November 16, 2011 Day 61

FTX 3 - Day 3

After finishing our last patrol mission, it was time to take on FOB security. We were tasked with keeping this large camp, full of holes in the perimeter (some of which our platoon made), secure. The PLs were tasked with running the FOB security, ensuring that the towers, gate, and perimeter were covered as well as maintaining a quick response team and keeping tabs on the patrols led by the other platoon. It would be difficult to ensure security in daylight with one platoon on the large FOB, but we needed to maintain it with much less than a whole platoon since we needed to have shifts to ensure the platoon stayed rested, and we needed to secure it during the dark hours as well.

Shortly after we started our rotation, the attacks began. It started with some pot shots outside of the perimeter, but it quickly escalated into full assaults. There were even assaults in which our DSs and company commander were specifically targeted for capture or assassination. Each time the assaulting force was successful in overtaking the FOB, just as we and the previous platoon were successful, but with each assault, our platoon got better and better at fending off the assault.

The assaults were actually quite welcome as they made our time on FOB security, and our last night on FTX 3, fly by. Soon it was time for us to leave the FOB and begin preparing for one of our final training events, the night infiltration course (NIC).

Night Infiltration Course

NIC was a great event. The entire company executed the course together. The course was approximately 300 meters long with concertina wire obstacles, simulated mortar rounds, and M-240Bs firing live rounds overhead. According to the range cadre, there have been fatalities during this training event, so it did have some amount of intimidation to it, but we were mostly psyched to execute this much anticipated mission.

Third  platoon was assigned as the main assault force. At the end of the course there was a small group of buildings. We were to low crawl the 300m course to cover just in front of the buildings and clear the buildings to complete the mission. First and second platoons crawled the course as well and provided security on the flanks.

When darkness fell on the course, the entire company lined up and got accountability. We moved to the started area which was a 6 ft wall with built in ladders spaced out along the line. We waited for a while as the DSs ensured everything was prepared, then some eerie music came on over the speakers and we were given the green light to start the mission. I was the first one up on my ladder and started towards the objective with a 3-5 second rush for the first 25 yards.

As soon as I hit the first line of concertina wire, the M-240s opened up and I hit the deck. Crawling under the wire was a bit more challenging than I anticipated. We were in full battle rattle with camelbaks on the back of our IBAs as well. I tried low crawling the first line of wire, but my camelbak kept catching the wire. I got through though and face a long crawl to the second line. I didn't imagine the rounds from the 240s would be too close to us, but I looked up just to see and observed a tracer that appeared to be just 10ft above my head. Needless to say, I kept low for the rest of the course.

The majority of the course was on loose sandy soil, but the last 20 yards was compacted into what felt like concrete. Low crawling on concrete is not anyone's idea of fun, but at the end we regrouped and prepared for the assault on the buildings. My fire team rushed forward and laid security as the other team cleared the building assigned to our squad. We moved to the end of the course laying security until all buildings were clear.

In the end, our DS grouped us together and was very pleased with the execution telling us it was one of the quickest executions of the course she or the other cadre had seen. We loaded up on trans and returned to the barracks for the first time in the last several days to get some much needed showers and some rest before our final training event, the 16K ruck march.