Military

RSS DESERT TRAINING PROGRAM Purpose The purpose of this training program is to adequately prepare RSS Platoon, 7 RAR for upcoming operations in the desert environment. This program will exercise Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Sniper skills in a physical and mental capacity. Method RSS Platoon will undertake a four week lead up program. The first week will consist of predominately theory based training in the lecture room, in preparation for a TTP development week to be held in the UOTF and the DTA. This two week block will allow PC’s, Sniper team leaders and Surveillance Det commanders to build team cohesion and rehearse relevant skills sets required from their respective C/S’s. Week three will be conducted in MBTA and will test each element on their group cohesion and the robustness of their TTP’s, through the use of a tactical exercise in the CTA against an enemy with simular skill sets. This week will be focused mainly on identifying strengths and weaknesses within C/S’s and utilising AAR’s IOT improve upon these. The final week will also be in MBTA and will be utilised in two parts; the first being a “make amends” block, and the second being a full RSS Platoon tactical activity (EX ANTI-HAMEL) in which members will deploy on a three day exercise into the field and all work towards a common mission. Additionally members will undertake a Physical Training program that aims to mentally and physically harden them as well as assist in developing group cohesiveness. End state RSS Platoon has successfully developed their TTP’s and their skills have been tested by EX ANTI-HAMEL; resulting in an RSS Platoon that is ready to deploy on operations in the desert environment. Training outcomes 1. Desert hides. 2. Stalks. 3. Desert OP’s. 4. Patrolling techniques in the desert environment. 5. Break contacts in desert environment and Green Zone. 6. Room entry drills. 7. Building clearance drills. 8. Co-operative drills with all ISR assets in the desert environment. 9. Building classification drills. 10. Marking FUP and entry points in the desert environment and in the Green Zone. 11. Counter recon drills in the desert environment and the Green Zone. 12. CTR drills in the desert environment and the Green Zone. 13. GSR and surveillance techniques the desert environment and the Green Zone. 14. Desert resupplies techniques. 15. Mission planning, back briefing and orders. 16. RV, marry up and lost comms procedures. All activities stated will be conducted in both day and night conditions where possible. The culmination of these activities will be during EX ANTI-HAMEL, where members will be required to utilise their respective skills sets IOT achieve a common goal for RSS Platoon. This will also include a live firing stage as the final stage of the program, in which members will be required to demonstrate their ability to escape and evade and successfully conduct marry up with C/S’s. Concept of Operations The training program is broken into 4 phases (one week each phase) Phase 1 A week long lecture program focussing on the theory side of RSS TTP’s as well as familiarising members with aspects of the environment and culture they are about to deploy into. This will be run by the PLCOMD and the respective team leaders. Phase 2 A week long TTP development phase. In this phase respective team leaders will receive a great deal of mission command IOT train and prepare their men for the upcoming activities. Platoon staff will cover down on the activities IOT ensure continuity in the training. Phase 3 A week long activity conducted in the field at MBTA in which members will be required to utilise the TTP training conducted in the 2 weeks prior IOT successfully conduct operations against an enemy with simular skill sets. Phase 4 A week long activity broken into 2 parts; the first being a “make amends” phase, in which teams will have the first day to fix any areas that were brought up in the AAR’s from the previous week. The last part of the week will be utilised to conduct EX ANTI-HAMEL, in which members will be required to utilise their respective skill sets IOT to achieve a common mission within RSS Platoon. This final test of objectives will be concluded with a live fire activity. Scheme of Manoeuvre Phase 1 and 2 – The purpose of these phases is to learn the skill sets required for their role once on operations and to familiarise RSS members with the theatre they are about to enter. The members will then be able to take this information and utilise it practically in the second week of training. Additionally NCO’s will gain a better understanding of mission command and will have the opportunity to take ownership of their teams. Prior to embarking on these phases, team leaders will be made aware of the required outcomes and will have adequate preparation time IOT ensure those outcomes are achieved. Training in the UOTF will give additional complexity to the training and force commanders to develop their TTP’s IOT suit multiple environments, and moving between those environments. Phase 3 - RSS Platoon will deploy to MBTA IOT conduct a training exercise designed to fill the gap between rehearsal training and a full tactical exercise. The exercise will mostly be conducted with teams conducting tasks independently before coming together towards the end of the training week. As previously stated members will face an enemy that has simular skill sets to them. This enemy will ramp up their operations towards the end of the week. For this activity Platoon staff will act as DS and additional Bn staff will be required IOT achieve the desired outcomes. AAR’s will continue to be utilised, however less frequently than the previous weeks. Phase 4 - As previously stated, this phase will firstly allow members to conduct any last minute adjustments prior to conducting the final test of objectives. Prior to the commencement of EX ANTI-HAMEL all team leaders will receive all the required briefs and orders for the task. This will include FRAGO’s from the S2 Cell as well as continual updates during battle prep. This will allow team leaders as well as other members to understand the complete process and have a better appreciation of how the Bn works and employs their support assets. At the same time as the RSS members are conducting preparation; the enemy will be prepositioning and preparing for the activity. The aim for the enemy in this EX is to continue to ramp up their activity from the previous encounters. This phase of the training program will test the commanders MAP, understanding of the commander’s intent as well as briefing and orders delivery. The EX will be coordinated by Platoon staff with assistance from additional Bn staff and will be carried out as a complete mission from insertion right through to extraction. This final test of objectives will be a good reflection of the level of training that RSS Platoon, 7 RAR is currently at, and a good indication of their suitability to conduct operations in the desert environment.