Thursday, December 12, 2013

Characteristics of Teams-FM 6-22

The hallmarks of close teams include—


  • Trusting each other and being able to predict what each other will do.
  • Working together to accomplish the mission.
  • Executing tasks thoroughly and quickly.
  • Meeting and exceeding the standard.
  • Thriving on demanding challenges.
  • Learning from their experiences and developing pride in their accomplishments.


The Army as a team includes many members who are not Soldiers. The contributions made by countless Army civilians, contractors, and multinational personnel in critical support missions during Operation Desert Storm, the Balkans, and the War on Terrorism are often forgotten. In today’s logistic heavy operational environments, many military objectives could not be achieved without the dedicated support of the Army’s hard-working civilian team members.

Within a larger team, smaller teams may be at different stages of development. For instance, members of First Squad may be accustomed to working together. They trust one another and accomplish the mission, usually exceeding the standard without wasted effort. Second Squad in the same platoon just received three new Soldiers and a team leader from another company. As a team, Second Squad is less
mature and it will take them some time to get up to the level of First Squad. Second Squad’s new team members have to learn how things work. First, they have to feel like members of the team. Subsequently, they must learn the standards and the climate of their new unit and demonstrate competence before other members really accept them. Finally, they must practice working together. Leaders can best oversee the
integration process if they know what to expect.

Competent leaders are sensitive to the characteristics of the team and its individual members. Teams develop differently and the boundaries between stages are not hard and fast. The results can help determine what to expect of the team and what is needed to improve its capabilities.


Thursday, December 5, 2013

Building Shelters

14-14. SHELTERS.
A shelter can protect you from the sun, insects, wind, rain, snow, hot or cold temperatures, and enemy observation. In some areas your need for shelter may take precedence over your need for food, possibly even your need for water. After determining your shelter site, you should keep in mind the type of shelter (protection) you need. You need to know how to make different types of shelters. Only two are described in this handbook.
a. Planning Considerations.
• How much time and effort are needed to build the shelter?
• Will the shelter adequately protect you from the elements (rain, snow, wind, sun, and so on)?
• Do you have tools to build it? If not, can you improvise tools from materials in the area?
• Do you have the type and amount of manmade materials needed to build it? If not, are there sufficient natural materials in the area?
b. Poncho Lean To. You need only a short time and minimal equipment to build this lean to. You need a poncho, 6 to 10 feet of rope, three stakes about 6 inches long, and two trees (or two poles) 7 to 9 feet apart. Before you select the trees you will use (or decide where to place the poles), check the wind direction. Make sure the back of your
lean to will be into the wind. To make the lean to–
(1) Tie off the hood of the poncho. To do this, pull the draw cord tight; roll the hood long ways, fold it into thirds, and tie it with the draw cord.
(2) Cut the rope in half. On one long side of the poncho, tie half of the rope to one corner grommet, and the other half to the other corner grommet.
(3) Attach a drip stick (about a 4 inch stick) to each rope 1/ 4 to 3/ 4 inches away from the grommet. These drip sticks will keep rainwater from running down the ropes into the lean to. Using drip lines is another way to prevent dripping inside the shelter. Tie lines or string about 4 inches long to each grommet along the top edge of the shelter. This allows water to run to and down the line without dripping into the shelter.
(4) Tie the ropes about waist high on the trees (uprights). Use a round turn and two half hitches with quick release knot.
(5) Spread the poncho into the wind and anchor to the ground. To do this, put three sharpened sticks through the grommets and into the ground.
(6) If you plan to use the lean to for more than one night, or if you expect rain, make a center support to the lean to. You can do this by stretching a rope between two upright poles or trees that are in line with the center of the poncho.
(7) Tie another rope to the poncho hood; pull it upward so that it lifts the center of the poncho, and tie it firmly to the rope stretched between the two uprights.
(8) Another method is to cut a stick to place upright under the center of the lean to. This method, however, will restrict your space and movements in the shelter.
(9) To give additional protection from wind and rain, place boughs, brush, your rucksack, or other equipment at the sides of the lean to.
(10) To reduce heat loss to the ground, place some type of insulating material, such as leaves or pine needles, inside your lean to.
NOTE: When at rest, as much as 80 percent of your body heat can be lost to the ground.
(11) To increase your security from enemy observation, lower the silhouette of the lean to by making two modifications.
(a) Secure the support lines to the trees at knee height rather than waist height.
(b) Use two knee high sticks in the two center grommets (sides of lean to), and angle the poncho to the ground, securing it with sharpened sticks as above.

Find out more about shelters in the Ranger Handbook