- 10 Transport Company makes the grade

16 February 2010

Personnel from 10 Transport Company recently deployed to Herbertville to carry out survival training, followed by four days of escape and evasion through the east coast hill country.

Earlier in the year, instructors from the RNZAF Survival School provided class room instruction on survival techniques to the company, which gave soldiers some ideas of what to expect and how to prepare.

The exercise began with the group of soldiers being divided into five teams of five and straight into some practical survival training for the first 24 hours on the ground.

Sergeants Brad Cassidy and Gavin Rolls from the Survival School took the group through techniques they would require throughout the exercise. For example, establishing shelter, building a fire, and catching and cooking game.

The training covered how to behave in non-tactical situations where rescue was required, and in tactical situations where evading the enemy was one of the highest priorities. From there the teams were separated and told to fend for themselves for the night, making sure they employed what they had been taught.

By this stage no one had eaten since breakfast so once a sturdy shelter and bed was established a fire needed to be built and dinner caught. The landscape provided a variety of options for food. The most available being eels from the creeks that dissected the landscape, but other options included fresh water crayfish and even a bush chicken that strayed too close to camp. Sleeping arrangements were primitive with no sleeping bag or bivvy bag, and attempts to build a bed raised off the ground proving to be warmer but far from comfortable.

Come morning, the escape and evasion phase began. Teams were strip searched and removed of all but the authorised gear. Each person had their patrol pack with smock, wet weather and thermal clothing, a water bottle and their personal survival kit. The latter could be personally designed but could be no bigger then pocket size. In it were items such as nylon and hooks, a survival blanket, flint, rubber, cotton wool, Vaseline, pen and paper, para cord and other small items that would aid during time on the run.

Dropped off in the middle of nowhere, teams had only what was in their pack, plus a map and compass. Given a checkpoint to reach and a time to be there by, the teams set off. Their first checkpoint was between 15 to 20 kms away. For the next four days teams made their way across the countryside climbing over the 200m peaks and down through the valleys. As long as they made their checkpoint, they would meet their contact, be provided with their next checkpoint and hopefully a little food. Teams received on average two apples and two muesli bars per team, per day.

Movement during the day was restricted to a minimum to avoid detection. Teams walked through the night to meet their checkpoints and moved into a hide to stay concealed during the day. Hunter forces crisscrossed the landscape on motor bike and truck by day, and at night with night vision equipment. Teams had to be vigilant to avoid detection, making use of the large hills and the minimal vegetation cover available.

Often large distances had to be covered in order to stay concealed. The locals also needed to be avoided, since as it turned out, they were more then happy to pass on information to the hunter force. As hunger set in and energy levels dropped, making each checkpoint became harder. Long days without food or cigarettes took their toll. For the heavy smokers the pain was two-fold, becoming at times unbearable while waiting for night fall. Sleep was less than comfortable, with little to help keep warm. Location was vital to getting rest as the wind was gusting non stop for nearly the entire exercise, sapping energy while walking, and biting to the bone while lying on the ground trying to sleep. With little to do during the day but wait for nightfall, talk inevitably turned to food and the craving for a smoke. Sleep would be broken and once a route had been planned and bearings taken, a lot of patience was required. Temptation to leave the hide would put the team at risk of being caught but waiting full days without food, sitting in one place proved to be the biggest challenge.

After four days of living rough the last checkpoint was reached. The tactical situation had called for meetings to be discreet and quick, passing on any information possible then moving on. Last minute changes in location had teams running for their pickup. Once back to a secure location food was provided and people ate too much too fast.

Overall a lot of valuable experience was gained. With qualified instructors passing on their knowledge teams were able to practise the best techniques to avoid detection, and survive with the minimum of kit. Along with practical skills everyone was able to learn something about themselves, testing their limits and learning how far they can go without the normal comforts.

The role of the RNZAF Survival Training Centre is to conduct specialist Survival Training in order to provide NZDF aircrew with the skills, attitudes, knowledge and practical experience to maximise survival in areas of operation.

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