Winners!

U.S. Cavalry Squadrons Win and Place in Gruelin NATO Reconnaissance Compe B ition by Captain Lionel Ortiz and Captain Brian Butcher Every year since 1978, teams from NATO's premier reconnnissance units have gathered to compete for the Bundeswehr's Boeselager Challenge Cup. For five days, these teams compete fiercely in a wide range of grueling events to prove themselves to be the best reconnaissance team in NATO. This little-known event has become the most challenging military skills competition in NATO. In the past, some have used the U.S. teams' performances as a measure of our readiness in Europe. Interest in the results peaked with this year's competition in Hessisch-Lichtenau, FRG, from 11-15 May. The team from 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, won first place overall in a field of 23 teams from 10 different nations. First Squadron, 1st Cavalry took second place in the allied category, completing the first 1-2 sweep by the U.S. Army in its eight years of participation. This article is intended to familiarize the reader with the competition's history and eight events, the training for the events, and the benefits derived from the competition. The competition is named in honor of Colonel Baron (ieorg von Boeselager, considered to be the last and greatest horse cavalry commander in the Wehrmacht. A captain of cavalry at the outset of WWII, he was an innovator in the deployment of large cavalry, formations. A brave, audacious, and resourceful officer, he was decorated with the Knight's Cross with swords and diamonds, and became a brigade commander of cavalry at age 29. Colonel von Boeselager was directly involved in the plot to kill Adolf Hiller. He was killed in action in September 1944, while leading his cavalry brigade in an attack against Soviet forces. What exactly is Boeselager? The competition includes eight events, each having its own point value. The events are armored reconnaissance (550), night orienteering (NK)), enemy identification (250), shooting (2IK)), obstacle course (200), tactical swimming (150), skilled driving (lSO), and aerial reconnaissance (150). German tactics and methods affect every event, especially the armored and aerial reconnaissance and the night orienteering courses. Scoring is done by multiplying the team's placing from the bottom by the event multiplier. For example, in a field of 20 teams, the third-place team in the shooting event would receive 18 X 200, or 3,600 points. Additionally, bonus points are awarded to the top six teams in armored reconnaissance, emphasizing the importance ol this event in CAT Competition (cont'd) new scenarios to test the corrections. If the problem persists, both must look at the attack SOP to see whcther there is a better way of doing things. The U C O R and SIMNET facilities were an integral part of our training program, however, they alone are not responsible for our victory. Our training strategy can best be described as a blend of basic training methods, attention to detail, state of the art training devices, and the kind of quality soldicrs that are found everywhere in today's Army. Yet, if we were asked to cite the single most important element in our overall strategy it would have to be that we fielded a team, in every sense of the word. On June 19, if anyone in Delta Company was asked who won CAT, he would not reply "1st Platoon". He would proudly reply, "We Did!" ARMOR - November-December 1987 21

Team members sprint to firing positions after the "alarm post" engages the first targets. Below, training for small arms. Below, a Bradley crew practices for the height clearance 1 One team member gives another a hand negotiating "The Wall", one of the obstacles along the 3,500-meter course. I the competition. Teams are composed of one lieutenant (patrol leader), one sergeant (assistant patrol leader), and six troopers. Two full crews by TO&E (in our case, a total of 10 men) may compete in the armored reconnaissance event. The heavily-weighted armored reconnaissance course is the premier event of the Boeselager competition. A two-vehicle recon patrol must conduct a 30-kilometer route reconnaissance to establish an observation post within 3-1/2 hours. Along the course, the patrol encounters numerous enemy forces of varying strength and disposition. Evaluation results are a combination of tactical conduct (in accordance with Bundeswehr standards) and reporting points. The courses are well choreographed and rehearsed, with OPFOR locations and actions matching the rcporting solutions for the course. Training for this event begins with classroom instruction on German reconnaissance tactics, which are vastly diffcrent from our own. Next, the crews progress to sand table drills, and finally, mounted reconnaissance exercises. Perhaps the greatest challcnge here was to ingrain stealth (vehicle camouflage, covering tracks in assembly areas, and not breaking cover with vehicles), and teach our soldiers not to engage the enemy every time they see him. German-style armored reconnaissance requires intensive preparation and practice in entirely diffcrent mtics. The night orienteering course is a 10-station, 15-20-kilometer dismounted navigational exercise. Competitors use many unique and imaginative navigation methods, ranging from aerial photography to map sections to route memorizztion. The patrol leader has the use of a map about 10 percent of the time. Units receive special tasks at the stations, to include Warsaw Pact weapons, equipment, and uniform identification, first aid, engineer tasks, and as-semhly/disassembly of Soviet weapons. Mistakes in these tasks, and failure to reach stations, result in penalty times. Overall placing is determinined by time, with shortest times for the most stations winning. For this event, the 1-llth ACR conducted twenty-seven night orienteering exercises to Boeselager standards, the majority of these in severe winter conditions. During the enemy identification 22 ARMOR - November-December 7987 event, the patrol tests at three stations. First, the entire patrol tests in vehicle recognition from bunker positions in total darkness. A lighting system that simulated muzzle flashes, fires, and illumination rounds briefly illuminates Warsaw Pact vehicle models (scale 1/20), ap-proximiitely 30 meters distant. The team members have the aid of Bundeswehr-issue binoculars to identify the vehicles. Next, the patrol reviews mannequins of Warsaw Pact soldiers. Patrol members must identify country of origin, rank, branch and weapons. At the final station, the patrol leader and assistant patrol leader must interpret Soviet operational graphics in order to analyze the tactical situation depicted on a captured Soviet map. We conducted an immense amount of classroom training and practical exercise in preparation for this event. In 1987, I-Jlth ACR was the winner in enemy identification. The most grueling physical event of the competition is the obstacle course. The entire patrol runs the 3,S(K)-meter, cross-country course. All enlisted soldiers carry UZ1 sub-machineguns, while the patrol leader and assistant patrol leadcr carry pistols. They must negotiate five man-made obstacles and two hand grenade target positions. Failure to hit all hand grenade targets at each station forces the patrol to run a detour around the position. Training for this event required rigorous workouts and a nutrition program that supplemented rcgular Army chow. We ran practice courses weekly and practiced throwing hand grenades daily. The shooting event is on a standard 300-nieter German shooting range. The patrol breaks into four-man teams and each man receives two six-round magazines. For each group, there are 20 targets exposed in seven groupings. One soldier, acting as an “alarm post,“ fires at the first grouping, and then the remaining three soldiers must run 50 mctcrs to assume their firing positions. Targets are hcavily camouflaged, with some visible to only one member of the patrol. Scorcs are based on target hits, plus bonus points for groupings hit, and rounds turned in (if all 20 targets arc hit). Training involved personalized instruction for team members by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Team from Ft. Benning, and weekly shooting on ranges set up to competition standards. The tactical swim entails a 200- meter swim in neoprene suits with 3 0 4 packs and

UZI

sub-machineguns. Patrols are required to make these packs (similar to poncho rafts), maintain three-man security and swim the course within 45 minutes. Penalties are awarded lor exceeding the allotted time, wet or lost equipment, and inadequate security. Training for this event also required personalized instruction and complemented overall physical conditioning. Only the assistant patrol leader and his driver participate in the skillcd driving event. Their vehicle must travel through, around, and over obstacles on a cross-country course. At these obstacles, the goal is to minimize clearances, which are measured and converted into penalty points. Although the size of the Bradley put the I-11th ACR team at a disadvantage against the German Luchs, British Scorpions, and ML13s of the other teams, the team managed to place sixth overall in this event. The only individual event is aerial reconnaissance, which is done by the patrol leader. Within 90 minutes, he must plan and execute a route reconnaissance for a rcin-forced German reconnaissance company. OPFOR and obstacles along the route test his ability to navigate and observe simultaneously, as well as select suitable detours along the planned route. Scoring is based solely on the graphics portrayed on his map, with emphasis on bridge MLCs, detour suitability, enemy locations, and positions for the company at the final assembly area. U.S. patrol leaders flew in excess of 1W hours in preparation for this event with both U.S. and Bundeswehr pilots and aircraft. Training for the Boeselager Cup is both challenging and different from U.S. methods. Intense physical conditioning is the foundation of the program, with the goal to have a 10- man team of NCAA-caliber athlctes that can run, shoot, and swim to intercollegiate standards. But raw physical talent is not enough to form a winning team. To become knowledgeable in German tactics, identification of all Warsaw Pact weapons, equipment, and personnel requires intelligent soldiers willing to spend long hours studying. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of Boeselager, from a training viewpoint, is the close interaction with our Allies. Through partnership training, we exchanged many ideas about reconnaissance and other training. The end result is a better understanding of each other’s men, equipment and tactics. The Boeselager competition itself provides an accurate measure of ARMOR - November-December 7987 23

U.S. soldiers’ recon skills. Even though German tactics are used in most events, basic individual skills are tested, and results have proved the values of cavalry scout individual training. More important, the competition serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas among some of the finest reconnaissance troops in NATO. The U.S. team’s observers benefit, too, not only from this exchange, but also in the corresponding increase io the confidence in our own and Allied readiness. American soldiers can point to the superb performance of both U.S. teams in 1987 as ample evidence of our outstanding soldiers and the readiness of the cavalry force in Europe. CPT Lionel Ortiz is a 1983 USMA graduate. After attending AOBC, he was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He served as scout platoon leader, liasion officer, and the 1986 Boeselager patrol leader for V Corps. In 1987, he was transferred to 1 st Squadron to serve as armored and aerial reconnaissance trainer for the lronhorse Boeselager team. CPT Brian Butcher is a 1983 USMA graduate. After attending AOBC, he was assigned to 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He served as tank platoon leader, troop executive officer,sup port platoon leader and Boeselager Patrol Leader. In 1987, he was assigned as Boeselager team trainer for night orienteering and tactical swimming. He is currently attending the Amphibious Warfare College in Quantico, Virginia. 24 Super vwvwcv The best scouts In all of NATO’s armies in Europe, and the Boeselager Cup winners for 1987, is the team from 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. The team is seen on one of the M3s it used in the strenuous and exacting five-day competition. Standing tall and proud are: Front row (leR to right) - SP4 Steven L Meints,

PFC

Thomas D. Blake, SGT Charles L. Ross, 1LT William V. Hill, 1LT Scotl D. Zegler, SP4 Shannon R. Thomas, PFC Bradley R. Scott, and SP4 Christopher P. Downey. Second row - SP4 John E. Mullen, PFC John Hynd, PFC James T. Black, and PFC Jimmy Davis. Third row - PFC William L Lyons, SP4 Robert Turner, SP4 Donald E. Manley, and SP4 Leonard B. Adams. 1 -

ARMOR - November-December 7987