“We have to be masters of all our kit and equipment, when on
the ground there’s no tech-guy to call to sort things when they’re
going wrong, all too many times we have seen this in other
organisations where members have no idea how their kit works
and are very quick to blame it when things go wrong! We conduct
regular training sessions on all of our own equipment every
month to remove skill fade. Being in the asshole of nowhere and
not knowing how to fix the issue or gather product is completely
unprofessional and has no place in our arena.”
PMCI: You will notice there is no mention of firearms, although
the countries these guys find themselves operating in,
firearms are everywhere and regularly carried by their targets.
Stage one: Every Day Carry (EDC)
PMCI: You carry a very simple Med-Kit, is then dictated by
space carried on the person or operational needs?
Normally we work on the ethic that if it’s gonna go wrong, it’s
gonna go wrong big! So carrying plasters and headache tablets
aren’t going to be needed, the kit we carry within the bandolier
will stabilise life until, and while we have to extract to a hospital
or other means of medical aid. Ensuring that our medical skills
are current and in date, refreshing these skills regularly is very
important. Items carried are: nasal airway / cannulas / combat
gauze / compression bandage / CAT / super glue.
PMCI: Why the cigarette lighter?
You just never know when you might need to light a fire!
(PMCI: I’m sure there’s a hidden meaning here.)
PMCI: Why the gloves and balaclava?
When deploying any technical device such as the vehicle
tracker, it’s always good practise to cover up, hands reducing dirt
patches on the skin and of course finger prints (ground sign). A
simple £2 balaclava will defeat any CCTV from getting a facial
image of you, also should you be compromised and a flight or
fight situation should be required, again your identity is hidden,
plus the shock factor of been face to face with someone wearing
a balaclava will give you the edge…..that’s proven!!
Stage two: Bail-Out Bag & Pull-Out Panel (Life Line Equipment)
This stage is to accompany the operator / operational team with
larger items within a chosen bail-out bag, Items contained are
both tactical mission essentials and stay alive items.
L SU
These items are always carried on the operator, and become their
very basic level of life line. Larger items are concealed on the
body within a bandolier belt which is warn under clothing. Items
** are carried in pockets.
• Mobile phone X2 with ear phones **
• Power pack for phone recharge
• Pocket knife (folder) **
• Head torch (keep hands free)
• Small point & shoot camera (recce’s)
• Gloves (latex) & Balaclava
• Passport (threat level dependant)
• Local currency & Cards **
• Handcuff key (concealed) **
• Medical kit (bleeds & airway)
• Street mapping of operational area **
• Dictaphone
• Cigarette lighter**
• Role of electricians tape
• Vehicle tracker (slim)
PMCI: you mention carrying your passport with threat level
dependant, why does this make a difference?
If we are going on plot and penetrating compounds which
always has a high risk of compromised, the last thing we need
to have seized or at worst taken from us by the target group, is
our means to exit the country we are working in. Because of this
real threat, we will normally dead letter box our travel papers
somewhere in the country until the task is complete. A second
passport is always another option, this will enable the purchase
of new tickets and opening a new exit route.
PMCI: I see you have mentioned street mapping, with all of
today’s modern phone app’s why use old school methods
such as paper street maps?
There are a number of reason against using mapping programs
on your phone; the first is that they can eat away at your battery
life, this is something you want to last as long as possible when in
the asshole of nowhere! Secondly, paper maps are quicker to use
and will aid you in memorising the operational area a lot quicker.
Finally, with what we’re out there to do, we would always have
our GPRS / location service and cellular data switched off on the
home network. Only the local network would be used to make
calls only, never as a location finding device.
PMCI: I notice you don’t mention wearing a watch, is this just
an oversight?
No, it’s no oversight, not at all! We never wear watches,
doesn’t matter if we are operating in the UK or overseas, as this
could lead to unwanted conversation by suspicious locals trying
to draw us out. You would be surprised at how a watch in some
countries can draw attention! For some reason in this industry
guy’s use watches as a dick measuring competition, who’s is the
most tactical, which one cost the most, and the one with the
most programmable gadgets. That could get us made!
pmcimagazine.com