US Army Special Forces

Rucking Through Varied Terrain, Maintaining the Pace Tips

We’ve been revisiting some of the posts we’ve made earlier and are getting out and doing refresher exercises, getting some land navigation and other tasks in. This one will deal with everyone is SF’s favorite pastime …Rucking.

Everyone has their own tips of the trade and the vast majority of them are good. The main thing is that you have to find what works best for you. What I’m doing here is just giving you the benefits of my own experiences and hopefully, they’ll work for you. They did for me.

I recently got an email from Sean T. who asked a good question about rucksack marching and specifically in how the load was packed. He wrote, “I’ve read numerous articles about how the load of your rucksack should be distributed over your hips. I’m having issue [sic] with rubbing on my hips and low back pain. Is it because I’ve packed the weight too low?”

I take it from Sean’s message that he took the “distribute the weight over the hips” bit to mean that he was packing his load down low. No, and it is a common mistake among beginners and people carrying heavy rucks for the first time.

Your weight should be packed up high between the shoulder blades. If your ruck has radio pouch up high, that is where the sandbag or weight plates belongs. I prefer sandbags because it will mold to your pack and back and doesn’t have any sharp edges that can rub you on a ruck.

The guys over at GoRUCK sell some nice molded plates that will do the trick and they take all the guess work out of it. But like I said, I prefer the sand routine but use whatever works for you. In the video below, I have a 45-pound bag in my small ruck that I use for short hikes that we take with us.

We covered boots at length in our earlier article. I have several broken in pairs that I take on hikes depending upon the conditions. For the purposes of this exercise, I wore my heavier duty Merrell Sawtooth boots. We had a bunch of rain that dropped over an inch overnight and it was still misting out there on the day we did the video. Later we got another inch plus. The trail was muddy, very deep in places and the Sawtooth’s deeper tread pattern was probably a bit better for that day.

Water and staying hydrated is very important even on a day where it is a bit raw out and is raining on you. You’ll still sweat and dehydration is a killer. On this particular day, although it was raining a bit, we still drank constantly, keeping the hydration level up.

The trail we used is a closed loop so it was up-down with very little flat terrain involved. When rucking it is best to lean forward and getting the arm swing going from side to side rather than a typical running type swing back and forth.

When it comes to increasing speed, I don’t recommend that you run with a rucksack on your back while in training. They’ll be times in your selection course or the qualification course that you’ll have to make up time or want to pick your pace, especially on the downhill slopes. At those times, you’re going to have to do what you must, but for training purposes don’t do it. Learn to increase your speed without running. Running with a ruck will hurt your knees and back…take it from the guy with two arthritic knees.

I like to lengthen my stride on the downhill slopes, some guys will tell you the exact opposite. Again, find out what works for you and stick to it. But the bottom line is, don’t resort to running to increase your speed. You’re going to have to learn to ruck quickly without running sooner or later, and there’s no time like the present.

The standard is a 15-minute mile pace to pass the courses, you should be aiming to go lower than that. We were keeping a 14:30 pace on our practical exercise video, which means we’ll have to step it up as well. Back in the day, I used to maintain a 13-minute per mile pace which would bring myself in with around 20-25 minutes to spare on a 12-miler.

On one certification 20-miler at Ft. Bragg, our team maintained a 13-minute mile pace for the entire length of the course and that was with two 7-8 minute breaks built in to change socks and catch a breather. Of course, since the movement wasn’t considered tactical and was mapped out along a road, our communications supervisor strapped a boom box atop his rucksack and we rocked to AC-DC and Metallica. Much better than the sound of boots scuffling for 20 miles. We ended up with the best time in the battalion that night…the staff when learning of the music…were not amused. Always look for an edge, right?

If anyone else has any questions, feel free to send them along to [email protected] and I’ll be glad to answer them and we may use it in our next video.

Photo courtesy of US Army

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.12.2017

Shoulder work in the gym is the order of the day along with some speed work. The sprints will definitely help with your overall cardio fitness, build some explosion and will serve you well with your endurance. It is also a functional part of your job in Special Operations. There will be plenty of times where you’ll have to sprint short distances with your gear on. It will test you in a different manner than a distance run. This is a system that some NFL teams use to increase their speed.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, behind the neck (go as heavy as possible)

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Front Raises

3 x 10 Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 8 Shoulder Shrugs

40-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

50-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

60-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

70-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

80-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

90-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

100-Meter Sprint, walk back to the starting point

Stretch well after completion

OSS Detachment 101 Activation Date 75 Years Ago, Forerunner of SF, CIA

Seventy-five years ago, this week, the forerunner for Special Forces was born.

During the dark days of World War II in April 1942, the OSS’ first operational detachment, 101 was activated. Detachment 101 was the first unit in U.S. military history created specifically for the purpose of conducting unconventional warfare operations behind enemy lines.

It was formed in April 1942, to perform espionage, sabotage, guerrilla warfare, propaganda, and escape-and-evasion operations in support of U.S. military objectives in China. The OSS was the forerunner of the US Army Special Forces and the CIA.

At war’s end, General Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote about Det. 101 in their award of a Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation that says in part, “The courage and fighting spirit displayed by its officers and men in offensive action against overwhelming enemy strength reflect the highest tradition of the armed forces of the United States,” signed Dwight D. Eisenhower, Chief of Staff, January 17, 1946.

Lt. General Joseph Stillwell was placed in charge of the China – Burma theater in January 1942 but had no American troops under his command. He commanded just Chinese forces and was, with the British, pushed out of Burma. He was sent a copy of the proposal to place the first OSS operational unit in his command, he welcomed them but not the commander that had been tasked. Stillwell suggested the OSS place CPT Carl Eifler in charge. It turned out to be a very smart decision.

Daunting Tasks Given Early: Three months after being activated, Detachment 101 arrived at the US headquarters in New Dehli, India. Stillwell said he wanted the officers and men of Detachment 101 to learn to survive and live in the jungles and to lead the way back into Burma. Stilwell wanted intelligence, as well as sabotage operations, aimed at reducing the effectiveness of the Japanese air base in Myitkyina, which had been a thorn for US planes flying “the Hump” into China.

Detachment 101 also had the follow-on orders to blow up road and railroad bridges leading to Myitkyina from the south. If that weren’t enough for the neophyte command, he tasked Detachment 101 to maintain liaison with the British so that the colonial government would have no complaint about Detachment 101’s activities.

By the end of 1942, Det.101 infiltrated its first group in Burma. Called A-Group, they blew up the railroad leading to Myitkyina in 30 places and dropped two spans of a bridge into the river. The American OSS had arrived.

Organizational Growth: Just a year later, the OSS had six intelligence gathering bases operating in Burma. They also had agent/radio operator teams scattered along the main transportation arteries leading to northern Burma. These teams communicated directly with the US base in India.

By early 1944 Det. 101’s guerilla force was expanded to 3000 men with the follow-on orders to expand to 10,000. By early 1945, Detachment 101’s guerilla force reached its peak at 10,800 men.

Detachment 101 provided 75 percent of the intelligence for which the 10^th Air Force chose its missions and 85 percent of the intelligence for Stillwell’s Command.

Detachment 101 sabotage agents and guerrillas demolished 57 bridges, derailed nine trains, destroyed, or captured 272 trucks or other vehicles, and destroyed 15,000 tons of Japanese supplies. These sabotage operations also had the effect of forcing the Japanese to deploy additional troops to protect their supply chain and lines of communication.

Detachment 101’s greatest effectiveness was in the new, cutting edge field of guerrilla warfare. The unit’s members pioneered the use of air and radio communications to support and coordinate guerrilla warfare activities. They recruited, organized, trained, equipped, and led more than 10,800 guerrillas in effective support of conventional military operations. Detachment 101’s guerrilla forces killed 5,428 members of the Japanese army, wounded and estimated 10,000, and captured 78 Japanese prisoners. Their own losses were 27 Americans, 338 native guerrillas, and 40 espionage agents killed.

The OSS and Detachment 101 were the prototype for the modern-day Special Forces and the Special Operations Command of the military. They learned the hard lessons by trial and error which in combat were expensive with a well-trained, determined enemy.

The unit grew from conducting small-scale sabotage operations to a well-disciplined, professionally run unit conducting large guerrilla operations behind the Japanese lines. Many of the officers who served in the OSS in World War II were instrumental in forming the new US Army Special Forces groups. Others joined the fledgling CIA and became the backbone of the US’ clandestine intelligence service.

Photo courtesy of US Army

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.11.2017

Continue to prep for the UBRR. Leg Day at the gym. Go for the lighter weights and more reps in the squats to build up a bit more of endurance. The sled is always a good way to build up power and explosiveness. Then a three mile run at a good pace, faster than the standard.

Training:

3 x Pullups 10 reps

3 x Front Squat 20-15-12 reps (lighter weight)

3 x Goblet Squats 20-15-12 reps (lighter dumbbell)

3 x 10 Sled push (heavier weight)

3 x 10 reps Dumbbell lunges

3 x 20 Sit-ups

3 x 25 Crunches

3-mile run

Stretch well after completion

Former 82nd ABN, Ft. Bragg Commander General Tackaberry Dies at 92

Former Lt. General Jamie Tackaberry who started his career in World War II and then served in Korea and Vietnam before commanding the 82^nd Airborne Division and later the 18^th ABN Corps and Fort Bragg has passed away. He was 92.

Tackaberry at the time of his retirement was one of the Army’s most decorated officers with three Distinguished Service Crosses, five Silver Stars, a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Soldier’s Medal, among many other awards and decorations.

Instead of medals and war-time heroics, Brig. Gen. Tackaberry said his father’s stories focused on soldiers, whom he treated much the same way he treated his own family.
“He loved soldiers, and he loved his children,” Brig. Gen. Tackaberry said. “He gave both a lot of latitude and a lot of responsibility, and he expected you to get the job done.”
“He was a soldier’s soldier,” his son added.
A September 1979 copy of The Fayetteville Times called Lt. Gen. Tackaberry a “grunt’s angel.”
“That’s what they call a leader who goes out of his way to see his troops have enough beans and bullets to carry them through the long trek and the fight to follow,” the author of the profile wrote.
“We remember and honor the service, sacrifice, leadership and tremendous example of Lt. Gen. Thomas Tackaberry,” said Maj. Gen. Paul J. LaCamera, deputy commanding general of the 18th Airborne Corps and acting senior commander of Fort Bragg. “We’ll keep his family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Though he is no longer with us, his legacy is forever enshrined in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corps and our great Army.”
A spokesman for the 82nd Airborne Division said the All Americans — who are celebrating the historic unit’s 100th anniversary this year — were saddened by the loss of their former commander.
The spokesman, Lt. Col. Joseph Buccino, said the general “has a permanent place in the legacy of America’s Guard of Honor.”

Tackaberry played a key role in getting the maroon beret authorized for the US’ airborne troops. Prior to the 1970s 82^nd troopers wore the unauthorized beret around Ft. Bragg but the Army cracked down on its use in the late 1970s.

Tackaberry was a big part of a movement to get it authorized in 1980. So all members both past and present of the All-American Division owe a tip of the beret to Tackaberry who will be buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery later this month.

To read the Fayetteville Observer’s entire article click here:

Photo courtesy of US Army

Army Special Forces Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

The Pentagon has announced that a US Army Special Forces operator was killed in action on Saturday conducting counter-terrorism operations.

The soldier, who hasn’t been identified yet pending notification of next of kin was the first US combat death in Afghanistan in 2017. Since the US has ceased major combat operations in Afghanistan in 2014 and put the onus on Afghan units that the US has trained, combat casualties numbers have fallen sharply.

The soldier was mortally wounded while helping Afghan forces conduct operations against Khorasan, the local branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Navy Capt. Bill Salvin, a spokesman for the NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan, told CNN.
The commander of US forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John W. Nicholson, offered “deepest condolences to the family and friends of our fallen comrade” on behalf of all US forces there. “We will always remember our fallen comrades and commit ourselves to deliver on their sacrifice.”
US troops regularly perform counterterrorism operations against the ISIS affiliate, which has a presence in Nangarhar Province, where the soldier was killed. Those operations are sometimes carried out in conjunction with Afghan forces.

Nangahar Province is thought to be the center of ISIS militancy and borders Pakistan. The US has conducted numerous airstrikes in the area. ISIS has struggled to gather a political base and indigenous support and clash with the Taliban as well as the US.

There is thought to be between 1000-5000 ISIS fighters in Afghanistan. The US counterterrorism mission is separate from the NATO-led effort to train, advise and assist the Afghan army and police force. There are approximately 8400 US troops currently in Afghanistan and Special Operations Forces are doing the brunt of the fighting with the Afghan allies.

To read the CNN’s entire article click here:

Photo courtesy of DOD

Land Navigation Practical Exercise – Resection

In some of our previous articles, we’ve tackled the issues of preparing yourself to pass the Land Navigation course which is always a very tough one. Today we’ll do a practical exercise on finding your location if you are unsure of your exact map placement.

The official term is Resection for finding your exact location on a map by determining the grid azimuth to at two or more well-defined locations that can be pinpointed on the map. For greater accuracy, the desired method of resection would be to use three or more well-defined locations.

For the purposes of our practical application, we used only two but obviously, three or more is ideal. There are three methods of using resection, using the map and compass method, the straightedge method and the modified method. In this exercise, we used the map and compass method, but we’ll go over the second two as well.

Map and Compass Method

Orient the map using the compass and terrain association
Identify two or three known distant locations on the ground and mark them on the map.
Measure the magnetic azimuth to one of the known positions from your location using a compass.
Convert the magnetic azimuth to a grid azimuth.
Convert the grid azimuth to a back azimuth. If the magnetic azimuth is less than 180 degrees add 180. If the azimuth is more than 180 degrees subtract 180.
Using a protractor, draw a line for the back azimuth on the map from the known position back toward your unknown position.
Repeat the same steps for a second position and a third position, if desired.

The intersection of the lines is your location. Determine the grid coordinates to the desired accuracy, an eight-digit grid being the preferred accuracy for our purposes.

Straightedge Method:

To accurately find your position, the successful navigator must:

Orient his map using his compass and/or terrain association
Locate at least two known distant locations or prominent features on the ground and mark them on the map.
Lay a straightedge on the map, in this case using the compass and a known position as a pivot point.
Rotate the straightedge until the known position on the map is aligned with the known position on the ground.
Draw a line along the straightedge away from the known position on the ground toward your position.
Repeat the same process using a second known position that you can see from your location.

Where the intersection of the lines meet on the map is your location. Determine the grid coordinates to the desired accuracy. You then should be able to get an eight-digit grid coordinate and find your way to your point.

Modified Method:

The modified method is the least preferred and the least accurate method but is useful in certain situations. If you’re not certain of your exact location but are located on a linear terrain feature such as a road, creek or similar body of water, this can pinpoint your position.

Orient the map using a compass and/or by terrain association.
Locate a point in the distance that can be easily identified on the ground and on the map.
Determine the magnetic azimuth from your location to the distant known point.
Convert the magnetic azimuth to a grid azimuth.
Convert the grid azimuth to a back azimuth, using the add or subtract 180 accordingly depending on the degrees.
Using a protractor, draw a line for the back azimuth on the map from the known position back toward your unknown position.

Your location is where the line on the map crosses the linear feature. Determine the grid coordinates to the desired accuracy, for our purposes an eight-digit grid coordinate.

Check out the attached video, we’re still trying to iron out some issues with these, it is process. But it does show you the practical exercise to get the correct information.

Photo courtesy of 19th Special Forces Group

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.10.2017

Monday we’ll focus on some speed work with the shuttle runs rather than a longer duration. By now after the training program has been in effect for a while, your feet shouldn’t be bothering you too badly after the ruck march from Sunday.

Training:

More preparation for the UBRR

2 x 1-minute Pushups

2 x 1-minute Sit-ups

2 x 1-minute, Crunches

2 x 1-minute, V-ups

2 x Dips as many as possible to muscle failure

10 x 40-meter shuttle run

Stretch well after completion

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.09.2017

A little warm up and a good long Sunday ruck march. As always be sure to stay hydrated during the ruck march. It should be a habit that will carry over to Selection and training afterward.

Becoming dehydrated during a long training event such as a ruck march or long range movement is a guarantee for bigger problems and failure, keep sipping on the water during the course.

Training:

Warm up

2 x 20 Pushups

2 x 20 Sit ups

8-mile rucksack march over varied terrain. Try to keep your pace better than the standard. And mark your times in your workout log book.

Stretch well after completion

SOF Selection PT Preparation 4.08.2017

Back in the gym this morning before heading out for a run. We’ll break up the routine next week with some speed interval running, that will help to build up your short area quickness and speed.

Training:

More Preparation for the UBRR:

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, behind the neck (go as heavy as possible)

3 x 12 Lat Pulldowns, front

3 x 10 Dumbbell Side Raises

3 x 10 Seated Bent-Over Delt Raise

3 x 10 Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 10 Arnold Dumbbell Press

3-mile run

Stretch well after completion