Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army
Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army
Warriors in Peace Operations - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army
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for deployment. The pre-deployment tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, coord<strong>in</strong>ated<br />
and resourced by the LION Brigade, was excellent. It<br />
<strong>in</strong>cluded a comprehensive m<strong>in</strong>e awareness tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
program that was developed by the <strong>Army</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer School<br />
at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Every soldier <strong>in</strong> the Task<br />
Force went through this tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g program.<br />
The effectiveness of this m<strong>in</strong>e awareness tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g was<br />
demonstrated <strong>in</strong> Bosnia. Despite daily operations <strong>in</strong> heavily<br />
m<strong>in</strong>ed areas, the Blue Falcons experienced no m<strong>in</strong>e strikes<br />
while deployed. There were many examples of m<strong>in</strong>es<br />
discovered—the right way. For example, one squad,<br />
apply<strong>in</strong>g the proper techniques, discovered booby traps <strong>in</strong> a<br />
house they were clear<strong>in</strong>g near the Zone of Separation (ZOS).<br />
Each of the doorways had been rigged to trip handgrenades.<br />
Also, platoon Situational Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g Exercise (STX) lanes<br />
were executed <strong>in</strong> late November and early December. These<br />
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g exercises placed the platoons, and particularly<br />
their leaders, <strong>in</strong> a series of situations they were likely to<br />
experience <strong>in</strong> Bosnia. This tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g also proved to be<br />
beneficial to platoon-level leaders. The situational tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
exercises were:<br />
1. Dismounted STX Vignettes.<br />
• M<strong>in</strong>e Strike (evacuate casualty; extract from<br />
m<strong>in</strong>efield; mark and report a m<strong>in</strong>efield);<br />
• React to Sniper (evacuate casualty);<br />
• Apply Rules of Engagement (encounter armed<br />
former warr<strong>in</strong>g factions (FWF) element that<br />
restricts freedom of movement);<br />
• Apply Rules of Engagement (FWF element leader<br />
threatens use of force); and,<br />
• React to Indirect Fire (evacuate casualty).<br />
2. Mounted Vignettes.<br />
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