The Delay: A Small unit perspective (interview)

[TJackson]

All,

Im currently complying first hand or second hand experience detailing and or describing what the Delay "Feels" like during Small unit Engagements.
Most information is covered through the lens of Operational or Strategic level analysis and sometimes goes into prescriptive drills. Little is discussed on the Art side of the ordeal while heavy emphasis is played on the Science side.

What Im looking for is your experiences with the Delay at a Tactical level. Sometimes the best way to explain and teach is through stories. My goal is to compile these Stories into an educational learning Aid (ie wiki) that will be enbeaded into Olive Drab Journal. http://www.odjournal.com/default.aspx

ODJ utilizes multiple methods and sources for instruction and learning. Interactive media, Podcast discussion (ie story telling as a tool for learning, multi-media pieces, and instructional videos. A new project were working on is a online interactive wiki that enables learners to click, read, explore and go in various directions to round out their understanding of topics

Here is one section which is still in the works on the wiki for the Ambush http://cel5a3.pbworks.com/w/page/48510273/FrontPage

As you explore this wiki youll notice that its has a variety of depth and breath, augmented with personal stories, and situation-ally dependent T.T.P's

Bottom line:
This is my interview process for the wiki.
All material will be credited and cited to the speaker or Interviewee

[JMA]

Originally Posted by TJackson

All,

Im currently complying first hand or second hand experience detailing and or describing what the Delay "Feels" like during Small unit Engagements.
Most information is covered through the lens of Operational or Strategic level analysis and sometimes goes into prescriptive drills. Little is discussed on the Art side of the ordeal while heavy emphasis is played on the Science side.

What Im looking for is your experiences with the Delay at a Tactical level. Sometimes the best way to explain and teach is through stories. My goal is to compile these Stories into an educational learning Aid (ie wiki) that will be enbeaded into Olive Drab Journal. http://www.odjournal.com/default.aspx

ODJ utilizes multiple methods and sources for instruction and learning. Interactive media, Podcast discussion (ie story telling as a tool for learning, multi-media pieces, and instructional videos. A new project were working on is a online interactive wiki that enables learners to click, read, explore and go in various directions to round out their understanding of topics

Here is one section which is still in the works on the wiki for the Ambush http://cel5a3.pbworks.com/w/page/48510273/FrontPage

As you explore this wiki youll notice that its has a variety of depth and breath, augmented with personal stories, and situation-ally dependent T.T.P's

Bottom line:
This is my interview process for the wiki.
All material will be credited and cited to the speaker or Interviewee

Delay? What delay?

[Ken White]

LINK. Note Para 5-2.a. then go to Section II.

[JMA]

Originally Posted by Ken White

LINK. Note Para 5-2.a. then go to Section II.

OK but what can one expect in terms of:

... first hand or second hand experience detailing and or describing what the Delay "Feels" like during Small unit Engagements.

"Feels"?

Still lost...

[Tukhachevskii]

Originally Posted by JMA

OK but what can one expect in terms of:



"Feels"?

Still lost...

I suppose you have to actually be capable of feelings to know what they feel like

[JMA]

Originally Posted by Tukhachevskii

I suppose you have to actually be capable of feelings to know what they feel like

Trust me I do have 'feelings' ... like irritation

[TJackson]

Im mainly looking for your experiences with the Delay During a Retrograde.
the "Feeling" part is mostly lent to the art form rather than the science.
The Majority of people who have actually experienced a Delay will eventually start describing analogies or "Feelings" Im looking to record the "War Stories" Aspect of the Delay.

[Fuchs]

This thread reminds me a lot of the (by myself) most-hated ballets of so-called breaking contact drills...
________________________________

Shouldn't the (infantry small unit) delaying action be really close to a quick far ambush in general (last I heard - and that was long ago - is that the U.S. Army emphasised the far ambush a lot, and neglected the close ambush)?

[JMA]

Originally Posted by TJackson

Im mainly looking for your experiences with the Delay During a Retrograde.
the "Feeling" part is mostly lent to the art form rather than the science.
The Majority of people who have actually experienced a Delay will eventually start describing analogies or "Feelings" Im looking to record the "War Stories" Aspect of the Delay.

OK... But sorry can't help ... Never went backwards, so have no such feelings to contribute.

I wonder who can contribute... Ken from Korea? There was some back and forth there.

[Ken White]

I've participated in delaying actions against both mounted and dismounted forces. The only feeling I can recall in all instances is one of glee when we successfully forced the oncoming folks to deploy, added glee when we forced them to remain deployed until quite close and even more glee when we used a well selected route of egress to get to a new position and do that all over again.

Yet more glee when, turrets reversed and at 30mph streamed through own lines after successfully delaying the evil enema -- mostly because I knew I could get some sleep...

[TJackson]

Mr White,

This is actually what Im looking for, Honestly. Those Gut feelings are often what I hear and say myself. Not being hit is exciting and that feeling of glee is a good indicator that things are going right. Im looking for these types of indicators. Frankly your description of Glee is Great!

Can you described a bit on how you "Knew" when and where to select the engagement? Obviously there is guidance from leadership but did you as Warriors actually pick the physical location of your engagement zones? your route of egress? If so how did you know what would work or wouldn't if possible?

Also can you describe how or when you knew when to displace and move to the subsequent positions? maybe expand on that feeling of pressure or lack of pressure form the enemy force?

[Ken White]

Originally Posted by TJackson

Can you described a bit on how you "Knew" when and where to select the engagement?

The principles of conducting a delay are well known as are the criteria for selecting delay positions -- no sense regurgitating that. I can recall only a single instance when we weren't guided by those standard techniques and in that case, in too much haste, we didnt pick long range fields of fire and almost got caught.

Obviously there is guidance from leadership but did you as Warriors actually pick the physical location of your engagement zones?

First and most importantly, I was in all cases either a Marine or a Soldier, not a Warrior -- that latter is terribly misused term and connotes a basically untrained and poorly disciplined fighter. Secondly and almost as important, the guys on the ground have to pick positions. Situations requiring a delay are too fast moving to allow much higher headquarters or upper level command influence. These so-called COIN campaigns are going to hurt us in the future as things move slowly, higher Hq have little to do and thus excessively interfere. They will not be able to do that in a war of movement.

your route of egress? If so how did you know what would work or wouldn't if possible?

One must be able to properly use a map -- that entails being able to interpret terrain from the map and determining where covered (preferably) and /or Concealed (at a minimum) routes of egress from positions are most probably located. Most probably because maps generally are not that accurate an on the ground assessment of terrain is imperative.

Also can you describe how or when you knew when to displace and move to the subsequent positions?

That's totally METT dependent. The terrain, vegetation, their speed of advance versus the range and effect of your weapons will vary in almost every case. As a very general rule, if they're mounted about 500-700 meters is approaching too close; dismounted in most terrain 100-200 meters. Mountains and / or heavy vegetation maybe half those figure -- but it's better to err on the side of caution. Distance and potential exposure on your movement to your next delay position must also be considered as must time to get in position there...

maybe expand on that feeling of pressure or lack of pressure form the enemy force?

Varies too much based on the METT factors -- state of training of the enemy is perhaps the most significant driver but his mental attitude also plays. North Koreans were poorly trained but incredibly brave and aggressive. Chinese better trained but less aggressive. North Viet Namese essentially in between those two. North Korean indirect fire was spotty and they were also poor with individual weapons. The Chinese were superb at indirect -- though they were even worse individual weapons shooters. The North Viet Namese OTOH were worse than the North Koreans at indirect but were amazingly good rifle shots. They rarely fired on full auto...

It's all METT-TC dependent...

[jcustis]

I have to head back East for a bit, but if I remember this thread upon return, I'll share two occasions (only one a true delay per se) that might fight your request for information.