During my time in the Marine Corps, I spent a lot of long field ops living out of my backpack. This was the case in every unit I served with, from a division COC to an infantry regiment to ANGLICO teams. As an amphibious expeditionary force, Marines never get too attached to our vehicles, andContinue reading “The Jäger Course”
Category Archives: Rifleman Skills
The Rifleman’s Essentials
I’ve helped many people set up their combat equipment over the years, from family to students to fellow Marines. Earlier I wrote an article entitled “Priorities of Purchase: Progressively Building a Rifleman’s Kit on a Budget“, in which I laid out the order in which an aspiring rifleman should purchase gear. In that article IContinue reading “The Rifleman’s Essentials”
On Rifle Slings
One of the most important accessories to have for a rifle is a good sling. It saves your arms from getting fatigued carrying the rifle, frees your hands for other tasks, and helps you maintain readiness by keeping your rifle handy. Today I’ll list the three types of rifle slings with their pros and cons,Continue reading “On Rifle Slings”
Trash Management in the Field
In our disposable society we throw away so much stuff that we have become numb to it. When I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I was surprised to learn that there are no public trash cans in Japan (there was a terror attack some years ago and they decided to get rid of assault trashContinue reading “Trash Management in the Field”
How to Make a Skivvy Roll
This is a little fieldcraft trick that the Marine Corps taught me. When you go to the field for several days at a time, it is rarely necessary to pack a full change of clothes. You really only need to change out the base layers of clothing that are in direct contact with your skinContinue reading “How to Make a Skivvy Roll”
How to Pack a Rucksack
A light infantryman’s pack is his life. One of the biggest focuses of the upcoming Jäger Course is living for a week out of your rucksack, carrying everything you need to survive and conduct operations during that time. This is not meant to break you by carrying a lot of weight. On the contrary, IContinue reading “How to Pack a Rucksack”
The Minuteman’s Guide to Countering Armored Vehicles
Since the first tanks and armored cars appeared on the battlefields of WWI Europe, infantrymen have been forced to find ways to deal with them. The modern minuteman is no different, and any prolonged civil conflict in the United States is bound to see armored vehicles used in one form or another. I’m not evenContinue reading “The Minuteman’s Guide to Countering Armored Vehicles”
On Weapon-Mounted Lasers Part II
In Part I, I briefly covered how to use and zero weapon-mounted aiming lasers. Today I will discuss the tactics and techniques of night fighting, with and without lasers, in the face of an adversary who is similarly equipped. Laser Discipline Rule number one of wearing night vision is to not assume that you areContinue reading “On Weapon-Mounted Lasers Part II”
Thermal Camouflage: The Jäger Rig
Last week I posted an article about thermal camouflage. In that article I mentioned the use of mylar GI Casualty blankets to hide a static position. However, this is more than simply draping the blanket on top of you, there is an technique that must be applied. Today I will show you my method ofContinue reading “Thermal Camouflage: The Jäger Rig”
The Minuteman’s Guide to Thermal Camouflage
Warfare, be it foreign or domestic, is changing. The modern battlefield is saturated with sensors of all types from drones to night vision to electronic warfare. As this technology becomes more and more available/affordable to civilians, even irregular warfare is evolving. In order to survive the ever-changing nature of war, we must adapt along withContinue reading “The Minuteman’s Guide to Thermal Camouflage”
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