We do section training here every saturday at 1700. Today, a very keen LCpl of the Royal Engineers took us through an oh-fuck-we-got-hit-by-an-IED evolution. The objective was to rehearse the actions of reporting, securing, defending, evacuating the wounded, destroying any gear left behind, and bugging out. And we did it in full “kit’. VERY VALUABLE TRAINING.
So, one of us played the wounded guy, two young Sappers played the drivers; two more officers got to make the initial contact report, and then haul the wounded guy out of his vehicle and into the other one. That’s a bitch; it’s hard enough to lift a guy in full gear, then his vest got hung up on something, and so on. It was not a pretty scene.
Lesson learned. Practice, and practice realistically. The real thing will be considerably less pretty.
Realistic would also include some lubricant to simulate blood. That really makes a casualty in full kit hard to manhandle.
Train as you fight!!!!
No person has ever risen to the occassion as much as those who have fallen back on their training!!!!
Stay safe Sir!! Semper Fi
OB