GTM – 3 Tasks

1. GTM – 3 Tasks By C/Lt. Col. John S. Gomez-Simmons Shoemaker Composite Squadron, TX-403 GSARSS Instructor

2. Preparing Equipment – Things you likely DON’T have! • F101 (typically called the “101 Card”) • Orange Reflective Vest • GTM-Handbook • Signal Mirror • Triangular Bandage • Chemical Light Stick • Flagging Tape • Blank Interview Forms • Shelter Material (a tarp or a tent)

3. Individual Refit • Replenish: replace what you lost • Repair: fix anything that is broken • Repack: Get your gear ready again • Rest: only once you are ready to move out

4. Hot Weather Injuries • Heat Stress Prevention • Monitor color of urine • Wear loose clothing • Avoid overexertion • Avoid sunburn by using sunscreen • Observe other members of team • Use the buddy system

5. Hot Weather Injuries • Heat Cramps • Signs • Cramping of leg or abdomin • Weakness • Dizziness or faintness • Treatment • Move to cool shady place • Provide a type of electrolyte (salt water or gatorade) • Massage cramped area • Provide pressure to cramped area • Apply moist towels • Transport to medical care facility

6. Hot Weather Injuries • Heat Exhaustion • Signs • Rapid and shallow breathing • Weak Pulse • Cold and clammy skin • Heavy perspiration • Weakness and dizziness leading to unconsciousness • Treatment • Move to cool shady place • Remove clothing to cool patient • Fan the patient’s skin • Give salted water or commercial electrolyte • Treat for shock and transport to medical care facility

7. Hot Weather Injuries • Heat Stroke • Signs • Deep breathing becoming shallower • Rapid, strong pulse becoming weaker • Dry and hot skin • Dilated pupils • Unconsciousness, seizures, and muscle twitching • Treatment • Remove from any heat source/loosen clothing • Immerse in cool water • Treat for shock and transport to hospital

8. Cold Weather Injuries • General Prevention • Cover extremities • Use layer principle • Choose clothing that will trap air pockets • Avoid getting wet • Avoid overexertion • Know who all in your team ever had a cold weather injury • Change clothing when dirty or wet • Use buddy system

9. Cold Weather Injuries • Frostbite • Early Stage • Skin turns from red to white and waxy • Numbness in affected area • Should be treated by using body heat • Late Stage • Skin turns mottled or blotchy, yellow, and finally grayish-blue • Best treatment is to transport patient to hospital immediately • If no transport is available, immerse in warm water

10. Cold Weather Injuries • Do you ever massage a frostbitten body part? Why, or why not?

11. Cold Weather Injuries • Hypothermia • Early Stage • Uncontrollable shivering • Numbness • To treat, keep patient warm and dry, remove wet clothing, and warm central body before warming extremities

12. Cold Weather Injuries • Late Stage Hypothermia • Signs • Drowsiness, inability to perform simple action • Slow pulse and breathing rate • Failing eyesight and “glassy” stare • Unconsciousness • Treatment • All treatment steps for early hypothermia • Place patient in the heads-down position • Transport to medical care facility immediately

13. Natural Hazards • Three Groups: • Terrain: steep cliffs, flooded areas, boulders. • Plants: Poison ivy, oak, and sumac. • Animals: Ants, bees, spiders, snakes.

14. Natural Hazards • Guess who? • Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, Poison Ivy, Brown Recluse, Black Widow, Cottonmouth, Copperhead

15. Fatigue • Signs of Fatigue: • Inability to concentrate • Incomplete sentences, slurring words • Bloodshot eyes • Inability to walk properly • Drooping eye lids • Slap happiness

16. Fatigue • Can be prevented/relieved by: • Taking frequent breaks when working • Eating light snacks throughout the day • Changing seats in long vehicle trips • Having 6 – 8 hours of sleep per night • Sit, lay down, rest, and sleep whenever possible.

17. Field Sanitation and Hygiene • Care of Feet • Avoid unpurified Water • Properly Dispose Waste • Personal Hygiene

18. Care of Feet • Correct fitting boots • Clean socks • Treat and protect blisters • Keep feet dry • Dust feet with powder

19. Drinking Only Clean Water • Use water purification tablets or similar items only as a last resort • Always get team leader’s approval when using water purification tablets • Only drink from known pure water sources free of contamination

20. Taking Out the Garbage • Cat hole: at least 1 foot deep, used for human waste • Make sure cat holes are at least 100 yds downhill from camp area • Have a designated trash area for garbage (such as trail mix wrappers, MRE pouches, etc)

21. Personal Hygiene • Brush Teeth Daily (after each meal is possible) • Wash hands before eating and after using cat holes/latrines

22. The Compass • Points to MAGNETIC north • To follow a bearing (i.e. 47 degrees), rotate the dial until 47 degrees is on the Line of Travel, then turn your body until the needle matches up with 0degrees (or magnetic north).

23. The Compass • Compass-to-cheek method of holding • Centerhold technique

24. Actions When Lost • Stay where you are • Think before acting rashly • Observe your surroundings and its’ inhabitants • Plan for the worst

25. Actions When Lost • Size up the situation • Undue haste makes waste • Remember where you are • Vanquish fear and panic • Improve your situation • Value Living • Act like the natives • Learn basic skills

26. Universal Precautions • Victims can have diseases that you must avoid. Always use gloves and eye protection when dealing with patients. • Change gloves between different patients to avoid contamination • Proper way to take surgical gloves off: pull off left glove, crumple it in right hand, use left hand to reach underneath the opening of the right glove, flip inside-out.

27. The Phone Alert • Works similar to calldown • Certain mission specific information must be given and received • Type of mission • Expected Duration • Time and location of meeting place • Mission number • Special instructions • Call back number

28. The Phone Alert • Don’t trust your memory alone – write it down! • What happens when you call the person below you and they don’t answer?

29. The Distress Beacon • Determine Distress Beacon Bearing • Set up the Elper • Point out direction of ELT to within 10 degrees

30. Locating the Distress Beacon • Puts DF gear into operation • Locates beacon within 30 minutes

31. Foot Scanning Techniques • Scan entire area in front, left, right, and down • Occasionally, look back • Check blocked areas • Stay on track • Do not use white light • Don’t stare at the same spot for too long • Be alert for movement or noise

32. Foot Scanning Techniques • Rules • Don’t stare at one spot for too long • Do not use white light (unless conducting full light search) • Avoid white light 30 minutes prior to the search • Be especially alert for movement or noise.

33. The Search Line • Several types and patterns depending on the mission needs • Most common is a straight path across an area of high POD

34. The Search Line • Maintain close interval • Maintains correct direction • Maintains proper speed • Communicate to maintain interval, direction, and speed • Adequately search the assigned area • Remain alert to the team leader’s commands • Correctly adjust interval as directed

35. Communication and the Search Line • The begin moving and shout “Forward the line” in opposite direction • Shouts “Halt the line” and listens for response

36. Whistle Signals • Used for search lines/rallying all team members to a certain point. • 1 short blast: forward • 2 short blasts: stop • 3 short blasts: help/danger • 1 Long blast: Assemble (on the location from which you heard the whistle)

37. Attraction Techniques • Daytime Attraction Techniques • Shouting the target’s name • Honking vehicle horns during route searches • Use of public address system • The “Sound Sweep” (everyone blows whistles for 15 seconds then listens) • Nighttime Attraction Techniques • Building a bonfire (when stationary for long periods) • Hanging light sticks in trees (when stationary – collect when you leave) • Shining flashlights • Car headlights during vehicle searches • Hanging signs that direct the lost person towards your camp or base

38. Aircraft Search Clues • Changes in Terrain • Smells • Signs of Aircraft • Signs of Pilot or Passenger

39. Missing Person Search Clues • Physical • Recorded • People • Events • Look for the clues leading to the person

40. Physical Clues • Pieces of clothing or equipment • Smoke (sight or smell) • Trash • Disturbed brush • Scavengers • Decomposition odors

41. Recorded Clues • Trail registers • Sign-in logs

42. People • Witnesses • Family and friends

43. Events • Signals • Falling rocks • Unusual noises

44. Marking a Route • Used for line searches • Flagging tape is used to mark the ends and show the area just searched • Best to use different colors for each line • Mark off areas within sight

45. Actions on Locating a Clue

46. Actions on a Find

47. Hasty Search • Ground Team Leader (GTL) • Communicator • Medic • Mostly searches trails, streams, routes toward gathering places, and various other areas with a high probability of detection (POD).

48. The Litter Carry • Minimum of 4 persons • One per corner • Six is preferred, but not always available • To lift, start with your inside knee on the ground (Driver makes sure everyone is ready) • Lift using your legs, not your back • Lower by dropping your inside knee (driver makes sure the ground is clear and everyone is ready)

49. The Signal Mirror • Used as a form of attraction (such as for attracting aircraft, etc) • Is essentially a mirror with a central hole • Let light reflect onto your free hand, then use your hand to help you aim at an object. You should essentially be able to draw a line from the mirror, to your hand, to the target.

50. The Radio