The tactical column involves a group of combatants lined up in various arrangements involving who’s in the front who’s making calls and other variables like what the objective is, what gear has been brought along, how many are in the band, the forecasted duration of a mission, and the level of stealth called for during any offensive tactical column maneuvers. In a maximally stealthful approach, the lead man will be moving very much alone. With great care he trots from tree to tree calling along his fellows while focusing out ahead of the group. He will systematically move from cover to cover, towards his target, and upon arriving at each new cover position he, when he thinks it’s safe, calls up his squad mates, and upon his #2 arriving at the new position, his #2 softly places his hand on the point man’s shoulder, not to be mistaken for the act of tapping the troop ahead of oneself in order to garner his attention. This act by the #2 of the gentle hand on shoulder says, all is good with the band, we’re ready when you are. The point man is then freed to again command the situation. If the lead senses trouble he may place his hand into the air to tell the company to halt. He may then motion to turn around, he may motion to quietly move towards the ground, or behind cover, or he may motion to walk cautiously backwards ready to engage with an approaching force in front of them. He may call reinforces immediately if a gun battle is imminent. A call for reinforcements may be a quick singling out of a few troops to run up to his position, or it may involve more teamwork and more leadership activity. The point man may turn to his brothers and direct the band into a fan movement engulfing the point and establishing a perimeter prepared to lay down a line of fire. Once the perimeter has been set, the lead is faced with a choice, does he direct the squad on him to slowly advance ready to signal “open fire” by the firing of his own rifle, or does he, perhaps noting that a gun battle is not immediately imminent but threats are great, upon setting this defensive position, find a CO, report, and ask for a directive? That’s a, say it with me, leadership call. Elsewhere in the column someone may feel at any moment while traversing the whole company needs to stop. To say so they will tap the soldier ahead of them and when their comrade turns their head, the soldier attempting to halt the group may make a sign of a fist pointing straight upwards. This silent communication would then chain its way to the point man who would upon deciding that yes indeed we can stop, motion for the company to do precisely that. Tactical columns can work because soldiers spaced out adds Insurance in the face of aerial attacks, mortars, and land mines. Their use case also includes that they provide ultimate stealth capabilities insofar as the band has a good idea of where their enemy is. The human eye detects left-right movements far more easily than straight on (and straight back) movement so say a tactical column, keeping good and straight, sneaks straight up to a point of attack, the defenders of the soon-to-be under siege enemy position have only a chance to spot the front person in the column, but even then if the point man is doing his job he isn’t seen. Upon arriving at location a CO will likely call for some attacking protocol or adopt one specially fit to the situation at hand. Or I suppose, if a reconnaissance mission… reconnaissance work. I’m sorry I don’t know much about recon. Or some sort of infiltration mission suppose a bridge blown up *boom* nobody on it strategic victory. Here’s one we all know about God Bless America, assassinations. If the attacking force does indeed intend to occupy the enemy position by means of surprise attack, the tactical column becomes a machine of war, a precise one. Though there are different ways to attack, an all-out attack will involve, for a NATO army, mortars, grenades, LMGs, perhaps. Maybe you show up where you’re going and you pin the enemy location you just call for a precision air strike and by the grace of the almighty that whole bad guy den has been wiped off the face of the earth. Let’s say Chris Kyle finds a rooftop or a hilltop and he has a friend track the wind and maybe another friend to cover his six. Chris Kyle then sends three shots into a courtyard followed by an immediate seige by a ground team. Chris then just watches the roofs. Let’s reverse to when Chris first gets up the hill, and this time he’s up there to shoot one dude, in the face. His squadron will likely form a defensive perimeter around Chris and remain prepared for a swift exit. Chris makes his shot and immediately exfiltrates the zone of combat accompanied by a squad of defenders with mean guns. The whole company then immediately exfiltrates the hot zone, and, this is crucial, they must be fast. If they’re not fast then people are pushing buttons on computers and people are dying. The company must be in and out. There’s no other way. There’s this idea in Samurai that when you initiate violent combat, in defense, aggression, whatever, that the duel is over immediately. There is no second swing of the Katana, only the first. This extends to the tactical column formation and its versatility. Two separately maneuvering columns in parallel motion can communicate and coordinate simultaneous attack plans. This way you can spread the field. You have two Chris Kyles instead of one. RIP. Tactical columns can work in tandem with amphibious vehicles as well as tanks, helicopters, again, jets, maybe an attack ship nearby with artillery pointed to where we think the bad guy is. They also work I’m sure well with the hummer replacements. Those things are monsters by the way, $400,000 a pop, same cost as a new Rolls Royce. That Uncle Sam. I wonder if those things have quiet engines or if there’s anything optimally small also capable of moving an artillery gun with 360 degree automobility that also is super quiet… hmmm. Back to reality, I don’t know much beyond what I’ve learned from the media I’ve consumed. The HBO show Band of Brothers depicts in raw detail the leadership that leads (see that) to victory. And the leadership that leads to defeat. But I’ve also read some portion of a few military books and looking back at the war movies I watched as a kid (ah youth) I realize the tactical column was always there. Ok the secret’s out tell everybody, except everybody’s been known.
I wrote about this military phenomenon because… I do not know, exactly. I began to think of it and then I wanted to see how fully I understand it, so by Einstein, if I’ve explained it clearly then I must sort of get it myself. Now look here, I am not out running around in tactical columns I’ve never been in one. I think there’s a military urge within us and coming to understand militarism helps fill that urge. I don’t think we need to live out this militarism in barbarous unbridled ways, but by golly it’s just so darn interesting. Let’s do new stuff but let’s not completely chastise ourselves about coming to terms with what war actually means in the world around us, which is, at war. I hope I got something across to you today. Most war is egregious and costly in civilian lives. Also costly in terms of money due to use of bombs and/or rockets to decimate city blocks. The tactical column is capable if made up of worthy individuals to not bother with the great sin of war that is performing a carpet bombing run over a civilian residence. I don’t care if it’s a drone I don’t care if it’s a helicopter, unless perhaps a timed helicopter strafe run when a target is exposed, the chopper quickly swooping in, banking, and lining up a good shot for Mr. Shooter staring through an ACOG sight rocking with a marksman rifle, firing big bullets, hopefully no more than three, JHP, which without delay ends our bad guy and results in a successful… what do they call ‘em “attack on a terrorist outpost” and does it with only one fatality, the guy they were trying to kill. Don’t expect me to try to act like I understand war though. Smedley called it a racket and he’s probably right but damn it I’m glad they saved Private Ryan.
Oh yea, post script, never rule out the HIMARS, ever. Ya point it up into the sky and say goodbye. Jeez man what a world, what a world.
J.W. 