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BOS: COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT

TOPIC: Casualty Evacuation.

DISCUSSION: The jungle generally renders overland casualty evacuation extremely difficult. The only quick way out of the jungle is via helicopter. Using a jungle penetrator or rigid litter, casualties can be lifted out of areas where there is no PZ/LZ. Ground evacuation routes and casualty collection points (CCPs) should be planned only after a thorough study of the trail networks. Busting brush with a casualty is generally not a good idea. The rugged nature of most jungle terrain calls for the establishment of a larger-than-normal number of CCPs. As a rule of thumb, CCPs should be no more than 200 meters away from the objective/unit position. Whenever possible, CCPs should be as close to a PZ/LZ as possible. Should weather or enemy activity prohibit casualty evacuation by helicopter, then troops must be trained in the construction of field expedient litters. A four-man litter party can normally cover no more than 300 meters in an hour without exhausting themselves very quickly. If enough troops are available, a litter party should consist of eight men. Switching off every 20 minutes will allow them to proceed at 500 meters per hour. It also provides security for the litter party. A final means of casualty evacuation is by water, depending on the availability of boats. Riverine craft or locally commandeered boats can serve as a rapid way to evacuate casualties.

LESSON(S):

• Use aerial evacuation whenever possible.
• Study and make use of trail networks for ground evacuation.
• Train troops in the use of the jungle penetrator, rigid litter, and field expedient litter.
• Ensure CCPs are as close as possible to the objective/unit position.
• Use eight-man litter parties when possible.
• Consider evacuation by water.
• Remember CCPs often become the place where the casualties are delivered.
• Consider echeloning Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) teams. Infantry battalions have a capability of fielding two teams, each headed by either the PA or Surgeon. Support the main effort by attaching an ATLS team. Provide the treatment to the CCP to save lives until they can be evacuated. Distribute the Class VIII load among soldiers other than medical personnel.

TOPIC: Other Medical Considerations.

DISCUSSION: Jungle warfare has a significantly higher rate of disease and nonbattle injury (DNBI) than other operational environments. It has been said that everything in the jungle either has a venomous sting, a nasty bite, or will make you sick. Fortunately, that is an exaggeration. Planning for jungle operations does require that the battalion medical platoon leader and Physician's Assistant (PA) study endemic diseases and other hazards. They must ensure that battalion medics and combat life savers receive training to cope with diseases and other hazards prior to deployment. The PA should take a personal interest in tailoring the medical supplies and even the aid bags for the jungle environment. Many jungles in the world still have Malaria, Dengue Fever, and other tropical illnesses. An efficient system to distribute the right prophylaxis is vital. Anti-venom and bee sting kits should be available to all medical personnel. Due to the slowness of movement through the jungle, prophylaxis, anti-venom, and bee sting kits should be pushed forward.

LESSON(S):

• Study endemic diseases and hazards.
• Train to treat those diseases and hazards.
• Tailor medical supplies to those diseases and hazards.
• Push supplies, such as prophylaxis, anti-venom, and bee sting kits, to the lowest possible level.

TOPIC: The Soldier's Load.

DISCUSSION: During World War II and Vietnam, the U. S. soldier was frequently overburdened when he fought in the jungle. Although he had superior strategic mobility, his tactical mobility was poor. In both conflicts, units learned to strip down to a combat-essential load to outmaneuver the enemy. A good rule of thumb is that a total of 50 pounds is all that a soldier should carry. This 50 pounds should include his LBE, water, helmet and rucksack. In most cases, less is better. Otherwise, the heat, humidity, and rugged terrain will quickly wear the soldier out. The three top priorities should be water, ammunition, and batteries. Every soldier should have a butt pack to carry his minimum survival requirements. Leaders at all levels must inspect soldiers' loads and rigorously dispose of any nonmission-essential items.

LESSON(S):

• Don't overload your troops.
• Leaders must inspect soldiers' loads to weed out nonessential items.

TOPIC: Resupply Operations.

DISCUSSION: The jungle environment puts a premium on proactive planning for resupply operations during the offense and the defense. Battalions have difficulty resupplying companies and platoons using the supply point distribution system. Normally, platoons are too far away from the supply point to obtain supplies without significantly weakening their front line strength. The S4 must be proactive in tracking the battle. He should push pre-packed supplies forward to units in contact. A technique to accomplish the movement of the supplies is the creation of "log squads." The purpose of the log squad is to carry supplies forward and casualties rearward. The log squad carries only enough firepower to protect itself in a chance contact. Another possibility is the hiring of native porters and animals to transport supplies. During World War II, U. S. forces in the Pacific were extremely successful with this technique. If sufficient air assets are available, supplies can be pre-packed in duffel bags and lowered by rappel ropes. Make sure that the duffel bags are man-portable. A 300-pound duffel bag is useless. Consider using poncho parachutes if light aircraft are available, but helicopters are not.

LESSON(S):

• The S4 must be a proactive planner.
• Push pre-packaged supplies forward.
• Create log squads with battalion assets or local labor.
• Consider duffel bag drops.
• Ship all supplies in man-portable containers or packages.

TOPIC: Water Supply.

DISCUSSION: Water consumption rates are very high in the jungle. However, treating local sources will yield potable water. Procuring water locally will prevent having water humped through the jungle. This will ease the logistical system's water distribution problem. Most jungles have abundant water during their rainy season. There is a potential for water shortages during the dry season, particularly in any highlands. Therefore, always be prepared to push water forward. In case of a shortage, it must be a priority item.

LESSON(S):

• Procure water locally, when possible.
• Treat all drinking water.
• Be prepared to push water forward as a priority item.
• Make sure iodine bottles remain sealed until needed. They are susceptible to the humidity once they are opened. A technique is to have squad bottles instead of open bottles for each soldier.

TOPIC: Handling of Deceased Personnel.

DISCUSSION: Due to the effects of the jungle's heat and humidity on human remains, it is imperative that deceased personnel be either evacuated or interred. Failure to do so may have a catastrophic effect on morale. Log squads or any other form of transportation should be used to backhaul the deceased personnel to pre-established collection points. The battalion S4 should aggressively track the movement. He must ensure that the remains are backhauled to brigade as rapidly as possible. If field interment is called for, then the unit responsible must mark the location and report it to the S4. Particular care must be taken in both establishing the location and in marking the site. The jungle often makes precise navigation difficult, while the rapid growth of vegetation can cover a freshly dug interment site in as little as a month.

LESSON(S):

• Evacuate the remains of deceased personnel as soon as possible.
• If unable to evacuate, inter the remains.
• Mark the interment site clearly. If possible, locate it on a prominent terrain feature to make it easy to locate.
• Report locations to the S4 by SOP.

BOS: BATTLE COMMAND

TOPIC: Communications.

DISCUSSION: Radio communications in the jungle are difficult. The thick jungle canopy and rugged terrain combine to play havoc with VHF/FM radio communications. The S2 analysis of the terrain is vital to the CESO to identify optimum communications sites. Signals are masked by the terrain and absorbed by the dense vegetation. Use of high ground and retransmission sites help to maintain communications. Field-expedient jungle antennas can also help. Lower frequencies (30 - 60 MHZ) tend to have a better ground wave/line of sight. Due to the high water tables, grounding is not usually a problem. Ground all radios and antennas whenever possible. Backup and even tertiary plans should be developed in case communications is lost. Contact points should be included on graphic overlays. Plans should be developed for elements to meet face to face at these contact points if no contact is made within a specified amount of time. Particular attention should be paid to units that habitually operate independently such as scouts, engineers, REMBASS, and GSR.

LESSON(S):

• The S2 should ensure he provides the CESO a copy of the terrain analysis.
• Always plan retransmission sites.
• Locate antennas on high ground.
• Use remote antennas whenever possible.
• Use lower frequencies (30-60 MHz) when possible.
• Ground all radios and antennas.
• Develop contingency plans for lost communications, especially for units operating independently.

TOPIC: Visualizing the Battlefield.

DISCUSSION: Due to the problems of radio communication in the jungle, it is often difficult for the commander to visualize the battlefield. In most other environments, a battalion commander can see a significant portion of the battlefield and acquire a feel for the battle. Not so in the jungle, where his field of vision may be 150 meters. As a result, the commander must be constantly in touch with the forward units to understand the battle. This will entail a lot of brush popping on the part of the battalion commander. He should have at least one soldier detailed as a bodyguard. Otherwise his ability to make the observations and decisions necessary will be hampered by the needs of self preservation. In addition, he will have to travel light with a small jump TOC. Most likely it would consist of the S3 and an S2 representative. In Operation JUST CAUSE, most battalions kept their FSO at the main CP to allow the commander to travel rapidly. It also allowed the FSO to keep the fire support net functional nearly all of the time.

LESSON(S):

• Keep in touch with your forward units, particularly the main effort.
• Consider using bodyguard(s) to provide security.
• Keep your jump TOC small.
• Allow the FSO to work out of the main CP. This will keep your fire support nets up and available to the companies at all times.

TOPIC: Command Posts.

DISCUSSION: Selecting a CP location in the jungle is far more difficult than in most environments. Good communications sites are few. The enemy will know most good communication sites. As a result, he is likely to focus patrolling efforts in those vicinities. The dense jungle foliage allows the enemy to infiltrate close to most sites without being detected. To counter this, dispersed CP sites seem attractive because of the concealment afforded by the jungle. While it is easier to conceal a CP in the jungle, the sound of radios breaking squelch carries a remarkable distance. Dispersing a CP into separate nodes greatly increases the area in which the sound can be heard. Also, increased dispersion causes the number of troops securing the CP to multiply geometrically. Each separate node must have 360-degree protection. A closely arrayed CP is generally the best configuration.

LESSON(S):

• Locate command posts near good terrain for communications, but not on it.
• Remote your antennas.
• CPs should be closely arrayed.
• Provide continual 360-degree security.
• Keep your radios tuned to the lowest possible volume, with the squelch off.
• Do not locate CPs along natural lines of drift.

TOPIC: Plans and Orders.

DISCUSSION: Due to the communications problems inherent to the jungle, the commander's intent must be absolutely clear. All plans and orders should recognize several salient facts about the jungle. The first is that jungle warfare is a squad and platoon leaders' war. Decentralized execution of all plans and orders is an absolute must. The second is the need for simplicity. Simple plans work in the jungle; complex plans invariably fail. The third is the need for contingency plans that rely on unit SOP for the majority of their content. The contingency plans should be identified while wargaming. The final point is that simple, well-rehearsed unit SOPs are vital. During the 1941-42 Malaya and Burma Campaigns, the Japanese Army used a single well-rehearsed battle drill to hustle the British out of Malaya and Burma. All orders should provide adequate time for rehearsals in the jungle. As in all environments, rehearsals are one of the keys to success. However, the jungle penalizes all units who fail to conduct rehearsals. The dense vegetation and rugged terrain will confound even seasoned troops if they have not rehearsed their actions in jungle terrain. The primary reason is that the jungle is entirely alien to most U. S. troops. The difficulties of maintaining visual contact beyond the boundaries of a fire team must be experienced to sink in. This effect holds true through battalion level.

LESSON(S):

• A clear, concise commander's intent is half the battle.
• Decentralized execution is the norm in the jungle.
• Use the K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid) principle.
• Unit SOPs should be simple and well rehearsed.
• Conduct rehearsals in the jungle, not in an open field.

Section I, Part IV

Section II: Platoon and Squad Operations