Heavy Traffic: Troops in Bosnia Deal with Problem Drivers

RAMP is not a universal remedy. Adoption of a RAMP-based training model, reinforced with mission-specific ROE, will not guarantee the optimal outcome in every situation. Some trigger-pullers will inevitably misread situations, freeze under pressure, or make errors in judgment. It is, however, an excellent means to improve the chance of favorable outcomes for U. S. forces. The sooner U. S. armored forces implement the RAMP model, the better for the soldier at the checkpoint.16

Notes 1Unless otherwise specified, masculine pro-nouns in this article should be read as referring to either gender. 2Sample ROE Card from JA 422 (Operational Law Handbook). Used by NATO ground forces in Operation CONSTANT GUARD. 3Fictional scenario based on information obtained from interview with 1LT Jim Pugh, 27 APR 98, at Fort Knox, Ky. 1LT Pugh served as a tank platoon and mortar platoon leader with 4-67 AR (Later 1-37 AR) in Bosnia from Feb 96 to Sep 96. The scenario does not describe actual actions taken by that unit. 4The following argument also applies to USMC armored forces. Throughout this article, “soldier” can also be read “marine.” 5FM 101-5-1. 6Major Mark S. Martins, Rules of Engagement for Land Forces: A Matter of Training, Not Law-yering in Military Law Review, Vol. 143, 1994, pp 25-33. Major Martins, a onetime infantry officer, now a JAG officer, played a critical role in the development of the RAMP model, discussed later in this paper. Many of the arguments presented here are presented and further expounded in Maj. Martins’ Military Law Review article. Further references to this article will be referred to as “Martins, MLR.” 7Martins, MLR, p. 82. 8Martins, MLR, p. 55. 9FM 100-23 (Peace Operations), Chp 3 and App. D. 10Martins, MLR, p. 5-6. 11Martins, MLR, p. 86. 12METT-Tis an acronym representing five factors that must be considered in the analysis of a tactical situation. These factors are: Mission, Enemy, Terrain, Troops, Time available. 13SPORTS is a mnemonic device representing the actions a rifleman immediately performs when his M-16 rifle does not fire. These actions are: Slap up on the magazine; Pull the charging handle to the rear; Observe the round in the chamber; Release the charging handle; Tap the forward assist; Squeeze the trigger. Performing SPORTS is a reflex action to a well-trained infantry soldier. 14The Battle for Hunger Hill, LTC Daniel P. Bolger, p. 99. The Hand SALUTE and VEWPRIK devices were developed by LTC Bolger and MAJ Martins, and were successfully used by soldiers of LTC Bolger’s 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment at the Joint Readiness Training Center and on a peacekeeping deployment to Haiti. 15Martins, MLR, pp. 93-102. 16The author wishes to thank COL John E. Baker (SJA, Ft. Knox) and MAJ Mark Martins for their patient and helpful support; and MAJ (USMC) Scott Williams and CPT Joe Topinka for their proofreading assistance.

CPT Dan Froehlich, an Infantry officer, served as a rifle platoon leader, antiarmor platoon leader, support platoon leader, and antiarmor company XO with 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry Regiment, 101st ABN DIV (ASSLT). Currently, he is attending the William and Mary School of Law detailed to the JAG Corps under the Funded Legal Education Program. He holds a B. S. in systems engineering from the University of Virginia, and is a graduate of IOBC, the Ranger Course, and AOAC.

ARMOR — Heavy Traffic: Troops in Bosnia Deal with Problem Drivers

When a Bradley Fighting Vehicle comes upon a irate Bosnian on a bicycle, who wins? The executive officer of Company C, 2nd Infantry Regiment produced his own answer in a recent incident. “The man came up and stopped in front of my Bradley and was telling me, in English, ‘Why are you in my country?’ and ‘You need to get out of my country’,” said 1LT William Jacobs. “I told him to get out of my way.” The man refused. Jacobs eased the Bradley forward. When he did, it pushed the man back, and caused the bicycle to fall. Jacobs then moved forward, and the vehicle track folded the bicycle up and kicked it out the back tossing it up into the air. “The man wasn't hurt, but he sure was mad.” This was only one of the incidents encountered by Jacobs and other members of Company C when they were ordered to secure the municipal building in Bijeljina. They made three trips to the city that day. They were met the first time by large groups of citizens on almost every block. “We got hung up at the main intersection,” said Jacobs. “They had trucks pulled in front of us, trucks pulled behind us, and they threw rocks at us for awhile, cussed at us and spit at us.” “But they really didn’t seem committed to the cause, because when we showed any kind of aggression they would move on to the next vehicle,” said Jacobs. The vehicle that sustained the most damage was an unarmed medical truck. “When we got ready to leave,” he said, “I think they understood that we were capable of doing it if we wanted to. We ran over probably a dozen cars, ran over fences and through their yards. People were jumping into their cars to move them before I got there.” “I took out a fence and a couple of street signs to avoid cars with people in them,” said Jacobs. A similar situation was echoed by PFC William Hubbard. “We came up on an 18-wheeler at abridge. The driver started to back it up and I was only about two or three feet behind the truck. I just went forward and pushed him out of the way,” said Hubbard. “After that all the cars that were blocking the way proceeded to move out of the way,” he added. Actually, Hubbard said, “I was just trying to get out of there.”