Super Secret, Very Important

(Note: the following scenario took place at JRTC (Joint Readiness Training Center) as part of our pre-deployment training. The "enemy" are composed US Soldiers or Afghan role players)

Three Soldiers layer on greasy face paint. Each stroke of a finger across a nose or a cheek bone is no distraction from the anxiety of tonight’s mission. These Soldiers, having proved themselves as the ground Commanders early warning system, his bionic ears, are paired with a security detail of Rangers, each man handpicked for this detail. Infiltration begins only as the world grows dark in the wake of the fleeing sun. Sweat runs in rivulets into sensitive eyes and beads off the nose. Shoulders ache under ninety pound loads and legs tire quickly. Near the village these ghost of Soldiers simply disappear. The hide site is well chosen after hours of planning.

With silence only born of hours of practice, the Soldiers unpack the contents of their loads. Wires are connected, cords strung out and antennas placed high in the branches. The waiting begins. Ibrahim Kamal will arrive at 2200 to meet with “the Brothers of Saboor” or his local Taliban commanders. Nestled low in the bushes, the Soldiers gaze at the world through the green, one-dimensional lenses of night vision devices and listen. Heads clad in noise-canceling headphones, they scan through known enemy communication frequencies. Slowly they begin to hear it, but it’s not the chatter across the airways that they expect. It’s a low groan, growing more audible, moving closer. Through the green haze they see the monster, climbing up the road. A tank, a nightmare. These men are light infantry, they have no weapons useful against a tank. They are being hunted. Like small game they mentally try to shrink their bodies, to disappear into the bushes, into the dirt, all while rocks bruise their hipbones and poison ivy spreads its lecherous oils.

Among the static they catch a voice. Quick, stop the scan. The enemy are moving into position, making security arrangements. They notify the Ranger team leader. Across the village the ground commander receives a radio call. His Soldiers have rehearsed the entire scenario, plus contingency plans, earlier in the day. From positions surrounding the village they stealth through the green world towards the safe house. Hundreds of meters away, a three man team, escorted by Rangers, quietly disconnect cables and pack antennas. Their job is done.

For meritorious service, going above and beyond their duty, these Soldiers were recognized as the Intelligence Heros of the Battlefield at JRTC. These men composed a Low Level Voice Intercept, or LLVI team, but came to be known by their Infantry company as SSVI – Super Secret, Very Important.