A Ukrainian soldier of the 47th Brigade describes his experience of being trained by the U.S. Rangers while in Germany.
The War in the Ukraine
- Thread starter SampanViking
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and translated (via DeepL and Google Translate) thread for those who don't want to sign up for Twitter:
A thread about studying in Germany. Part 2
So I was in a reconnaissance platoon, trained by American Rangers. The program was aimed specifically at reconnaissance. There were three main instructors, these big guys. The three of them were equally square.
We would line up at 6 am to find out that the training started at 9 am. Why? For some reason, Americans love the rule "Arrive early to wait longer."
The first day, familiarization with weapons. We were told in detail about the M-16, the entire design and basic mechanisms. The lesson was quite useful, it was clear that they had been working with this weapon for years.
When talking to the instructors, they realized that there were many people with combat experience among us. Some guys had been fighting for months. Then they realized that their program was not designed for people with combat experience. They thought that new recruits would come, and all the training was supposed to be for the KMB.
"We immediately described our capabilities and what we needed (shooting, teamwork with other branches of the military, sapper work, flying drones, etc.). They promised that they would revise the program to adapt to us, but spoiler alert, there were almost no changes.
The lesson lasted about 6 hours, and in the afternoon we were already free. We could spend our free time as we wished. But there was not much entertainment. We did not know about the gym in the neighboring camp and the recreation area, and no one told us that we could go there.
The next day we were supposed to have drills and weapons firing. Now we line up at 5 am. We gather in full combat gear, line up and learn before the shooting starts at 9.
We continue to realize that creating schedules is not a strong feature of Americans.
The advantage of getting up early was the opportunity to have a proper breakfast and exercise.
At 9 we arrive at the shooting range, a couple of kilometers from the camp. We were told about safety precautions, and the machine gunners were told that they had to go to another shooting range at 11 o'clock. They were very happy and went back to the camp.
After the briefing, we went to the shooting range. Now we had to wait for all the platoons in front of us to shoot. 3 hours of waiting in the field. It was good that we had a heated tent, tea and coffee in thermoses.
So, we woke up at 5 to shoot at 13. Why? I don't know.
The training was absolutely standard, one magazine, a special target, and an explanation of how to set up the sighting device. Then we went to shoot at falling targets at 100-200-300 meters. Two more magazines. After that, I didn't shoot the weapon for more than a month.
The second day ended, and they finally stopped calling us to super early formations. They finally made some kind of schedule, and we could sleep until 7, have breakfast, and go to class at 9.
Next on the schedule was orienteering and cartography.
For a week, we were taught to read maps, to read coordinates, to take azimuth, to translate azimuth from compass to map and vice versa. When we told them that we use electronic maps on our tablets and phones, they did not take us seriously.
They don't rely on electronic devices at all, and the fact that we go on missions with Chinese smartphones and tablets was wild for them.
Yes, the equipment can sit down, break down, and you will always have a paper map with you (if it is not damaged).
But after Kropyva, I don't want to go back to paper maps at all.
The same goes for quadcopters. The concept of Mavic and the use of civilian drones is simply not even in their plans. Of course, they are studying our war, but they are still surprised that we use them.
For scouts, it is absolutely normal to climb a hill, use a paper map and azimuth to mark the coordinates of a point, call the artillery to it by radio, make adjustments and return back.
Of course, they have UAVs. Aircraft of different types, but this is purely a brigade level.
This clearly shows that apart from the war with the natives in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, etc., the Americans have not participated in a serious war for a long time. Their army does not even have an analog of the Chinese Mavic 3, which was a shock for us.
After the lectures, we moved on to practical exercises. The tasks are quite simple. You are given a map of the area, a list of points with coordinates, or azimuth and distance, and you have to find these points. So we walked around the German Reserve for another week, looking for and tapping the points.
To be honest, these two weeks were the most interesting, because we were really taught something, albeit quite rudimentary things. At that moment, by the way, I realized I had a certain aptitude for reading maps.
Then, using the experience of navigating on maps, we began to learn how to correct. Classes were held in a special room with a large screen. You have a large map in front of you, and a projection of the terrain on the screen. It looks as if you are looking down from a hill at the terrain on your map.
Before adjusting, there is a lecture on types of artillery, types of shells, protocol for calling for fire, etc. American scouts order an artillery strike themselves, the type of ammunition, the number of shots, etc.
For them, a call for artillery means hitting a single target and the mission is accomplished. That's why this concept is unlikely to work for us, with a limited amount of ammunition and a huge number of targets.
By the way, don't joke with the Americans about white and red phosphorus. They were very tense when we started ordering practice shots with phosphorus on the manpower of the conditional enemy. Phosphorus can be used to hit enemy formations. They did not answer the question of what to do if there are people there.
Learning to adjust took three days and it was also a cool experience. It even looked a little like editing from a drone. A target appears on the map, you mark it on the map, give barks, and on the screen the artist hits it. The truth is not very plausible. Arta always hits on what you said.
Then the first day off. Although we were on the territory of Germany, we were not allowed to leave the base. So we just rested in our tents, washed things, and just rested. We learned about the gym in the nearby camp and visited there.
Just to quickly comment on the Ukrainian soldier's perspective. Given the photo he posted on Twitter, I believe the Rangers he was referring to were the Ranger-tabbed ones since:
a. The unit patch on the US instructor's right arm in the photo is from the 101st Airborne
b. You can see his Ranger tab on his left arm
So, they aren't active personal from the 75th Ranger Regiment, which specializes in Direct Action. In addition, I believe his unit worked with the 101st's Recon Platoon.
For a few days now Russians were on the offensive around Torske and Novoselivske along the Svatove–Kreminna front and having some success. This seems to have escalated in the last 24 hours, Suriyak is counting Russians now on the offensive and gaining ground in no less than 5 areas of the front:
North of Torske
Marfopil
Vodyane
High ground near Klishchiivka, south of Bakhmut
Novoselivske
Rybar is saying Novoselivske itself has been taken and he has multiple sources confirming this:
![20230713220502-8e3bb288[1].jpg](https://www.sinodefenceforum.com/data/attachments/109/109498-e06b6e60eab204323d85ea2f4f68ab29.jpg "20230713220502-8e3bb288[1].jpg")
North of Torske
Marfopil
Vodyane
High ground near Klishchiivka, south of Bakhmut
Novoselivske
Rybar is saying Novoselivske itself has been taken and he has multiple sources confirming this:
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Ukrainian concentration and deployment point hit with an air strike, likely from laser guided KAB bombs.
Day of the Lancets, as a Lancet hits a Ukrainian 36D6 search radar.
T-64BV hit by Lancet.
P-18 search radar hit by Lancet at Krivoy Rog.
And of course, once again an M777 falls victim to a Lancet.
Iskander strike on a Ukrainian warehouse and depot in Zaporzhyzhia.
FPV operators of the 155th Marine Brigade takes out a Ukrainian BMP-2.
Ukrainian Go Pro POV as their vehicle hits a mine.
The 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Northern Fleet continues to hit Ukrainian vehicles in the Artemevosk sector using MSTA.
MSTA-S using Krasnopol takes out a Ukrainian tank.
Ukrainian vehicles headed to the position of the Russian 40th Marines Brigade at Vremevsky. A vehicle hit a mine.
Remains of a Ukrainian UAV reveals a Kingtech K-210 turbine used for model aircraft and is an expensive piece that cost several thousand Euros.
Day of the Lancets, as a Lancet hits a Ukrainian 36D6 search radar.
T-64BV hit by Lancet.
P-18 search radar hit by Lancet at Krivoy Rog.
And of course, once again an M777 falls victim to a Lancet.
Iskander strike on a Ukrainian warehouse and depot in Zaporzhyzhia.
FPV operators of the 155th Marine Brigade takes out a Ukrainian BMP-2.
Ukrainian Go Pro POV as their vehicle hits a mine.
The 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Northern Fleet continues to hit Ukrainian vehicles in the Artemevosk sector using MSTA.
MSTA-S using Krasnopol takes out a Ukrainian tank.
Ukrainian vehicles headed to the position of the Russian 40th Marines Brigade at Vremevsky. A vehicle hit a mine.
Remains of a Ukrainian UAV reveals a Kingtech K-210 turbine used for model aircraft and is an expensive piece that cost several thousand Euros.
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A camouflaged BMP-3 of the Vega Battalion. The Vega Battalion is a volunteer group of ex-special forces. Currently the unit is deployed in Kremenneya front.
Spotted a Mi-28N attack helicopter with LMUR missiles.
T-64BV destroyed by ATGM with a hit on the turret.
Devastation caused by Gerans on Ukrainian real estate. This might be a large warehouse due to the large strusses.
Ukrainian convoy falls under Russian artillery fire near Klesheevka. Video is under Ukrainian POV. Someone might be saying to GTFO of here.
Artillery fire from a Russian SPG hits a local ammo depot.
Spotted a Mi-28N attack helicopter with LMUR missiles.
T-64BV destroyed by ATGM with a hit on the turret.
Devastation caused by Gerans on Ukrainian real estate. This might be a large warehouse due to the large strusses.
Ukrainian convoy falls under Russian artillery fire near Klesheevka. Video is under Ukrainian POV. Someone might be saying to GTFO of here.
Artillery fire from a Russian SPG hits a local ammo depot.
Ah yes, the good ol' "hurry up and wait". .
Pffft
Okay, that sounds like US Army's rifle qualification. So they literally made them shoot Table IV and Table VI or something. It might be modified or buddy remembered it wrong, because real Table VI qualification calls for 4 10-round magazines.
So this is literally just a bog standard land navigation exercise.
Fun fact, US Army TRADOC actually publishes an online Unity-based game (now also ported to smartphone) where you actually do the exact same thing (no azimuth + distance though, IIRC). Yes, you literally had to "plot" the points given by a list of MGRS grid references by futzing aroung with (virtual) protractor and ruler on a (virtual) paper map, and the physically place a marker thing to "plot" it. After plotting, you are supposed to actually navigate with a compass while counting pace with a (virtual) pace count bead. The "game" is pretty janky, but I guess it gets the point across.
???
I guess either the "rangers" are teaching something that is not doctrine, or something got lost in translation... I am guessing it's the latter.
The aforementioned TRADOC also published a game about call for fire, where you do a fire mission by the book (as in, by the book to the point where you are literally required to "write" the end-of-mission message in a virtual notebook). The map part is just as janky as the land navigation game.
Based on what I've read here, the training is literally just boot camp-level (except the artillery call fer fire part). If this is the level of much-vaunted NATO training being provided, it's no wonder why they got mauled in Zapo just like the others.
Military call for fire is still pretty basic according to what was teached there.
Correction orders for Fire control wouldn't be that hard to get accustomed to.
What is bothering me is that they decide to actively waste precious time, be it not eunough sleep due to early "schedule" or senselessly idleing around, instead of doing proper training.
But being on the shooting range and not shooting for 80-90% of the time is common in germany. I think there is also not much to do for the american rangers since the shooting range belongs to germany and german range control is special and security protocol is kinda unforgiving.
And the part that their doctrine is 80's wrt to technology.