Man Tracking

[daftandbarmy]

Tracking is a big part of many successful COIN campaigns. Anyone know if the CF delivers training in this skill?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/07/washington/07wolves.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

 

[Northern Ranger]

I know some of our Rangers teach the Juinor Rangers, tracking and navigating without map and compass.  The tracking is mainly with animal tracks but they have spoken about man tracking also.  As for a fromal crse I don't think we have one to offer in the CF.

 

[Mike Baker]

Thought that this thread was about the show http://www.tsn.ca/oln/feature.asp?fid=10683

Would be cool if they did offer it in the CF though, but some people have some tracking abilities before they join, for hunting moose, deer, etc.

 

[noneck]

D&B
Give WO H a shout. PM sent regarding tracking.

Noneck

 

[Northern Ranger]

Thought that this thread was about the show http://www.tsn.ca/oln/feature.asp?fid=10683

Would be cool if they did offer it in the CF though, but some people have some tracking abilities before they join, for hunting moose, deer, etc.

His helper is one of our Rangers from the Yukon, Rgr Sgt Chuck Hume.  I recall him telling us about it and thought nothing of it till I saw him on TV.

 

[Bartok5]

Elementary man-tracking is taught as a PO on the Basic Recce Patrolman course.  That said, to my knowledge there is no formal "tracking course" conducted by the CF.  Instead, commercial expertise has been contracted in the past at the unit and formation levels to provide advanced "train the trainer" skills for selected personnel.  3 PPCLI for instance, teaches/refreshes basic tracking at the company level several times per year as part of our normal continuation training.  We have a handful of subject-matter experts resident within the unit, a "spoor pit" in our vehicle compound, etc.  We do take it pretty seriously.

FWIW - just my personal observations within one particular unit.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Good for you guys Mark. All rifle companies should develop this skill in some way. SOPs to work with tracker dogs are important too, especially when following up on ambushes or various types of contacts. I wonder if there's an opporunity to develop long term relationships with various police forces to provide this training if the army can't?

 

[Osotogari]

The best and proven resource for mantracking can be found at http://members.aol.com/mantrack/. 

The chief instructor, David Scott-Donelan, has years of experience in counter-insurgency ops in Africa.  His book is well worth the price, especially if you can arrange the obscured shoot at the end.  As a grad of the basic course, I can say it's a real eye opener and if you can ever attend one of David's courses you'll be amazed at what a broken blade of grass in the right setting can lead you to.

David to my knowledge is one of the only people who comes from a military-first focus instead of SAR or LE tracking adapted to a quasi-military setting.  Start with his book, get on one of his courses, and you won't be wasting any time or money.

 

[Dirt Digger]

The chief instructor, David Scott-Donelan, has years of experience in counter-insurgency ops in Africa.  His book is well worth the price, especially if you can arrange the obscured shoot at the end.  As a grad of the basic course, I can say it's a real eye opener and if you can ever attend one of David's courses you'll be amazed at what a broken blade of grass in the right setting can lead you to.

A few SERE instructors at CFSSAT have attended courses instructed by Mr. Scott-Donelan (same course?).  Although I was not one of the attendees, the comments I've heard are nothing but positive regarding the quality of training he provides.     

 

[Bartok5]

David Scott Donelan is the individual that I specifically recall us contracting for the trg.  3 PPCLI's A/QMSI is a graduate of several of Mr Donelan's crses and has nothing but positive things to say. 

 

[daftandbarmy]

And here they are again. Go Shadow Wolves.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,21363226-2,00.html?from=public_rss

Famed trackers to join Osama hunt

AN elite group of Native American trackers is joining the hunt for terrorists crossing Afghanistan's borders.

The unit, the Shadow Wolves, was recruited from several tribes, including the Navajo, Sioux, Lakota and Apache. It is being sent to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to pass on ancestral sign-reading skills to local border units.

In recent years, members of the Shadow Wolves have mainly tracked smugglers along the US border with Mexico.

But the Taliban's resurgence in Afghanistan and the US military's failure to hunt down Osama bin Laden - still at large on his 50th birthday on Saturday - has prompted the Pentagon to requisition them.

 

[Mike Baker]

Hope they get 'em  ;D