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APPENDIX C

RAMP TRAINING SCENARIOS (cont)

CASE STUDY 5

ANTICIPATING ATTACK
RESPONDING TO UNCLEAR INDICATORS OF HOSTILE INTENT

SITUATION: A soldier quickly exits a UH-60 Blackhawk aircraft as soon as it touches down. The helicopter landing zone is on a military installation in a country that has long been allied with the U.S. Recently, however, that country has been ruled by a military dictator whose methods have grown increasingly corrupt and repressive. The military installation houses American military families -- routinely stationed in the country as part of an ongoing training and regional security mission -- as well as soldiers of the allied nation. The soldier's unit is deployed to the country with the mission of enforcing America's rights under a treaty that the military dictator has openly begun to repudiate. On this evening, the soldier's battalion has the mission of conducting a show of force at the military installation to demonstrate American resolve to defend its interests under the treaty. The soldier and the remainder of his squad, all running from the helicopter toward a wood line with full combat equipment and wearing skin camouflage, have the mission to provide security around part of the helicopter landing zone. The soldier carries an M-203 grenade launcher, the rifle portion of which is locked and loaded with 5.56-mm ammunition. The soldier has several grenade rounds in the outside pockets of his rucksack. The terrain is mostly jungle, with occasional grassy clearings. The buildings of the military installation's residential area are several hundred meters away. An infantry company of the country's defense forces, still loyal to the dictator, occupy the military installation. The commander has ordered that the standing RAMP rules of force are in effect, but has emphasized that the host country's defense forces will feel threatened by the show of force and may reflexively aim weapons toward American soldiers. During similar shows of force in recent days, defense forces in other parts of the country have held their fire after initially training their weapons on American forces. Also, intelligence reports maintain that the military dictator does not seek hostilities with American forces at this time. Accordingly, the commander has supplemented the "A" of RAMP with the guidance that if a member of the defense forces aims a weapon at U.S. forces, then without more, that act is not to be interpreted as a clear indicator of hostile intent. Higher headquarters has not officially designated as hostile any forces, to include the host country's defense forces.

EVENT: As the soldier rushes toward the wood line, he sees a member of the host country's defense force 50 meters away. The member of the defense force is peering at the soldier and his fellow American soldiers from behind a machine gun that is mounted on a tripod in a prepared position.

CONSIDERATIONS: The key rule here is ANTICIPATE ATTACK, which means that the soldier may use force first if, and only if, he sees clear indicators of hostile intent. The RAMP rules, as supplemented by the commander, permit the soldier to fire his weapons before receiving fire, but only if he can identify clear, objective indicators of hostile intent. Here, the soldier cannot conclude that the machine gunner's intentions are hostile. The SALUTE factors do not provide a clear picture of the machine gunner's intentions: size (thus far only a single machine gunner is visible), activity (presently aiming a weapon but holding fire from a stationary position as Americans conduct an air assault), location (within range of all weapons systems), time (capable of opening fire without delay, and of receiving prompt assistance from host country defense forces), and equipment ( a machine gun in a prepared position with an unknown amount of ammunition). Moreover, the commander has emphasized that the aiming of a weapon is not a clear indicator of hostile intent, under the circumstances. Each of the other RAMP rules would support a decision to refrain from firing at, or launching a grenade at, the machine gunner. Soldiers can RETURN FIRE with fire, and respond to hostile acts with necessary force. Certainly, if the machine gunner fires a single shot toward American forces, the soldier can return fire. Soldiers must MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF FORCE to fit the level of the threat, if time and circumstances permit. Under these circumstances, some demonstration of available force may ultimately be necessary to persuade the machine gunner to stand down from his ready position, but for the moment, the soldier can perform the immediate task of reaching the wood line and taking up a position on his squad's perimeter without using any force against the machine gunner. His chain of command can then determine the appropriate measure of force to use. If the situation develops to where the soldier must PROTECT LIFE WITH DEADLY FORCE, he may do so, but right now, only protective measures well short of deadly force are appropriate.

SUGGESTED RESPONSE: To dive onto the ground and use individual movement techniques (high crawl, low crawl, rush) to reach the wood line. The soldier should remain as covered and concealed from the machine gunner as possible, while reporting the location of the position to the chain of command.

HISTORICAL NOTE: This mission was part of a show of force that U.S. Marines conducted during June,1989, at Fort Amador, Panama. The operation was NIMROD DANCER. Rather than an air assault, the Marines conducted an amphibious landing at the installation. The natural response of the Panamanian Defense Forces to the landing was to turn their weapons in the direction of the landing Marines. Because the Marines did not open fire, the show of force occurred without incident or casualties, and the U.S. retained the moral high ground in the tense confrontation with Manuel Noriega. The confrontation became an armed conflict six months later, on terms favorable to the U.S. in Operation JUST CAUSE.

REFERENCES: SMCT 181-906-1506; Interview with Lawrence A. Yates, Historian, Combat Studies Institute, United States Army Command & General Staff College (22 March 1994) (discussing interviews with JTF-Panama commander and staff, with the Marine Force commander under JTF-Panama, and with a Marine staff officer at U.S. SOUTHCOM, June 1989, December 1989).

CASE STUDY 6

MEASURING FORCE
USING FORCE NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION

SITUATION: A soldier is in a convoy of five Army vehicles as it winds its way down a narrow road through a thick jungle. The road is in a country that has long been allied with the U.S. Recently, however, that country has been ruled by a military dictator whose methods have grown increasingly corrupt and repressive. American units are routinely stationed in the country as part of an ongoing training and regional security mission, but the Army unit manning the convoy is currently deployed to the country with the mission of enforcing America's rights under a treaty that the military dictator has openly begun to repudiate. Specifically, the defense forces of the country -- still loyal to the military dictator -- have been denying freedom of movement along the road to convoys of U.S. vehicles. On this afternoon, the convoy has the mission of traveling the length of the road without being escorted by the host nation's defense forces. The Army captain and 30 soldiers under his command in the vehicles are carrying full combat equipment and wearing skin camouflage. The battalion commander has ordered that the standing RAMP rules of force are in effect, but has provided the following two pieces of supplemental guidance. First, the host country's defense forces will feel threatened by the armed convoy and may reflexively aim weapons toward American soldiers. During similar shows of force in recent days, defense forces in other parts of the country have held their fire after initially training their weapons on American forces. Also, intelligence reports maintain that the military dictator does not seek hostilities with American forces at this time, and higher headquarters has not officially designated as hostile any forces, to include the host country's defense forces. Accordingly, the battalion commander has supplemented the "A" of RAMP with the guidance that if a member of the defense forces aims a weapon at U.S. forces, then without more, the act is not to be interpreted as a clear indicator of hostile intent. Second, the battalion commander has supplemented the "M" of RAMP with the guidance that the convoy commander will take a specific series of escalating measures and give specific orders to soldiers if the host nation defense forces block the convoy's movement.

EVENT: As the convoy rounds bend, it encounters a roadblock. Five armed members of the host country's defense forces man the roadblock and motion the convoy to halt. As the vehicles stop, the soldier notices several other members of the defense forces in prone positions, aiming weapons at the convoy.

CONSIDERATIONS: One key rule here is ANTICIPATE ATTACK, which means that the soldier may use force first if, and only if, he sees clear indicators of hostile intent. The RAMP rules, as supplemented by the commander, permit the soldier to fire his weapons before receiving fire, but only if he can identify clear, objective indicators of hostile intent. Here, the soldier cannot conclude that the defense force intentions are hostile. The SALUTE factors do not provide a clear picture of their intentions: size (squad-size element is typical for manning a roadblock), activity (presently aiming weapons but holding fire from stationary positions as Americans approach in a convoy), location (within range of all weapons systems), time (capable of opening fire without delay), and equipment (small arms, with an unknown amount of ammunition). Moreover, the commander has emphasized that the aiming of a weapon is not a clear indicator of hostile intent, under the circumstances. The other key rule here is to MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF FORCE to fit the level of the threat. Under the standing RAMP rules, a soldier must use only the amount of force necessary to protect lives and accomplish the mission. The force used must fit the scale of the threat in magnitude, intensity, and duration. If possible, soldiers apply a graduated escalation of force when facing potentially hostile elements. Here, the captain commanding the American convoy has specific orders on what measures will be used in the escalation of force. For instance, he might read aloud to the host nation defense forces from an index card containing the article of the treaty authorizing freedom of movement for U.S. forces. If the forces do not let the convoy pass, he may give sequential orders for troops to dismount the vehicles, lock and load weapons, and fix bayonets. No independent use of force by the soldier is appropriate. Nor do the other two RAMP rules support the use of force. Soldiers may RETURN FIRE with fire, but the forces have fired no shots. If the situation develops to where the soldier must PROTECT LIFE WITH DEADLY FORCE, he may do so, but right now, only protective measures in accordance with the convoy commander's orders are appropriate.

SUGGESTED RESPONSE: To refrain from firing, and to follow the orders of the convoy commander.

HISTORICAL NOTE: This problem is adapted from armed convoy missions conducted by elements of the U.S. Army 7th Infantry Division (Light) during May 1989 in Panama. The mission was part of Operation NIMROD DANCER. The natural response of Panamanian Defense Forces to the armed convoys was to turn their weapons in the direction of American soldiers. Because Americans did not open fire, the convoys reached their destinations without incident or casualties, and the U.S. retained the moral high ground in the tense confrontation with Manuel Noriega. The confrontation became an armed conflict seven months later, on terms favorable to the U.S., in Operation JUST CAUSE.


Appendix C, Part 1
Appendix C, Part 3



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