Tc 31 34 4 Special Forces Tracking And Countertracking

Before the industrial age, human beings routinely relied upon tracking skills for tens of thousands of years as a means to run down prey, avoid predators and determine whether other tribes were transiting their land. To see an indigenous tracker at work, one could almost swear that the uncanny skills were based in part on telepathy. Nothing could be further from the truth - trackers rely upon a suite of standard rules and techniques which can be learned by anyone and put to good use in the field. Although it will take years of practise and training for tracking abilities to develop to the extent they become almost unconscious, the basics skills of tracking and countertracking are worth learning for every soldier. It is therefore not surprising that the US Army Special Forces have been steadily reviving the nearly lost arts of tracking and countertracking for the past several years. From the preface page: "SF Soldiers routinely employ unconventional tactics and techniques while conducting operations unilaterally and with indigenous assistance. The conduct of SF differs from conventional operations in the degree of political risk, operational techniques, independence from friendly support, and dependence on detailed operational intelligence and indigenous assets. The success of SF operations within these parameters depends greatly on the team's ability to read “signs” for defensive purposes and its ability to use that same knowledge to minimize the signs it leaves when transitioning through hostile terrain.This training circular provides a doctrinal framework for Special Forces personnel involved in tracking and countertracking operations. Tracking, countertracking, and dog-tracker team operations are basic and fundamental to every SF operation whether offensive or defensive in nature. This TC describes and illustrates how to track, how to avoid being tracked, and the theory behind the use of dog-tracker teams. Appendixes A and B provide SF Soldiers with sample tracking logs for their use. This TC provides the basis for common SF tactical application primarily in a rural environment and it briefly discusses urban tracking using dog teams."Presented in Special Operations Press' distinctive OCP camouflage cover denoting a current publication, this manual is printed in easy-to-read 6 x 9, perfect-bound paperback format. Proudly printed in the USA.

Updated. Supersedes TC 31-34-4, 30 September 2009. This training circular (TC) provides a doctrinal framework for Special Forces (SF) Soldiers involved in tracking and countertracking operations.Tracking, countertracking, and dog tracker team operations are basic and fundamental to many SF operations, whether offensive or defensive in nature. This TC describes and illustrates how to track, how to avoid being tracked, and of dog tracker teams are used. The Appendix provide SF Soldiers with sample tracking logs. This TC provides the basis for common SF tactical application used primarily in a rural environment and it briefly discusses urban tracking using dog teams, but it does not cover electronic-tracking techniques.SF Soldiers routinely employ unconventional tactics and techniques while conducting operations unilaterally and with indigenous assistance. Conducting SF operations differs from conventional operations in the degree of political sensitivity, operational techniques, independence from friendly support, and the dependence upon detailed operational intelligence and indigenous assets. The success of SF operations within these parameters greatly depends upon the team's ability to read signs for defensive purposes and its ability to use that same knowledge to minimize the signs it leaves when traversing through uncertain or hostile terrain.

This comprehensive guide by a Special Ops combat veteran is the ultimate reference for military tactics, techniques, and procedures. Intended for military SpecialOps personnel, this volume presents invaluable operational guidance with lessons learned from the legendary Military Assistance Command Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG). Drawing on Special Reconnaissance operations conducted during the Vietnam Era, author Edward Wolcoff provides practical information alongside operational accounts and analyses of specific missions. Wolcoff covers the gamut of specialized SR topics ranging from operational planning and preparation, through execution, logistics and command and control – all in substantial tradecraft detail. Few of the tactics, techniques, and procedures or lessons-learned included in this book have been previously presented in a usable form for SpecOps personnel. This book is intended instruct the Special Operations units of today, and preserve this valuable tradecraft for future generations.

From the US Department of Defense, the Skills, Tactics, and Traits of the Most Highly Skilled Soldiers in the World—Army Rangers. This handbook offers the techniques and tactics that make U.S. Army Rangers the best soldiers in the world. These highly trained, easily deployable, and widely skilled infantrymen specialize in airborne assault, raids, recovery of personnel and equipment, and airfield seizure, among other difficult and dangerous missions. Now, in this recently revised edition of the U.S. Army Ranger Handbook, you can get the latest info on everything from understanding the basics of Army operations and tactics to discovering what makes a soldier with good leadership qualities and character. Although primarily written for Rangers and other light infantry units, it serves as a handy reference for all military units, covering how infantry squad- and platoon-sized elements conduct combat operations in varied terrains. Drawing from over two centuries of lessons learned in special operations combat, this guide provides modern soldiers with best training possible. It effectively combines the lessons of the past with important insights for the future to help make army leaders the absolute best they can be. In straightforward, no-frills language, it covers deception, stealth, communications, escape and evasion, ambush operations, perimeter defense, counterintelligence, and much more. This book is the ultimate resource for anyone who wants to know how Rangers think and function.

Training Circular (TC) 3-21.76 uses joint terms where applicable. Selected joint and Army terms and definitions appear in both the glossary and the text. Terms for which TC 3-21.76 is the proponent publication (the authority) are italicized in the text and are marked with an asterisk (*) in the glossary. Terms and definitions for which TC 3-21.76 is the proponent publication are boldfaced in the text. For other definitions shown in the text, the term is italicized and the number of the proponent publication follows the definition. The principal audience for TC 3-21.76 are U.S. Army Rangers and combat arms units. Commanders and staffs of Army headquarters serving as joint task force or multinational headquarters should also refer to applicable joint or multinational doctrine concerning the range of military operations and joint or multinational forces. Trainers and educators throughout the Army will also use this publication.

Tracking a human being by the sign he leaves of his passing is a difficult skill, and some of the best training in this arena takes place in the ongoing programs run by innovative military units around the world. This Paladin reprint gives you two military tracking/countertracking field manuals in one, from the U.S. Army Special Forces and the Australian Air Training Corps. The American manual details how Special Forces troops track anyone over any terrain, avoid being tracked themselves, and use canines in both rural and urban tracking operations. It is abundantly illustrated with photos and drawings so you can see precisely what tracks, sticks, plants, and other signs look like. Basic Visual Tracking contains the official cadet and instructor notes for the Australian Air Training Corps, organized in an easy-to-follow format. Taken together, these manuals provide an expert crash course in locating, interpreting, and following sign on the ground. This is essential material not only for combat trackers but hunters, law-enforcement personnel, wilderness search and rescue teams, wildlife scientists and photographers, or anyone who would like to know how leading-edge military units carry out this ancient skill. Updated September 2009 edition.