The Loadout Room
Professional Gear Reviews
PACE describes a methodology originally used to build a communication plan. For an ODA in a denied area, communication is the only way to get resupplied, and most importantly, extracted. The loss of all communications normally initiates theĀ escape-and-evasion plan. The no-comms plan universally sucks, and almost always means abandonment of the mission and unsupported escape […]
One thing that all special units have in common is an aversion to quitting and quitters. The greatest sin, the one unforgivable error, is to quit, no matter what the obstacle. Only death can stop a truly determined man. You have to know that the man next to you will not break and run when […]
When I went to Ranger School, I memorized the Ranger Creed and learnedĀ that “surrender is not a Ranger word.” I love that. As a student of military history, the Green Beret knows what happens after surrender.Ā In Afghanistan, there were some very frank team-room discussions about capture. Short of being blown unconscious by an […]
In 3,000 BC, a Sumerian drill sergeant was tasked with training a ragged platoon of illiterate teenagers to defend their homeland. When his new charges faltered, he gave a speech to motivate them. In the last 5,000 years, that same speech has been given millions of times in every human language. It goes something like […]
“In difficult ground, press on; On hemmed-in ground, use subterfuge; In death ground, fight” Ā – Chapter 11 of Sun Tzu‘s The Art of War For decades, Green Berets have been sent all over the world, often going into complex dangerous situations with host nation forces.Ā The opportunities for disaster are obvious and frequent.Ā How do […]
You cannot be disappointed if you don’t plan to stop until the fight is over. You never know how far you can go until you push beyond self imposed limits.
Green Berets know that “Small Victories” can sustain you through incomprehensible difficulties. Look for ways to win. Take Nick Rowe, for instance…
When the enemy attacks with a regiment, the Green Beret feels lucky it isn’t a division. Be grateful for the problems you face; things can always get worse.
Men who become Green Berets have been proven to be less likely to be impacted by stress. Master your stress response and you can perform at higher levels.
Faced with the possibility of a suicide mission during the Cold War, Green Berets focused on establishing an exfil strategy, anyway