Troop/Platoon level whiteboard training ideas

[Towards_the_gap]

....because it will be in February and the team will be pulling a toboggan with a tent group.

: I almost thought you were talking about olympian bear for a second.....

Surely there are other hardships that are uniquely Canadian vice hauling around, like an unpopular sherpa, the most archaic, least tactical bit of field equipment next to the puffing billy?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Rumour has it that there will be a Canadian competitor to this competition next year.  I heard that it will be 60km like the Cambrian patrol, but over 72 hrs vice 48....because it will be in February and the team will be pulling a toboggan with a tent group.

Awesome. I'll let the boss of 3 Commando Brigade know, and make sure to tell him he's a pussy if his 'arctic trained' Marines don't win ;D

 

[Jarnhamar]

This thread is great. I'm coming up with some training ideas for future training and definitely going to draw on this for examples and ideas.

Some of my ideas (while not necessarily costing $0) so far are,

1.Have troops suit up in CBRN kit and using CAMs have to search (sniff) an area for contaminated material.

2.Invite the OPP dog team over for an afternoon and talk about how to escape and evade from dogs, also give a demo of a dog team searching vehicles or a building.

3.1-day E&E ex. Number of trackers, if any, would depend on the CoCs thoughts but even at a very basic level troops can be driven out to a point and have to make it back to X.  Gets them out of the building.

4. Friend of mine is pretty heavy into close protection and teaches on tactical driving courses. Might see if I can arrange for him to come up and give some classes/demos on the driving stuff. Maybe see if we can do a pistol & shotgun range.  I'd rather do a range with some training value than a "fun shoot" or PWT.

5. Vehicle self recovery from the training area.

6. Invite a crew from the RCDs over in one of their coyote's to give a short demo on how their surveillance stuff works.

7. Invite some border guards up to Pet for an afternoon/day to possibly give classes/demo on how they search vehicles and maybe a building (that might be a bit of a stretch though)

 

[MikeL]

1.Have troops suit up in CBRN kit and using CAMs have to search (sniff) an for contaminated material.

Is this something members in a Infantry battalion could get tasked with?  Or would this fall into the realm of specialists such as CJIRU?

4. Friend of mine is pretty heavy into close protection and teaches on tactical driving courses. Might see if I can arrange for him to come up and give some classes/demos on the driving stuff.

Unless you are planning on spending at least a few days doing the tactical driving on the vehicles they(training audience) would use, and refreshers in the future I'm not sure how much value there is in this training, and it may be hard to justify to the CoC.  I've done an advanced driving course, and there is no way I would have learned much/anything if it was just done in 1 afternoon.

7. Invite some border guards up to Pet for an afternoon/day to possibly give classes/demo on how they search vehicles and maybe a building (that might be a bit of a stretch though)

Are border guards required?  Is there anyone within the unit with experience of searching vehicles and buildings?

Do border guards search buildings?  All I can imagine the border guards/custom agents searching is vehicles, sea containers, people, etc not a building.



IMO,  for a afternoon/day of training, it may be easier to justify/coordinate if you stick with resources within your unit and those within CFB Petawawa.  Perhaps even request some shooting SMEs from CSOR for your ranges;  the worst they can say is no. 


Don't want to seem like a dick who is hacking at your ideas,  but I would imagine your CoC would be asking similar questions if you submitted a request for the training ideas I quoted.

 

[Bzzliteyr]

These are awesome ideas that are a great addition to my toolbox, thanks!

 

[Jarnhamar]

Don't want to seem like a dick who is hacking at your ideas,  but I would imagine your CoC would be asking similar questions if you submitted a request for the training ideas I quoted.

Not at all, I appreciate the feedback and criticism for sure.

Is this something members in a Infantry battalion could get tasked with?  Or would this fall into the realm of specialists such as CJIRU?

We have the equipment on hand and it would involve IBTS style training, the "search" portion would be confirmation of IBTS CBRN drills with something interesting thrown in.  I see it as extra effort to make training more interesting and introduce soldiers to equipment they may have never seen.

Unless you are planning on spending at least a few days doing the tactical driving on the vehicles they(training audience) would use, and refreshers in the future I'm not sure how much value there is in this training, and it may be hard to justify to the CoC.  I've done an advanced driving course, and there is no way I would have learned much/anything if it was just done in 1 afternoon.

  Great point, maybe that's something better saved if we have a few days to devote to the training.

Are border guards required?  Is there anyone within the unit with experience of searching vehicles and buildings?
All I can imagine the border guards/custom agents searching is vehicles, sea containers, people, etc not a building.

I'm sure there is and it would be much easier to do in house. Border guards tend to be better looking than crusty old NCOs though 
Searching vehicles and equipment, though, I think border guards would have much more practical experience. The administration involved though would obviously be a headache.

IMO,  for a afternoon/day of training, it may be easier to justify/coordinate if you stick with resources within your unit and those within CFB Petawawa.  Perhaps even request some shooting SMEs from CSOR for your ranges;  the worst they can say is no. 

Good idea, especially for pistol shooting.

 

[UnwiseCritic]

Dry urban ops training culminating in multiple take overs of sea can village. Change leadership positions around, eg, put a sgt in a warrant position, a cpl in charge of a section. Same could be done for section attacks.

Dry weapons training, on 50 cal, mortars, c6 sf role.

Low level language training, basic commands such as help, stop, down, etc

Maybe just a current events hour every Friday.

Go over construction of various trenches

Comms, practice nine liner until its 2nd nature, fire missions

Map study, route selection

Then after all of that have an inter company competition on an ex that uses mentioned skills.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

For point 7 why not ask the CER as we are supposed to be the SME's on searcb
:-\

 

[MedCorps]

Is this something members in a Infantry battalion could get tasked with?  Or would this fall into the realm of specialists such as CJIRU?

With respect to the use of the CAM, this is something that is a general soldier skill and not just in the realm of CJIRU.  According to doctrine when a threat is present each unit is supposed to have an integral CBRN recce and surveillance team that can use CAM, M256A1, and RDS-100.  A number of CAMs are on the CFFET of most field units. There are specialist courses to do CBRN recce and surveillance, but people rarely have them and I suspect if required it will be a Unit CBRN NCO / Officer and a few "luck" other guys who are given a crash course on the equipment before being thrust into the unknown.

Take a look at B-GL-383-003/FP-001 INDIVIDUAL BATTLE TASK STANDARDS FOR LAND OPERATIONS (2008-04-07) Annex B, Appendix 3:

Individual standard level 3: All operators within a Task Force integral support CRBN recce and surveillance team must:

(b) detect (simulated) chemical agents.

I think this is a good training outside of the box.  Provides a good overview on a piece of kit that they might have to use someday.

If you need information on stimulants for the CAM / training ideas drop me a PM as I have done this sort of trg with my Pl and Coy before and I have some hints. 

MC

 

[MikeL]

Ack,  thanks for the info MedCorps.  Wasn't sure,  as I don't recall seeing/using that kit or been in a unit that trained with it AFAIK. I know a few NCOs have taken the CBRN/NBCD course;  but I don't think they've used much of what they learned during their time in battalion. Except for run the gas hut for IBTS, not sure if they also assisted with the gas mask fitting/testing or not.

 

[GGHG_Cadet]

Grab a copy of IBTS and complete the classroom portions which typically get lip service. Go through your BTS and give stands on the various tasks.

For the classroom portions of IBTS are there MLPs/ powerpoints that exist? I know my unit has some, but the selection isn't great. So far I use basic lessons from Documentum that cover the same or roughly the same information, but I would think that there has got to be lesson plans already made for IBTS somewhere.

 

[OldSolduer]

How about a rousing "who wants to join the RSM marchin up and down the square?" "Oh marchin up and down the square not good enough for you?"

Say what you will, but there is a time and place for drill. The corporals, under supervision of the MCpls and Sgts can do this.

 

[daftandbarmy]

How about a rousing "who wants to join the RSM marchin up and down the square?" "Oh marchin up and down the square not good enough for you?"

Say what you will, but there is a time and place for drill. The corporals, under supervision of the MCpls and Sgts can do this.

You know what? IMHO that's one of the best ways to build a junior leader's confidence in a controlled setting.

There. I said it. Drill IS good for something!