Training - Convoy Natural Disaster Relief

Implementing convoys in a natural disaster scenario, such as a large earthquake in Western Washington, where our group aims to support the local community with supply transport or medical assistance while maintaining security and mobility, requires adapting military convoy principles to a civilian, disaster-response context.

Given our group’s prior training in military-style patrol fundamentals, formations (file, staggered column, diamond), immediate action drills, MARCH medical protocols, night vision capabilities, and radio communications (as discussed in previous conversations), we’re well-equipped to execute disciplined and secure operations.

Below is a tailored guide for organizing and executing convoys in this scenario, focusing on Logistics/Supply and Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) convoy types, with considerations for Troop Transport to move personnel, while prioritizing community aid and group security.

Scenario Context: Large Earthquake in Western Washington

• Challenges: Collapsed infrastructure (roads, bridges), blocked routes, aftershocks, potential looting, and disrupted utilities (power, water). Urban areas like Seattle or Tacoma may face gridlock, while rural areas could be isolated.
• Group Role: Our group acts as a community support force, delivering supplies (e.g., food, water, blankets) and medical aid to affected areas while maintaining self-sufficiency and security.
• Group Assets: Six trained men with tactical gear, night vision, MARCH medical training, radio communications, and experience with formations and drills. Assume access to civilian vehicles (e.g., trucks, SUVs) and firearms (if legal).

Steps to Implement Convoys

1. Pre-Planning (Pre-Disaster or Immediate Post-Event)

• Assess Community Needs:
  • Coordinate with local authorities, churches, or community centers to identify high-priority needs (e.g., food for shelters, medical supplies for clinics).
  • Example: Deliver water and blankets to a school-turned-shelter in Olympia or transport medical supplies to a hospital in Everett.
• Define Roles and Responsibilities (Leveraging Your Training):
  • Convoy Leader: Oversees mission planning, navigation, and radio coordination (using skills from prior radio training exercises). Ensures group aligns with community aid goals.
  • Scouts/Recon (2 members): Use night vision and scout ahead (on foot or in a lead vehicle) to identify passable routes, debris, or threats (e.g., looters). Trained in file or diamond formations for reconnaissance.
  • Security Team (2 members): Armed members (if legal) protect the convoy, positioned in lead and rear vehicles. Trained in immediate action drills (e.g., hasty ambush response) to counter threats.
  • Medical Lead (1 member): Handles MARCH protocols for injured civilians or group members; carries a trauma kit in a designated MEDEVAC vehicle.
  • Logistics Coordinator (1 member): Manages supply inventory (e.g., food, water, medical kits) and ensures vehicles are loaded efficiently.
• Vehicle Selection and Preparation:
  • Use rugged civilian vehicles (e.g., 4x4 trucks, SUVs) suitable for damaged roads or off-road travel in Western Washington’s mix of urban and forested terrain.
  • Equip vehicles with: spare tires, fuel cans, winches (for debris), tools, first aid kits, and radios.
  • Reinforce key vehicles (e.g., supply truck) with improvised armor (e.g., sandbags) for protection against opportunistic looters.
  • Designate one vehicle as a MEDEVAC unit with stretchers, trauma kits, and space for casualties.
• Inventory Supplies:
  • Community Supplies: Water (1 gallon/person/day), non-perishable food (e.g., MREs, canned goods), blankets, hygiene kits, and medical supplies (bandages, antiseptics, painkillers).
  • Group Supplies: Personal gear (firearms, ammo, night vision), food, water, and medical kits for self-sufficiency during multi-day missions.
  • Fuel: Carry extra fuel (e.g., 5-gallon cans) for round trips, as gas stations may be inoperable post-earthquake.
• Route Planning:
  • Map routes from your base to target aid locations (e.g., community shelters, hospitals). Avoid collapsed bridges (common in Western Washington, e.g., I-5 overpasses) and urban choke points.
  • Use backroads or logging roads (familiar from prior training scenarios) to bypass debris or congestion. Leverage local knowledge of Western Washington’s terrain (e.g., Puget Sound lowlands, Cascades foothills).
  • Pre-identify rally points (e.g., a park or school) for regrouping if separated, and safe rest stops for refueling or treating casualties.
• Communication Plan:
  • Use radios with pre-set channels (e.g., from your radio training exercises) for convoy coordination. Example: “Alpha 1, this is Lead, report road status, over.”
  • Establish simple codes for threats (e.g., “Red” for looters, “Blue” for roadblock). Use “Lima Charlie” for clear signals, as practiced.
  • Backup signals (e.g., hand signals, flashlight patterns) for radio failure, especially in urban areas with interference.
• Security and Mobility:
  • Maintain low visibility: Use unmarked vehicles and avoid military-style markings to blend in as a civilian aid group.
  • Train for quick reaction drills (e.g., break contact from an ambush, as practiced in prior scenarios) to ensure mobility under threat.
  • Equip each member with night vision for low-light operations, critical in post-earthquake power outages.

2. Convoy Composition and Formation

• Vehicle Types and Roles (6 men, 3–4 vehicles):
  • Lead/Scout Vehicle (Troop Transport): SUV with 1 driver, 1 scout (both armed, with night vision). Checks for road damage, debris, or threats. Carries minimal supplies (e.g., water, radio).
  • Passenger/Medical Vehicle (MEDEVAC): SUV or van with 1 driver, 1 medical lead (MARCH-trained). Carries trauma kits, stretchers, and limited passenger space for evacuating injured civilians.
  • Supply Vehicle (Logistics): Pickup truck with 1 driver, 1 logistics coordinator. Loaded with community aid supplies (e.g., water, food, blankets). Reinforced for protection.
  • Rear Guard Vehicle (Tactical): SUV with 1 driver, 1 security member (armed, with night vision). Protects against rear threats and monitors convoy cohesion.
• Formation (Using Trained Formations):
  • Staggered Column: Ideal for wider roads (e.g., rural highways like SR 16). Offset vehicles for visibility and to avoid being a single target.
  • File Formation: Use on narrow or debris-strewn roads (e.g., logging roads or urban streets). Maintain 50–100 feet spacing to navigate obstacles.
  • Adjust based on threat level: Tighten formation in high-risk areas (e.g., urban Tacoma); spread out in open terrain (e.g., rural Kitsap County).
• Numbers: 3–4 vehicles balance manageability with capacity for supplies and personnel. Avoid larger convoys to maintain mobility on damaged roads.

3. Execution During Operations

• Departure:
  • Depart during daylight for initial missions to assess road conditions, switching to night operations (using night vision) if looting increases.
  • Conduct pre-mission checks: fuel, radios, weapons, and supplies. Brief team on route, rally points, and community aid objectives (e.g., deliver 100 gallons of water to a shelter).
• Movement:
  • Scouts lead 0.5–1 mile ahead, reporting via radio (e.g., “Lead, this is Scout, roadblock at SR 167, detour via backroad, over”).
  • Maintain moderate speed (20–40 mph) to navigate debris and conserve fuel. Stop only at pre-planned points or for emergencies.
  • Convoy leader coordinates with local authorities (if contactable) to confirm aid drop-off points.
• Aid Delivery:
  • At delivery sites (e.g., shelters, clinics), security team secures the perimeter using diamond formation (from prior training) to deter crowds or looters.
  • Logistics coordinator oversees unloading; medical lead assesses civilians for triage or transport.
  • Limit time at each site (15–30 minutes) to maintain mobility and avoid becoming a target.
• Security Protocols:
  • Security team scans for threats (e.g., looters hiding in damaged buildings). Use night vision for evening operations in power-out areas like Seattle.
  • If confronted, use de-escalation (e.g., verbal warnings) first; engage with force only if necessary, following immediate action drills (e.g., break contact, accelerate through threat).
  • Avoid prolonged engagements to preserve group safety and mission focus.
• Medical Assistance:
  • Medical lead uses MARCH protocols to treat civilians (e.g., controlling bleeding from earthquake injuries) or group members.
  • MEDEVAC vehicle transports critical cases to hospitals or clinics if roads allow; otherwise, stabilize on-site.
• Emergency Responses:
  • Roadblock/Debris: Scouts assess; convoy detours or clears minor obstacles using winches/tools. Use radio to update team (e.g., “All units, detour to SR 410, over”).
  • Looter Ambush: Execute hasty ambush drill (from prior training): accelerate through if possible; security team returns controlled fire only if escape is blocked.
  • Vehicle Breakdown: Secure the area with diamond formation; transfer supplies/passengers to other vehicles if repairs fail.
  • Medical Emergency: Pull over in a defensible spot; medical lead treats while security team forms a perimeter.

4. Post-Mission

• Debrief: Review mission success (e.g., supplies delivered, civilians aided), challenges (e.g., route issues), and lessons for future convoys.
• Resupply: Replenish fuel, food, and medical kits at your base. Scavenge local resources (e.g., abandoned stores) if safe and ethical.
• Security Check: Inspect vehicles and gear for damage; ensure group remains combat-ready for follow-on missions.

Challenges and Mitigations

• Damaged Infrastructure: Roads like I-5 or SR 99 may be impassable due to earthquake damage. Use logging roads or trails (familiar from prior training) and carry chainsaws or shovels for debris.
• Looting/Hostile Crowds: Desperate civilians or looters may target aid supplies. Maintain low profile, use de-escalation, and keep security team visible but non-provocative.
• Limited Resources: Fuel and supplies may dwindle. Pre-cache fuel and food at your base or along routes; coordinate with community leaders to share resources.
• Communication Disruptions: Cell towers may be down. Rely on trained radio protocols (e.g., “Radio Check,” “Priority”) and backup signals (e.g., hand signals).
• Balancing Aid and Security: Helping communities may expose your group to risks. Limit exposure time at aid sites and prioritize defensible drop-off points.

Example Convoy Setup (6 Men, 3 Vehicles)

• Vehicle 1 (Lead/Scout): SUV with 1 driver, 1 scout (armed, night vision). Equipped with radio, map, and winch. Scouts for debris or threats.
• Vehicle 2 (Passenger/Medical): Van with 1 driver, 1 medical lead (MARCH-trained), 1 security member. Carries trauma kits, stretchers, and 20 gallons of water.
• Vehicle 3 (Supply/Rear Guard): Pickup truck with 1 driver, 1 logistics coordinator/security (armed, night vision). Carries 50 gallons of water, food, blankets, and fuel cans.
• Formation: Staggered column on open roads; file on narrow or damaged routes.
• Mission Example: Deliver supplies to a community center in Puyallup, 20 miles away, via backroads to avoid collapsed I-5. Medical lead triages injured civilians; security team deters looters.

Additional Tips

• Leverage Night Vision: Use your group’s night vision advantage for safer nighttime travel, avoiding looters and navigating power outages.
• Community Trust: Wear identifiable armbands or vests (e.g., “Community Aid”) to signal your intent and reduce tensions with civilians.
• Terrain Knowledge: Western Washington’s mix of urban, forested, and coastal areas requires route flexibility. Use prior experience on logging roads for rural detours.
• Ethical Considerations: Ensure aid is distributed fairly; avoid favoritism to maintain community goodwill.