MEU snipers follow 'rabbit' trail in Military Tracking Course

[SR-25]

Submitted by: MCB Camp Butler
Story Identification #: 20059820415
Story by Pfc. C. Warren Peace



JUNGLE WARFARE TRAINING CENTER, OKINAWA, Japan (Sept. 9, 2005) -- Fifteen snipers and mortarmen with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Battalion Landing Team, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, learned how to identify these subtle signs during the Military Tracking Course at the Jungle Warfare Training Center Aug. 21 through Sept. 3.

Freshly broken twigs, dew rubbed off stones and overturned leaves on the jungle floor are standard signs observed while tracking people in the jungle.

"The course teaches our service members the basic skills of tracking," said Lance Cpl. Jordan R. McInerney, a tracking instructor. "If we go to war in a jungle environment, they will be able to survive."

The tracking course here has been available since Feb. 9, 2003. JWTC began offering the course after the Jungle Operations Training Center on Fort Sherman, Panama closed in 1999.
During 14 days of training, the Marines received four days of classroom instruction and ten days of practical application training.

In the classroom, Marines learned tracking terminology, techniques and observation methods, explained Lance Cpl. Aaron R. Mastro, a tracking instructor with JWTC. The students must pass six written tests in order to advance to the practical application portion of training.

During the practical application portion of the training, two groups of four students fled into the jungle, serving as "rabbits." Once the rabbits reached their objective, they radioed the other two groups of three and four students and told them to begin their search.

During the first few days of practical application, the rabbits intentionally left signs for the tracking teams to follow, Mastro explained. As the training progressed, the tracking teams were slowly weaned off intentional signs and introduced to deception tactics, which are attempts rabbits make to lose or delay the trackers.

"In the field, the students have to apply everything they have learned to be successful," Mastro said. "These guys are not going to have a problem. They seem to be naturals at this."
After seven days of practice, the tracking instructors tested the students on the skills they learned. A group of instructors set out into the jungle as rabbits, with a three-hour lead. Three teams of five students were given three days to track them down.

While tracking, the students had to remain tactical as not to alert the rabbits they were on their trail. They carried rifles and full packs, as they would be spending three days and nights in the jungle. They had to carry everything they needed, since they would not have a chance to restock their supplies.

Of the 15 students, 14 passed the course and received a certificate of completion during a graduation ceremony.

Due to the amount of information the course covers, there is a high attrition rate, explained McInerney. There are usually two or three failures in an average 15-student class. This group had only one failure.

"They were stellar students," said Sgt Jason B. Drobish, the assistant chief instructor. "By the second day of the final effects, they had already caught the rabbits twice, even after the rabbit group divided into two groups as a diversion."

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn20...9?opendocument