U.S. Army Desert Operations Handbook

by U.S. Department of the Army

Overview

Imagine working all day in 100-degree plus temperatures under constant life-threatening circumstances, sometimes relying only on the negligible amount of hydration from a cactus you’ve dug up. This is the life of a U.S. Army soldier in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, which is why the U.S. Army Desert Operations Handbook is a vital reference for survival in one of the harshest environments in the world. This official guide covers how to plan and conduct operations, how the environment affects personnel and equipment, and most importantly, how to survive and receive supplies in the desert.

The obvious problems with extreme temperatures are water location and mobility. However, from handling and caring for firearms to operating and fueling a tank, the entire game changes in the dry, sandy desert conditions. The skills in this guide are taken from lessons learned in real combat situations. Success in desert operations requires the ability to adapt with constant terrain and temperature changes, which are often drastic within the same twenty-four–hour period. All the while, the soldier must be able to move within a unit without being visible to unfriendly groups. This combat-tested manual is sure to arm anyone with the skills necessary to survive in the desert.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510720541
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	03/06/2013
Series:	US Army Survival
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

The  Department of the Army  (DA) is one of the three military departments within the  Department of Defense of the United States of America. Its mission is to fight and win our Nation’ s wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across the full range of military operations and spectrum of conflict in support of combatant commanders.

Table of Contents

Preface v

Introduction vi

Chapter 1 The Environment and Its Effects on Personnel and Equipment 1-1

Section I The Environment 1-1

Section II Environmental Effects on Personnel 1-17

Section III Environmental Effects on Equipment 1-30

Chapter 2 Preparations For Desert Operations 2-1

Section I Factors to be Considered for Desert Operations 2-1

Section II Individual Training 2-2

Section III Unit Training 2-15

Chapter 3 Operations In Desert Conditions 1

Section I How The Desert Environment Affects Tactical Operations 3-1

Section II Offensive Operations 3-27

Section III Defensive Operations 3-31

Chapter 4 Combat Service Support 4-1

Section I Base Development Plan 4-2

Section II Theater Support 4-3

Section III Corps Support Command 4-6

Section IV Division Support Command 4-7

Section V Combat Service Support Element 4-7

Section VI Support Operations 4-8

Section VII Security of Supply Routes 4-10

Section VIII Supply 4-10

Section IX Maintenance 4-14

Section X Personnel Support 4-15

Section XI Health Services 4-16

Section XII Naval and Air Force Assistance 4-17

Section XIII Other Combat Service Support Issues 4-18

Appendix A Desert Countries of the World A-1

Appendix B Employment of Aircraft in Desert Operations B-1

Appendix C Techniques for Operating Equipment in the Desert C-1

Appendix D Effects of the Environment on Nuc ar, Biological, and Chemical Weapons D-1

Appendix E Desert Concealment and Camouflage E-1

Appendix F Operations in Mountains F-1

Appendix G Water Usage in Desert Operations G-1

Appendix H Fratricide Reduction H-1

Glossary Glossary-1

References References-1

Index Index-1