LITMIR.BIZ

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Geoffrey knows they’re out there, but he is going in blind.”

      As we watched, Bravo was hit from short range. Bravo stepped into a kill zone and was getting hit hard. Damn, she’s good and knows her troopers. The battle lasted only a few minutes. Katie walked up to us.

      “Damn, she’s good. I couldn’t see her soldiers. They were well camouflaged—good cover and concealment. Handed us our butts again.”

      “Katie, have a lunch ready for us when they get their rifles cleaned.”

      “Yes, sir. I’ll let the mess hall know.”

      I walked to Karen. “Get them formed up.”

      “Yes, sir. You heard the Colonel, let’s get formed up.”

      I watched them quickly form up. Karen called them to attention and then turned about. I walked to Karen.

      Karen saluted me. “Sir, the company is formed.”

      I returned her salute. “Post.”

      After Karen posted, I said, “At ease. We’ll head back so you can clean your rifles. After which, we will get some lunch at our mess hall. On my command, fall out and then fall in on the trucks. Fall out.”

      I stopped Karen. “Come with me.”

      I followed Jamie to the wolverine for the ride back. “That was very good. Do that in the exercise, and LTC Reynolds will get his butt handed to him.”

      At the barracks, I helped the troopers get every weapon cleaned. When all weapons were turned in, we left for the mess hall.

      “Karen, I want you to sit with me. Your troopers need to see you as a leader.”

      “Yes, sir.”

      I surveyed the field with Karen. First Platoon was on our right, Second Platoon on the left, and Third Platoon was our reserve. I watched Karen check each fighting position and check the alternate positions. Samantha pointed out the best positions to for the machine guns to Karen. Once done, Karen met with the platoon leaders to give final instructions. The right flank, if hit, was to slow the enemy and then fall back to the northeast while Second Platoon provided supporting fire from the center.

      Karen looked at me. “Well, we’re as ready as we can be.”

      I told her, “Come with me to the command post to wait on the attack.”

      “It’s so dark out. I wonder if we can hit anyone.”

      “Karen, don’t worry, your troopers are well trained. Just relax and think of something else.”

      “Yeah, well this waiting is hard. How do you do it?”

      “Karen, you just have to understand the enemy is coming, and he will fall into your trap in his own time.”

      LTC Steven Reynolds gave his troops orders to move to attack positions. As First and Second Platoons moved north in the eastern area to creek, Third Platoon moved north in the western area. A decoy was to be done by Third Platoon while First and Second Platoons conducted a major assault. Suddenly, a trip flare went off.

      LTC Reynolds called Third Platoon. “What is happening?”

      Karl Weber answered, “We tripped a flare sir.”

      “Is there any response from Alpha Company?”

      “No, sir, they are not doing anything”

      “OK, continue the operation.”

      “Yes, sir”

      When First and Second Platoons reached the turn in the creek, they followed the creek to try to infiltrate Alpha Company’s position.

      Karen and me waited for two hours, with nothing happening. Suddenly, a trip flare on our right flank went off.

      “They’re on our right flank.”

      “Hold on, Karen, let’s see what develops. Get First Platoon ready for the attack.”

      Suddenly, smoke grenades went off, obscuring our vision. The firing started. Karen ordered open fire. After thirty seconds, Karen ordered First Platoon to fall back to secondary positions. Second Platoon started to engage targets as First Platoon fell back. I watch Karen as the attack unfolded.

      Karen hollered, “I don’t get it, there is barely a platoon attacking.”

      “Maybe this is a diversion.”

      Suddenly, the machine gun at the creek rattled off a dozen rounds. A flare launched over the creek showed two platoons attacking. I watched Karen go into action.

      With First Platoon in the lead, machine gun fire sounded from the west area. Another minute or two, half of Alpha would be moving to the firefight. Suddenly, a machine gun opened up. Dave Master’s MILES went off with half of First Platoon’s soldiers.

      Janet McCoy saw the flare outline all her soldiers of Second Platoon. Everyone was trying to get out of the creek or get shot. However, once out of the creek bank, they found themselves in a crossfire.

      Karen hollered, “Paul, move your machine gun behind First Platoon to defend against the attack. Adam, your Platoon will hold the right flank. Cesar, move your Third Platoon by the creek.”

      I watched as both platoons were raked by machine gun fire in the creek. Bravo Company got thirty troopers past the creek only to get caught in a crossfire. The attack only lasted for another two minutes, and then it was over.

      The observers reset everyone’s MILES gear, and then Alpha Company went to the assembly area for lunch.

      “You did really good, Karen, but now comes the hard part. We have to make an attack.”

      “Well, I hope my plan works out.”

      “We’ll see soon enough.”

      Tom came up to us to tell us the results of the evaluation.

      “It seems LTC Reynolds ran into a buzz saw. Alpha Company had 16 percent causalities, Bravo Company had 92 percent causalities. If you can do better than Bravo, you should win.

      Wednesday night was our attack. Karen sent one fireteam of troopers to start a distraction on the west. The rest of Alpha moved to the east end to move north to the creek to prepare to cross the creek in an attack. We waited for our lone fireteam to start the diversion. We watched a trip flare go off. Suddenly, the whole west side of the battlefield erupted into a mass of gunfire. A parachute flare launched over Bravo showed about forty troopers out in the open.

      As LTC Reynolds watched, a trip flare showed a handful of soldiers. Reynolds gave the order to open fire. Every soldier fired at the trip flare, hoping to get a hit. Half of the soldiers moved east to get into the fight. A parachute flare lit up the area.

      Suddenly, Karen hollered, “Charge!” Everyone ran across the creek, firing as they ran. Stevens command post was overrun in a minute as we slammed into Bravo Company. Troopers were dropping left and right on both sides.

      LTC Reynolds heard “Charge!” behind him, turning in time to see most of Alpha Company coming at him. I stopped in front of him as Alpha Company troopers ran past to engage what was left of his company. It was so frantic that MG Saunders called a stop to the exercise. LTC Reynolds was yelling and cussing at me for the attack.

      LTC Reynolds yelled, “You won’t get these damn brats. I’ll see to that.”

      I smiled at LTC Reynolds. Only time will tell who wins this one.

      “Karen, get the company formed up. Then get them on a truck for the trip back to the barracks. Get their weapons cleaned then get some rest. I have a meeting Friday morning with Col Carlisle in his office.”

      I walked to the staging area where Jamie is parked. I get in and turn to Jamie.

      “Drop me off at my quarters. I need to get some sleep. Tomorrow I need to check on the barracks. They need to be ready for our troopers

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