Subject: BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR SURVIVAL GROUPS
From: yondan4@gnn.com ()

BASIC SURVIVAL SKILLS TRAINING FOR SURVIVAL GROUPS

Below I have identified common basic survival skills that would be
beneficial training doctrine for a good working survival group, or
for an individual. A knowledge of common basic skills should be an
integral part of any survival group. This will insure a good
working and training foundation. Also a group that trains together
will know what each other will do in certain environments and in
this way these skills will be integrated into the group. This also
builds confidence on a personal and group level.

Further if training is conducted properly everyone should train to
lead the group in tactical environments. This builds leadership
skills for everyone and if anyone is injured or killed, other
members can take charge (as should be done in training exercises
anyway i.e. your now dead or injured someone tell me your plan of
action). Another benefit of training is that if everyone trains the
same way, the reaction of the group will be faster, (any cut-down
of reaction time is a big plus) more precise and there will not be
as much need for discussion as to what and who is to do what i.e.
less confusion.

I will start off with common basic tactical survival skills, as
security should be the number one priority for any group, for if
you cant keep your group and logistical supply secure then there
is no survival. I will also list where this training can be found
i.e. FMs, books, etc.  Persons with military training should
recognize some of these skills.

This list is not all conclusive and of course can be modified to
fit ones groups desires, training, motivations and standards. Also
keep in mind that this is only a list of basic skills everyone
should train on, and any group should have an Advanced Skills
Training list structured to their group and or individual.

COMMON TACTICAL SURVIVAL SKILLS

1. Perform Individual Camouflage.
2. Move Under Direct Fire. *
3. React To Indirect Fire While Dismounted. *
4. React To Contact. *
5. Break Contact.  *
6. React To Ambush: A). Near Ambush. B). Far Ambush. *
7. React To Flares. *
8. Basic Movement Techniques: A). Fire Team and Squad Wedge. B).
Fire Team and Squad File. C). Traveling. D). Traveling Overwatch.
E). Bounding Overwatch. **
9. Move Over, Through, Or Around Obstacles.
10. Select Temporary Fighting Positions.
11. Construct individual Fighting Positions.
12. Challenge Persons Entering Your Area.
13. Perform Surveillance Without The Aid of Electronic Devices.
14. Practice Noise, Light and Litter Discipline.
15. Clear A Field of Fire.
16. Identify Unexploded Ordnance.
17. Hand And Arm Signals. (These can be set up as the group deems
appropriate).
18. Construct A Range Card.
19. Report Information of Potential Intelligence Value, i.e. SALUTE
Report.
20. Conduct A Reconnaissance.
21. Locate Mines By Probing.

* These designate what are called Immediate Action Drills or Battle
Drills. These skills cant be emphasized enough as they create unit
cohesion, fighting sprit, and enable the group to react and move as
one solid unit. The better the group is at performing these drills,
the greater their chances are of survival if these skills are ever
needed.
** These movement techniques would not be called Battle Drills as
such but would be the formations used when training the Battle
Drills

BASIC FIREARMS SKILLS (The FMs these are taken from are designed
for the M16A1 or A2 rifle, of course this training can be set up to
include all group weapons).

1. Zero Ones Assigned Weapons.
2. Engage Targets With Ones assigned Weapons.
3. Maintain Ones Assigned Weapons.
4. Perform A Function check On Ones Assigned Weapons.
5. Safely Load and Unload Ones Assigned Weapons.
6. Correct malfunctions Of Ones Assigned Weapons.

BASIC VOICE COMMUNICATION (This skill will enable group members to
use proper phrases and good radio voice communication, also
everyone will be on the same sheet of music when it comes to wire
or radio commo).

1. Perform Voice Communication

COMMON BASIC NAVIGATIONAL AND COMPASS SKILLS

1. Identify Topographic Symbols On A Map. From the FM this could
also be a Military Map.
2. Identify Terrain Features On a Map.
3. Determine The Coordinates Of A Point On a Map. From the FM this
would be grid coordinates on a Military Map.
4. Determine a Magnetic Azimuth Using A Lensatic Compass.
5. Determine A Location On The Ground By Terrain Association.
6. Measure Distance On a Map.
7. Orient A Map To The Ground By Terrain Association.
8. Determine Direction Without a Compass.

COMMON BASIC FIRST AID SKILLS

1. Evaluate A Casualty.
2. Clear An Object From The Throat Of A Conscious Casualty.
3. Prevent Shock.
4. Give First Aid For Burns.
5. Give First Aid For Heat Injuries.
6. Give First Aid For Frostbite.
7. Put On A Field Or Pressure Dressing.
8. Put On A Tourniquet. ( This is still a Army task, only two
occasions when used).
9. Apply A Dressing To An Open Abdominal Wound.
10. Apply A Dressing To An Open Chest Wound.
11. Administer Nerve Agent Antidote To Self. *
12. Administer First Aid To A Nerve Agent Casualty. *
13. Apply A Dressing To An Open Head Wound.
14. Splint A Suspected Fracture.
15. Transport A Casualty Using A One-Man Carry.
16. Transport A Casualty Using A Two-Man Carry Or An Improvised
Litter.
17. Perform CPR.
18. Basic Sanitation, Preventive Medicine and Health Maintenance.

* These techniques are U.S. military skills for NBC, (Nuclear
Biological Chemical) most groups will not have available to them
counter-nerve agents. A group can still setup certain training to
treat yourself and others in these areas. Also these skill should
be trained upon as a group may come upon this equipment in a worst
case scenario (WCS).

PROTECT AGAINST NBC ATTACK
(I feel that due to the global threat today this in an important
area to train in, even though many survival groups may not possess
MOPP gear or even gas masks).

1. Protect yourself From Chemical And Biological
Injury/Contamination Using your Protective Mask (Pro-Mask) With
Hood.
2. Maintain Your Pro-Mask With Hood.
3. Protect Yourself From NBC Injury/Contamination When Drinking
From Your Canteen While Wearing Your Pro-Mask.
4. Decontaminate Your Skin And Personal Equipment.
5. Protect Yourself From Chemical and Bio Injury/Contamination
While Eliminating Body Waste when Wearing MOPP 4.
6. Identify Chemical Agents Using M8 Detector Paper. ( This can be
found from most U.S. Units and National Guard Units, I still have
quite a bit form Desert Storm).
7. Protect Yourself From NBC Injury Contamination With
Mission-Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) Gear.
8. React To Nuclear Hazard.
9. React To Chemical Or Bio Hazard/Attack.
10. Detect Chemical Agents Using M9 Detector Paper.
11. Protect Yourself From NBC Injury/Contamination When Changing
MOPP Gear.
12. Protect Yourself and Others From NBC By Using A Collective
Protective Shelter. (This task can be modified to fit your groups
shelter operating procedure).

COMMON BASIC WILDERNESS SURVIVAL/EVASION SKILLS

1. Evasion.
2. Survival.
3. Navigation.
4. Water.
5. Plant Food.
6. Animal Food.
7. Shelters.
8. Fire Building.



BASIC NUCLEAR ENVIRONMENT SKILLS

1. All group members should have training in the area of Nuclear
Survival, this should include aspects of the threat area in which
they live, fallout patterns, shelter construction, storage of food
and water, daily routine and aspects of shelter environment, use of
dosimeters and radiation meters, decon procedures, dose rate
affects and first aid in this area.

BASIC WATER, FOOD STORAGE AND PREPARATION

1. All group members should have training and a basic understanding
of water storage, water treatment, food storage, and food
preparation. This should be an Essential part of ones basic
survival training.


All of the above skills can be found in STP 21-1-SMCT Soldiers
Manual Of Common Tasks, SH 21-76 Ranger Handbook, FM 21-11 First
Aid for Soldiers, STP 21-24 SMCT Soldiers Manual of Common Tasks
Skill Level 2-4, Live After Doomsday By Bruce D. Clayton, Ph.D.
Additional information on inexpensive ways to buy, store and grow
food plus many other survival topics can be found at Kurt Saxtons
web site (use webcrawler searching and type in Kurt Saxton).

Anyone conducting training with a group should give a safety
briefing, and limits set on certain actions to ensure safety. Also
anyone conducting training or operations should work out a Risk
Assessment Worksheet (US Army), and the results should be explained
to the group. Additionally if your group is large enough to have
junior leaders in it they should also fill out a Risk Assessment
Worksheet and all results analyzed, since everyone can come up with
different numbers.

Before you e-mail me or post anything on this training outline,
read it over carefully, as I stated in the fourth paragraph, this
training outline can be modified to fit ones groups desires and
standards. So before you post you should add this or I would not
have put that in our training, change it to the way you want it!
Any other comments or constructive thoughts from experience is
quite welcome.

This was done on word, so when it was pasted over some of the tabs
are not in the right place, sorry.

Please feel free to copy and or print out this training outline for
your group or individual use. This outline is for training purposes
only and may not be used in any way to benefit monetarily from. The
author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of any
information in this training outline. Safety is totally the
responsibility of any group or individual training. The author
holds all copyrights. DW.


