LAR in COE/Afghan

[EPA]

Gentlemen,

My orders got switched from a straight leg infantry Bn to a LAR Bn. Good and Bad.

At LAR I've been told I'll get a company right away and have a full work up. At the inf Bn there was no guarantees, was probably going to be the 3A or H&S CO.

The only drawback is that since I've been at EWS I've focused on my efforts on truly understanding and learning how to fight a rifle company in both COIN and conventional.

Understandably there are some baseline similarities in tactics however I need to get spun up on LAR TTPs in conventional and COIN realms, specifically what they have been doing in Afg.

Long way of me saying can anyone point me in the right direction for LAR preparation. I know the Canadiens use them. Any ideas on their TTPs? I'm reading the current USMC LAR employment along with the LAR gunnery pub.

I'm ordering Defense of Hill 782 this weekend. Understand it's like a mech infantry Duffer's Drift.

Any help is appreciated. Either way I'm pumped to get back out to the Fleet and tackle something new.

Thanks for any help.

Pete

[jcustis]

You will do windows, just as if you were a straight-leg, so don't worry. Right now the principles are no different...FIND-FIX-FINISH, except that you can at times do it traveling a whole lot faster, and with a weapon system that shoots farther and can wreck stuff pretty well better than anything you are used to. The basics remain the same, just fix and maneuver.

I recently left 1st LAR after just shy of 3 years as the XO. Deployed to OIF and OEF with the unit.

Hit me up with a PM and I will pass on what I think you need to know, who you need to talk to next, and what additional resources you should seek out. You can start by putting down the Battalion Employment and Gunnery Pubs, and start reading a few Army FMs that you need to master first (I know, surprising isn't it?)

Infanteer is also a good resource, as he was in the Kandahar area with his LAV-mounted platoon, and more often than not, patrolled on foot from PBs adjacent agrarian areas. He can talk quite a few TTP at the tactical level.

ETA: Yeah, I heard about you and saw you on the inbound roster. Nothing but good things so far though...

[Tukhachevskii]

I'm ordering Defense of Hill 782 this weekend. Understand it's like a mech infantry Duffer's Drift.

...but to what book are you refering to above? Piqued my interest but can find nothing on a google search.

[EPA]

Correction, Defense of Hill 781: An allegory of mechanized combat, is the book I incorrectly referenced.

Found it on amazon.com for about from $6 to $13. Just ordered it. Should be here in a week or so.

Pete

[Garett]

Just spent 7 months in Kandahar with a LAV company as the LAV Capt (Coy S3). Did half the tour in Kandahar City and half in Panjawai. Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

[jcustis]

The Defense of Hill 781 is indeed a mechanized version of Duffer's Drift, set in the "Box" at NTC. It is dated though (published in '93), and focused on conventional combat and a peer enemy.

It makes for a great read when thinking about the basic principles of maneuver, like reconnaissance, deception, and mass, but beyond that, current warriors would get more out of the current small unit leader COIN texts.

[RJ]

EPA - Good Luck and a successful tour. Safe home, as well!