible.

Know where you are, know the plan.....keep your guys informed/updated. Azimuth and pace count are your friends as well as terrain association.

Drink water!!!! Make your guys drink water.

The basics are just that....don't be foolish enough to think that you don't have to do them. When you progress, at times you will think that they are foolish, but they are there for a reason. Blow them off and you will kick yourself later. Conduct good PCI's. Know who has what, and where, make sure everyone else knows as well.

If you work hard enough during the development portion of your SOP's it will pay off at 0400 3 days into your movement, when no one really knows or cares what's going on, but you still have to get there.
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Last edited by LongWire; 02-26-2012 at 01:58.
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Old 04-15-2012, 19:07   #27
ThinAir
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Post...

LDAC? Seriously? I thought you went and figured it out on the fly- don't overthink it. And don't get lost.
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