The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three Block War
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmc/strategic_corporal.htm
"The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three Block War"
Marines Magazine, January 1999 by Gen. Charles C. Krulak Operation Absolute Agility 0611: The African sun had just risen above the hills surrounding the sprawling city and sent its already dazzling rays streaming into the dusty alleyway. Corporal Hernandez felt the sun on his face and knew that today would, again, be sweltering. He was a squad leader in 2d Platoon, Lima Company and had, along with his men, spent a sleepless night on the perimeter. For the past week his platoon had provided security to the International Relief Organization (IRO) workers
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The movement to the road intersection at CP Charlie was uneventful and took less than ten minutes. The squad had manned the post before and was familiar with the routine. Pre-staged barricades were quickly moved into place to secure the street to vehicular traffic and a triple strand of concertina was strung in order to control pedestrian movement. Corporal Sley and his fire team moved a hundred meters north and established an Observation Post (OP) on the roof of a two-story building that afforded excellent fields of view. By 0700, the squad was in position. At that hour, the city was still quiet, and except for the intel report concerning OWETA activity, there was no evidence that this day would be any different from the previous. The Marines of 1st Squad settled in for another long hot day of tedious duty.
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The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three Block War
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmc/strategic_corporal.htm
0903: By nine o 'clock, the normal large crowd, mostly women and children with baskets in hand, had gathered to await passage through the checkpoint. The Marines orders were clear: they were to deny access to anyone carrying a weapon and to be alert for any indications of potential trouble. Their Rules of Engagement (ROE) were unambiguous: anyone observed with an automatic weapon was considered hostile, as was anyone who intentionally threatened Marine personnel. The MEU Commander
they attempted to break contact. An AC-130 was able to provide covering fire and enabled the
This unit was practicing improper procedures for their soldiers were drinking, doing drugs, and visiting local brothels. From a tactical stand point the 48th infantry was no better in this aspect either. The patrols they conducted were inadequate and performed far from often. The area supposed to be under their control became dangerous because the insurgents moving in the area were virtually unchallenged. This was no feat for the 101st and 1st platoon because the 101st is a tactically sound unit that could establish control and a presence in the area but for soldiers that had to do so upon arrival when it was supposed to be maintained is not necessarily a good thing. The company commander of bravo, Cpt. Goodwin decided the best way to take back control of their area of operations is to have a three station cycle for his company. Each platoon would have a twenty-one day rotation at a different location carrying out a different task. The three tasks were to set up TCP on a main roads, set up a FOB and be the quick reaction force for the other platoons, and the third task was to patrol the city as per guidance from higher. The least liked job was manning the TCP’s. The soldiers did not like this job because they knew soldiers sitting in the open made for easy targets. The task of patrolling was no easy feat either, as stated earlier the previous unit left the city in poor conditions. The roads were filled with
Candidate Satterwhite established 360 security upon arrival at TAA9. Candidate Satterwhite’s initial brief to the fire team leaders was confident, containing necessary information to complete the mission, with minimal stumbling; SNC constructed terrain model during the initial brief and did not delegate a subordinate acquire the azimuth. Candidate Satterwhite issued tasks that enabled fire team leaders to effectively lead instead of micromanage. Prior to departure, SNC assigned specific tasks and developed an initial plan to prevent the squad from appearing as soft targets by directing the fire teams disperse and skirt the tree line along the road, which displayed communication and situational awareness. When a point of friction occurred, Candidate
SNC delivered a confident and complete order successfully addressing all paragraphs of the five paragraph order. SNC assigned primary and secondary tasks to subordinates and reiterated the Enemy Situation. SNC properly controlled the fire team’s formation utilizing proper dispersion and smoothly transitioned from column to wedge. Upon enemy contact SNC relayed a clear and effective ADDRAC and directed SNC’s fire team to provide suppressive fire. SNC maintained mission focus when SNC’s fire team took a casualty. SNC directed his fire team in a tactically appropriate manner as they evacuated the casualty. Upon return to MA-2A SNC submitted the map to higher without being prompted by the evaluator. SNC displayed suburb leadership potential
Moreover, during an extensive struggle on the Morris island, a lot of numbers of torpedoes were being used by the rebels in defense of Fort Wagner. In one of the huge explosions, a corporal of the 3rd colored troops was thrown about 25 yards. “the dead soldier landed entirely naked, with arm resting on the plunger of another torpedo.”
crowd of soldiers, situated by their artillery's burn and their surveillance balloon, came under Spanish fire. The major assault began at 1:00 P.M. The key to the attack on San Juan Hill by a U.S. infantry partition was the effectual flames of a series of three Gatling (machine) guns that brushed the peak and forced most of the Spanish protectors to flee as the infantry in some disorder protected the tallness (Robert, 1993, p. 74).
“We have teams in there going over every detail,” says Sgt. Pam Marone. “We’re getting a pretty clear picture of what went on yesterday morning. It hasn’t been easy. Even some of our veteran officers got pretty shaken up when they walked in there. It’s such a tragedy.”
”At the time of the attack I was in my room shaving. The word was passed "Away Fire and Rescue Party;" just as I was leaving my room the second word was passed for all hands to man their General Quartets Stations closely followed by a shock of a hit. I glanced at my clock as I was leaving my room and noticed the time was a few minutes before 8:00 A.M. I started for my station in Radio Central; as I was passing along the third deck up a port ammunition passageway, I felt two more hits. The lights went out in the passageway except for one battle light and two panel lights in the boat crane machinery space. By the time I reached the compartment abreast the armory the ship had picked up a ten to fifteen list to port; there were a couple of battle lights on in this compartment. Water and oil were bubbling up along the junction of the bulkhead and deck of the electrical work shop, port side”(D.L. Westfall)
“Ok squad we just got word there is a small enemy outpost not far from here in the foothills, this is where most of the Taliban are staging when they attack this base. We are sending in just our squad for a quick in and out recon mission of the area," explains the Lt nodding his head rapidly.
At the headquarters of the Louisiana National Guard, located in the lower 9th ward, the soldiers were not yet aware that the canal levees were giving way. The Guard’s commander
At the Charlie-1 gate, there was some action going on there. People a part of the British specialist protective detail was there delivering some vehicles and weapons at the
On top of trying to establish an area where they could sit down and not have to worry about direct fire, 1st platoon was also tasked with conducting patrols and manning TCP's which they did not have the men to
A Professional Soldier is someone that makes a commitment of servitude to his or her country. An individual willing to adapt to the nation’s ever-changing needs. A soldier that makes a lifelong commitment to learning and becoming a professional in the Army. The Profession of Arms in the Army means to establish firm ground work of character, ethics and unmatched adaptability in times of warfare. Developing the American Soldier and understanding the Profession of Arms will give insight to how it will benefit future generations in the Army.
At 03:17 am, Engine 2 arrives on location and reports that he has heavy fire showing from the first and second floors, and requests a full first alarm assignment. One minute later he reported that he had fire all the way to the roof in a 6-story building, 60’ x one city block. He then requested a full second alarm assignment and notified the dispatch center to prepare for the third alarm. Around 3:30 am, before most 2nd alarm companies arrived on the fireground. the first of many collapses occurred. A large section of wall collapsed from the upper story on the York Street side and crashed on to the street. By 4:01 am, this fire would grow to a five-alarm response. With the arrival of Engine 2 and other arriving companies, command was established, and the fire scene was divided into four geographic divisions (A, B, C, D) to manage this defensive fire. Command was passed from Engine 2 to the Battalion Commander, then to the Division commander and lastly to the Deputy Commissioner. As the fire intensified, the command structure grew to include an operations section, logistics, safety and an exposure group lead by a Battalion Chief. For over two hours the approximately 45 apparatus and over 150 firefighters and paramedics fought to contain the fire to the original complex and protect the surrounding neighborhood. The weather that night brought 17 mph winds, with gusts over 30 mph. These winds, combined with the heavy fire load
If my weapon had been picked up by someone from someone else in the military on the Camp Leatherneck, then they would have turned it into their higher chain of command, in which would have been turned over to the military police. At that point, I would then be breaking UCMJ and most likely lose rank and pay. It could also lead to a higher punishment and being discharged from the Marine Corps. If my weapon had been picked up by someone outside of the military, it could have been sold to be used to harm other military members or used by an insurgent to hurt men, women, and children. Camp Leatherneck could be locked down and searched until the weapon was found. In which, for the convoys outside of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), would not be able to enter. This could leave them open to attack and could lead to cost of lives and money to the government. Losing a weapon could cost your unit and could cost a lot of people valuable time, which is precious in Afghanistan.