Night Vision and Camouflage

Fieldcraft is made up of the individual skills and techniques used by soldiers in the field, which include movement, use of groundand camouflage in conditions of reduced visibility. These skills and techniques enable soldiers to maintain their own security while gaining advantage over the enemy.

Soldiers must master fieldcraft in order to ensure their own and their section’s survival on the modern battlefield. They must:a. use their eyes and ears to find the enemy, without being detected themselves;b. make the best use of ground and cover, by day and night;c. judge distances accurately;d. recognize and indicate targets, understand fire discipline and … Continue Reading

Learning to track is a sacred responsibility. It gives you the ability to come into the center of the lives and homes of animals. You must treasure this gift and respect the animals by being non–intrusive. Getting too close to animals can cause serious disturbances including: abandoning young, disturbing nesting grounds, damaging foraging areas, and may even cause the animal’s death. For example, in winter, many animals are severely stressed to gather enough energy to stay alive. Escaping from a human prescence could rob them of enough energy that they can no longer sustain themselves. Always remember that you are … Continue Reading

Night Movements is essential for the study of counter–insurgency and clandestine activities. Truly a collector’s item, this rare translation of the original (1913) Japanese military text is generally regarded as the finest study of night fighting ever written. The following topics are thoroughly covered:

# The Psychology of fighting at night# Achieving silence in night movements# How to dress and develop your night vision# Training in hearing at night# Training in techniques for night fighting# Night demolition# Secret techniques for night patrols# Use of weapons at night# Night fighting and battles# And much, much more.

The original manual was used to train … Continue Reading

This Small Unit Night Fighter Handbook combines existing doctrine with night–fighting tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) currently used by light infantry squads and platoons. The dismounted battle drills found in ARTEP 7–8, MTP DRILL, form the basis for these TTP. The drills in Chapter 2 incorporate existing technology with current doctrine to overcome limiting factors experienced by soldiers and leaders at night. The result is a modified mission training plan for squad and platoon battle drills that enhance the unit’s ability to fight at night as well as deny the enemy his night capabilities or advantages.

These drills form the basis … Continue Reading

This document covers how to evade police dogs and other tracking dogs. It seperates myth from truth and explains why the strategies seen in the movies don’t work.

The threat to LRRP operations posed by visual tracking teams and dog teams will be significant during some operations. Before deployment on a mission the team must learn the dog and visual tracking capabilities and tactics the enemy may use in the operational area. An effort must be made to study terrain and vegetation types, local movement patterns, including those of civilians and domestic animals in order to best use the terrain and situation to the teams advantage. This document details the techniques and tactics imperative to losing tracking units.

The material for this study was prepared for the Historical Division, EUCOM, by a group of former German generals and general staff officers. The principal author, former Brig. Gen. Alfred Toppe, and most of his associates served for extended periods on the Russian Front during World War II. Moreover, most of them held assignments involving troop training.

Night operations call for disciplined, cool, self–reliant troops. The mental strain involved in night combat is severe; it is easier to endure in periods of activity than during long spells of inactivity. This is why at night

Most officer–involved shootings occur during low–light conditions. Unfortunately, little tested and codified doctrine exists to deal with these confrontations. Work is therefore required to develop doctrine, and training must be developed that results in consistent results under stressful conditions. During this process, tools, tactics, and training must be viewed as a contiguous whole, as separation here leads to confusion, and confusion leads to human error.

The purpose of this article is therefore to discuss illumination:

Tools. The tools available, and how they are carried, affects their accessibility and this in turn affects how they are used.

Tactics. The availability (or absence) of proper … Continue Reading

This manual is intended to give the company–level leaders an understanding of camouflage principles. In order to remain viable forces, all units must be capable of adequately camouflaging themselves and their equipment. To ignore a threat’s ability to detect our offensive and defensive operations on the battlefield can only result in disaster. In order for units to survive on the battlefield, they must be well versed in camouflage concepts and techniques.

Camouflage is as important as marksmanship, maneuver, and mission. It is an integral part of the soldier’s duty. Camouflage not only encompasses individual efforts, but those efforts conducted by the … Continue Reading