THE MINUTEMAN Volume 15, July 2024
AK's vs AR's, Lessons from Operation Beer Run, BE A MAN amongst Men...
It has been HOT and WET here in the Ohio Lands and it makes you rethink things like water, clothing, gear weight and more. When it is hot and humid like this it always makes me think of this gem from Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam…
AK’s vs AR’s
I know, I know, we live in America and should be focused on the AR platform. Don’t get me wrong, the AR is certainly the preferred rifle of today’s Modern MInuteman. It is virtually unchanged since its inception in the 1950’s by Eugene Stoner. When Colts patent expired in the 1970’s it opened up the door to other firearm manufacturers to produce their own AR-15 rifle for the civilian market. It was at this time that the popularity of the AR platform exploded helping turn it into “America’s Rifle”…
In the mid 1940’s the AK was presented to the People's Commissariat of Arms of the USSR by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It’s design took cues from the American M1 Garand and the German STG 44. Russian soldiers during WWII were unhappy about not having rifles that were on the same level as the Americans and Germans hence the need for a semi automatic rifle designed specifically for the Russian soldier. In 1949 the AK-47 was officially adopted by the Soviet Army.
While the AR has become synonymous with the American soldier and citizen, the AK has become the chosen rifle platform of third world countries worldwide and preferred by just about every guerilla fighting force around the world.
It is estimated that there are over 100 million AK’s in circulation worldwide verses approximately 20 million AR’s in civilian hands in America. The point of this is drive the point home that although the AR platform may be the preferred rifle of the American Minuteman, we should also have intimate knowledge with using the AK platform as well. They are both viable options for the Modern Minuteman. Personally, I don’t see one as better than the other. Yes, the AR is more commonly available and the 5.56/.223 round is easily obtainable here but there is just something about the AK that I am drawn to. Maybe it’s the association with guerilla fighters battling oppressive regimes or its simplistic design and function. Regardless, I’ll keep mine and continue to use it in the field. It just feels right.
Operation Beer Run (Lessons from the Field)
I had the pleasure of running a field training scenario with two other guys for the purpose practicing skills such as planning, logistics, navigation, communications, safety, and leadership in a small unit setting.
*For the mission introduction check out the article here: Operation Beer Run
Originally this was planned for 5 guys but at the last minute 2 backed out so we had to make a few changes on the fly (this is reality and you have to have the ability to make changes to even the best laid out plans). So after having to improvise, adapt, and overcome the initial setback we got to work.
Quick review of the mission itself:
Mission- Our beer resupply for FOB Brewhouse was mis-dropped and we have to send out a team to recover the lost beer and deliver it to our base while traveling along a disputed border area without being detected.
Since we were down to 3 guys we would simplify this by having Cheddar Actual head out in advance to establish an OP/LP to monitor a known travel route while myself and Prepared Snipe set out to reach known spots in which the beer was mis-dropped. We had 3 sets of grid coordinates to hit for the retrieval. Cheddar Actuals OP/LP was also to monitor our movements and report us as OPFOR to see how good of a job we did on our mission.
Since Prepared Snipe was the least experienced in Land Nav we figured it would be a great training opportunity to give him a quick navigation refresher and let him lead while I took up the rear to provide security and to act as an advisor of sorts to make sure he was on the right path. This was all about creating a learning experience to grow from and we felt this approach would give the best results. This worked out well because we let small mistakes happen and then would provide feedback for correction in the moment and we would take opportunities to discuss best practices, options to consider, and so on and so forth.
We had comms plan in place for check-ins at the top of every hour, primary and secondary frequencies, authentication codes, and more. And while this worked great initially, we did have issues with distance that ended up being attributed to an antenna and mic connection issue. With that said, by sticking to the plan we had in place we were able to still effectively accomplish the “mission” within the parameters we had set for ourselves.
For Cheddar Actual’s OP/LP location, he had a couple site choices and decided to choose a spot that gave him more viewable area versus an area that provided more cover. This ended up backfiring a bit because even though he had witnessed us early on as we hit Waypoint 1 for the first beer pickup (he sent us a SALUTE Report that has us made out perfectly) we spotted him on the way to Waypoint 3 and were able to out him. This was a good test of having to make choices in the field one way or the other and rolling with them.
Terrain wise we had a healthy mix of heavily wooded areas with small areas of swamps with 2 railroad beds intersecting the AO. So we had good opportunities to travel on and off trail, cross linear danger areas, utilize our surroundings for cover, and use different navigation methods from compass bearings, to terrain association, and just dead reckoning. At each waypoint we would plot out the grid coordinates of the next waypoint and discuss a different way to work our way towards it. This was so that Prepared Snipe could experience these different methods first hand and to have a better understanding of what is involved in Land Nav.
On gear selections, Prepared Snipe had opted to go for a full 3 day loadout while Cheddar Actual and I went with only the gear needed to accomplish the mission at hand. The extra weight carried by Prepared Snipe reared its ugly head a few hours in. Rough terrain, hot and humid weather, thunderstorms, and more definitely played a roll in beating up his body. This is an important point for two main reasons. First, we try our best to promote physical fitness as an important prep and lack of it will rear its ugly head in the field. Getting smoked physically on a mission is no good. It can lead to being a liability, not just to you, but to your teammates as well. Secondly, we promote getting out in the field regularly to train with your gear. This helps you fine tune what is needed and what isn’t for multiple scenarios. Having your base kit and mission specific gear figured out will help with gear choices on the next outing.
And lastly…
Habits, such as smoking, vaping, eating poorly, sugary drinks and more can have a direct impact in how you perform out in the field. I’m not saying you can’t enjoy a good smoke or tasty beverage, but as with many things, moderation and timing is important. Men, take care of yourselves so that you can take care of others…
Be A Man Amongst Men, Be a Minuteman…
Now you may be wondering why this is important. It is actually more important today than ever. The original Minutemen from the Revolutionary War were deeply rooted in their faith, families, and community. More so than the militias of the time, they placed a greater importance on being ready at a moments notice. In The Professional Citizen Project, there is a saying…
This should strongly resonate with any man that wants to put a priority on the importance of their faith and of protecting their family and community. Today men have been demonized, demasculinized, and thrown to the side. It’s time to stand up and take back what it means to be a man. The the man your wife falls in love with, be the man your son strives to emulate, set the example of the type of man that your daughters seek out for marriage. It’s well past time to be a man amongst men again.
Good points to consider. Thanks Jay.