• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Georgian soldiers head downtown

Marine Corps News

Release Date: 8/20/2003

Story by Capt. Teresa Ovalle

KRTSANISI,Georgia(August 20, 2003) -- KRTSANISI, Georgia - Georgian soldiers, recently deployed to Iraq as part of the peacekeeping coalition, may be facing unexpected challenges in the urban environment, especially when dealing with the local population.

Georgia Train and Equip Program soldiers will have an advantage over their counterparts in Iraq, who have not received the U.S. Military Operations in Urban Terrain training package.

"Billions of people inhabit large cities all over the world," said Chief Warrant Officer (Gunner) Jonathan R. Rabert, Gunner, Georgia Train and Equip Program. "The soldiers need to understand the importance of Military Operations in Urban Terrain and basic techniques of urban patrolling, cordon and search and clearing a building."

"Georgian soldiers may have to protect a city much like Tblisi someday during peace keeping missions in foreign countries," added the Clinton, Miss. native.

The GTEP urban patrolling package covers several elements of urban patrol techniques and conduct. The evolution focuses on movement and formations, departure and re-entry of friendly lines, crossing of danger areas, immediate action drills, and several other items of interest in urban patrolling.

During a practical application exercise, the soldiers take a short security halt just prior to crossing the final coordination line to discuss last minute planning considerations. They've practiced, but the team leader knows he must remain flexible and resourceful with his decision-making when considering his next plan of action.

"It's important for the Georgian soldiers to understand the techniques of urban patrolling for two reasons," said Staff Sgt. Fernando N. Gomez, assistant team leader, Team 2, GTEP and Austin, Texas native. "One, it's a new reality they will someday face and two, they have to know how to deal with possible enemy contact and a friendly civilian population, at the same time."

Movement and formation is set to squad size. The headquarters unit usually takes the lead as this allows the patrol leader greater flexibility and more control. The assault and security teams follow behind the headquarters unit at staggered intervals to maximize effectiveness and create less of a target.

"There are always difficulties in the beginning," said Senior Lt. Girogi Zaridze, Charlie Company commander. "But with practice, the soldiers overcome the obstacles."

The discovery or threats of bombs, snipers, decisive engagement, and civil disturbances are threats that require a quick response from the members of the patrol.

"The training is good," said Cpl. Vakhtang Ptskilishvili, 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company. "It's very close to reality and you have to stay focused."

There are five fundamentals of cordon and search: Planning, task organization, isolation of the area, seizure of the area, and searching the area. Other variables to consider are squad and team tactics, counter-sniper tactics, mine and booby-trap identification and rules of engagement familiarization. Having a basic understanding of the fundamentals to rely on can mean life or death to a soldier caught in the uncertainty of urban conflict.

"The importance of cordon and search techniques during urban operations is to isolate an area, to prevent individuals from leaving or entering the area, and to search the area systematically for what the mission requires," said Staff Sgt. Joseph S. Duenas, Team 2 instructor/trainer, GTEP, and Guam native.

Once perimeter security has been established, soldiers begin to take control of the area and population within 'combat town' - an old abandoned Soviet housing project. They collect information about their adversaries and set the tempo of operations. A variety of humanitarian assistance plans are also set in motion to reduce the adversary's hold on the population.

As one team continues to work with the population, another team clears buildings and rooms within the infrastructure along the patrol route.

As soldiers push through potential hazard areas, verbal and visual codes for employment of various weapons and weapons systems must be observed and passed along to the members of the patrol.

Spread loading ammunition and special equipment and handling enemy casualties are a constant concern, as well as, the techniques for moving through hallways and methods of clearing rooms, whether one, two, three or four man clears

Because of the complexity of the urban environment, soldiers continually practice the techniques of urban warfare.

"Due to the 3D threat of an urban environment and the ever changing situation, it's extremely important that a solid foundation be established through proper training and constant rehearsals," said Staff Sgt. John M. Mangan, Team 2 instructor/trainer, GTEP, and Methuen, Mass. native.