Idea and Research Book

Perform Self-Extraction from a Mined Area

Standards: Self-extract from a mined area, by foot or from a vehicle, under the following conditions without causing personal injury or mine detonation. When footprints are clearly visible, when footprints are not clearly visible (stepping-stone and lane technique), and from a vehicle. Locate, mark, and bypass each trip wire and mine within the area probed. Remove enough soil to confirm the presence of a mine. Report the mined area information to higher headquarters.
Conditions: You are in an area containing buried mines and trip wire-activated mines, given a probing device, a trip wire feeler, personal protective equipment, marking material, and a vehicle.

Note: A mine detector is not available.

Standards: Self-extract from a mined area, by foot or from a vehicle, under the following conditions without causing personal injury or mine detonation. When footprints are clearly visible, when footprints are not clearly visible (stepping-stone and lane technique), and from a vehicle. Locate, mark, and bypass each trip wire and mine within the area probed. Remove enough soil to confirm the presence of a mine. Report the mined area information to higher headquarters.

Performance Steps

1. Take immediate action on observed indicators or confirmation of a mine.

Note: The acronym for stop, assess, note, draw back, inform (SANDI) is used to remember the sequence of events for extraction. Stop and gain control of yourself. Assess the situation of mines or booby traps and personnel. Note the situation for future reference. Draw back to the last known safe area. Self-extraction to the nearest safe area may be referred to as draw back. Inform higher headquarters of the situation. The letters from the acronym will be reinforced throughout this task and represented with bold letters.

a. Stop immediately and gain control of yourself.

(1) Do not move your feet if you are on foot.

(2) Remain in the vehicle.

(3) Warn other elements operating in the area, and advise higher elements of the situation for possible support with extraction.

Note In an emergency mine situation involving a single casualty, call for help. If the casualty is conscious, establish communication with the victim. Instruct the soldier to remain still and administer self-help first aid. Reassure him that help is coming. The use of radio communications equipment is acceptable. While there are certain mines that can be fuzed to detonate on a specific radio frequency, these mines are extremely rare and unlikely to be encountered within a minefield. The life saving advantage of using a radio to call for help far outweighs the threat of radio frequency-activated mines. Submit a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) report.

b. Assess the situation.

(1) Determine the nearest safe area not containing mines.

(2) Determine the shortest route to the safe area.

(3) Determine if in the middle of a mined area.

c. Note the situation.

(1) Make notes about the mine that you see.

(a) Describe the shape, and draw pictures if necessary (square, round, conical, circular, rectangular, concave, dome, or cylindrical) (Figure 052-192-1042-1).

http://www.armystudyguide.com/images2/a0001.gif

Figure 052-192-1042-1. Samples of Mine Shapes

(b) State the color (light green, dark green, brown, black, sand, camouflage, gray, metallic, natural wood, olive, blue, or white).

(c) Annotate the size.

(d) Annotate the material type. Most mines are made of plastic, plastic casting, wood, sheet metal, cast iron, metal alloys, concrete, Bakelite ™, and cast explosive.