ARMA 3 HAVOC 1-3 Training and Mission 19FEB17 - Afghan Deployment

Heya folks,

The 506th Infantry Regiment had another training session yesterday prior to our first mission in our recent deployment to Afghanistan.  The focus was on team awareness and the rules of engagement as many of the locals have weapons for personal protection.  The video is around 40 minutes long.

Later that same evening I participated in the first mission of Operation Black Adder.  With the 506th deployed to Peregrine Airfield in Afghanistan we needed to start securing the surrounding area of operation.  Alpha Company, 1st Platoon was tasked with marching into the hills to assault, capture and eliminate an enemy encampment that was within six clicks of the airfield.  I was acting as the 1 platoon, 3rd squad, Bravo team (1-3-B) AR gunner under Sgt Richie.  After hiking up into the mountains we were spotted and illuminated by a flare, shortly after we came under fire from an em-placed machine gun which we assaulted into an eliminated.  We took sporadic indirect fire from enemy mortars while we maneuvered towards the encampment, 1-3 was the base of fire team, we provided over-watch and engaged at range while 1-1 and 1-2 assaulted down the hill into the encampment.  We then repulsed enemy a counterattack from over 1000m away.  The mission ended with us digging in and settling down for the night.  Overall it was a pretty successful mission, we had one casualty in the platoon but he is healing up fine.  The video is about one hour and fifteen minutes long, that's with forty five minutes of hiking through the hills cut out!  I hope you enjoy!

Whats new! ARMA 3 - 506th IR

Heya folks,

It's been a few months since I've been around here so I figured it was time to check in.  Sorry for the lack of posts, real life has been busy and I have been spending what little free time I have playing ARMA3.  For those of you that don't know, ARMA3 is a PC game that strives for military realism.  I joined the 506th Infantry Regiment in January, its a online clan that plays multiplayer coop missions within the game.  I started out with a two hour recruit training course to learn the basics, then four two hour OSUT (One Station Unit Training) courses in which we learned land navigation, fire and maneuver, radio comms and loads of other stuff.  I was then assigned to HAVOC 1-3-B.  We do squad training once a week on Sundays, have company FTX's (Field Training Exercises) every other week and once a month platoon training.  I recorded this last weekends squad training for shits and giggles, I'm glad I did as it was only my second squad training with the 506th and I was suddenly promoted to Bravo Team Squad Leader for the day. Yikes!

I struggled a bit with the comms, running multiple radios and communicating with my Bravo team, Alpha team, and then my squad leader was crazy and hectic and it's easy to see how quickly things can break down, especially in a MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) situation.  I learned a lot and will be better next time!  You can check out the video above, its about one hour and thirty minutes long but includes the briefings, route planning, FRAGO en route to the objective and then our final assault on the target and then debriefing.  Lots of fun, if anyone is interested in joining the 506th come on by to http://www.506thir.net/index.html

I also have two The One Ring product reviews coming up in the next few weeks, I will be reviewing Erebor: The Lonely Mountain and the brand new Adventurer's Companion so keep and eye out for those!  Take care of each other people!