European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 8, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Belgian soldiers move through a Cleat a Long Range surveillance team from cod 103rd military intelligence i crosses the Regnitz River in Germany in a rubber boat provided by Friendly partisans. In reconnaissance training soldiers biggest weapon is stealth a amps photos by John Millar life on the Rugby John Millar Wurzburg Bureau after six Days on the Tun spec. John Ramirez welcomed the warmth and Comfort of a Musty Hayloft. Things had been anything but warm and comfortable for him and the other four members of his Long Range surveillance team. A just a few nights before the cod 103rd military intelligence in Soldier got sick from drinking bad water. Another member of his team twisted his ankle while. Walking through the Woods at night still another had Quot about ten blisters on each foot Quot Ramirez said. A it was a rough night.&Quot-. A a. Dirty tired and hungry the soldiers found Refuge in the barn near Lorchheim Germany and seized the. Opportunity to capture a few precious hours of daytime sleep in the Hay. Soon they would gather what Little equipment they had. With them and make plans for the coming night. A Sunbeam filtered through cobwebs and dust in the barn growing smaller As the Sun began to set. When it disappeared they would be on the run again. The barn was located just half Way Point in a 75-mile journey designed to test How Well the soldiers could survive off the land and run for their lives from an Ever pursuing enemy. A. A. The Cross country trek was part of co Dos recent survival and escape and evasion exercise. Acting unit first. Sergeant staff sgt. Mark Fernandez said the exercise provides vital training for the Range surveillance unit s wartime Mission. Other units in the battalion have sophisticated intelligence gathering gadgetry than can detect things like enemy movements and 7 communications he said. Co d provides Quot human intelligence Quot by going deep behind enemy lines to find out exactly what the enemy has and where he is our soldiers Are placed 50 Miles behind enemy lines Quot said 1st it Tim Chyma. Executive officer for the unit. Quot their biggest weapon is but if stealth does t work and the soldiers Are discovered they have to try to make it. Back to Friendly lines on their own. Such was the Case during the exercise. \. Five Long Range surveillance teams from co d and one. Each from the German and belgian armies were flown from their units to a Point just North of Grafe Wohr at the Start of the exercise Chyma said. They were supposed to be on a Long Range surveillance Mission almost 75 Miles behind enemy lines but hostile troops played by members of the 3rd my co heard the choppers and spotted the. Teams. From there soldiers were on their own to make their Way Back to their units in Kitzinger on foot ,. When they were spotted Fernandez said the co d soldiers had to drop their packs to lighten the Load. Carrying Only m-16s and ponchos with liners Quot they had to live off the land find what water they can and eat to avoid being captured soldiers travelled by night. Through thick Woods and buried themselves underneath branches to sleep during the Day. In the Woods its pretty said pfc. Andrew Jarrell. A you got Back into the said his team tried to move so they be noticed by anyone. German or american although it was the 3rd my co Quot enemy they were most concerned about. The unit usually stuck to the forests and walked 12 to 15 Miles each night. Quot its hard to the Woods quietly in the dark Quot Jarrell said. A it s quieter on the Road but it s easier for the enemy to see you. You have to weigh the a 7 Quot Fernandez said the teams were supposed to travel certain corridors Over which Friendly aircraft flew. Along the routes were buried caches of food and sometimes an air drop of supplies but just As in time of War the troops could not count on the help. Pvt. 2 Jorge Mazariegos said one of the hidden caches contained Only two Small packages of a amp is the team received an air drop of food but they still went hungry because the army rations that were dropped from a. Helicopter smashed upon Landing in a Muddy Field. Fernandez said the soldiers could have eaten the mud laced food Quot it depends on How hungry they . A without eating you still have to Ramirez said. Quot your Energy level just goes Down and you have to Stop and the team caught two chickens they found. Wandering in the Woods near a farm. Hunger took precedence Over the Chance of being discovered with the Birds roasting Over a fire. Ramirez said their meal was rounded out with edible pfc. 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