Module 9

JUNGLE BASE OPERATIONS

Learning Outcomes:
1. Build awareness regarding factors, preparation and survival techniques in Jungle
Base Operations
2. Enlarged knowledge of every Cadets and Cadettes in Military Tactics 3.
Enriched Patriotism uphold in Military Services

JUNGLE BASE OPERATIONS

Jungle Operations – are characterized by restricted maneuver, slow tempo of operations, close
combat under conditions of extremely limited visibility and difficulty in providing logistical
support. Special operations, such as patrolling, operations from forward positions, ambush, and
other forms of close combat are common in jungle areas.

Factors Affecting the Use of Jungle Operations

a. Mission - Because of the difficulties of command, control and communications, jungle

operations requires centralized planning and decentralized execution. Commanders
must use mission – type orders that give maximum latitude to subordinates. It is essential
that all personnel understand the mission.
b. Enemy - The commander will require timely and accurate information on enemy location,
strength, disposition, composition and activities so that he may make a continuing
estimate of enemy capabilities and vulnerabilities. Commanders and intelligence officers
must be cautious not to conclude that the enemy cannot attack through supposedly
impenetrable areas or that he cannot reinforce in time to affect the mission.
c. Terrain and Weather
Terrain

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 1) Key terrain - Key terrain in jungle areas includes trails, roads, bridges, streambeds,
and communication centers. High ground is still selected as key terrain but for
varying reasons. A hill may be the only feature in the area, which affords a suitable
area for defense. A river through and otherwise impenetrable forest may be a key
terrain feature.
2) Observation and Fields of Fire – In the jungle, observation and fields
of the fire are limited by the undergrowth. In the rain forests, however, although good
observation into the forest from the outside or above may be non-existent, it is possible to have
fair observation and good fields of fire for a reasonable distance at ground level.
3) Cover and concealment – Dense foliage affords excellent concealment from the
ground and air observation. Cover is provided by surface irregularities such as
ravines and gullies. In certain jungle areas the presence of extensive ground level
roots will make digging very difficult, requiring the construction of positions above
ground level.
4) Obstacles – Many natural obstacles exist within the various types
of jungle areas. In the older forests, there is generally no obstacle to foot movement other than
incidental swampy areas, occasional fallen trees, vines and extensive ground level roots.
However, the trees themselves depending on their spacing and the moist ground, act as obstacles
to vehicular movement. Man-made obstacles are often more effective in jungle areas than in
normal terrain, due to limited communication routes.
5) Avenues of Approach – Suitable routes, considering the aspects of
good observations, field of fire, use of key terrain, cover and avoiding obstacles, maybe virtually
impossible to find them. Cutting of new trails and repair of those already in existence are constant
tasks. In selection of avenues of approach available to the enemy, the commander and the
intelligence officer should not consider any portion of the jungle area to be impassable, no matter
how difficult or thick.
Weather

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 1) Weather forecasts will be generally reliable in jungle areas due to
the more apparent divisions between the two predominant seasons – dry and rainy- except in
certain areas where there is no dry season. During rainy season, rainfall can be predicted with
reasonable accuracy.
2) Visibility maybe greatly restricted during rainy seasons due not only to the rainfall
itself, but also to heavy ground fogs which may linger for several hours after
sunrise.
3) Absence of wind in areas of dense jungle or undergrowth will have
a marked effect on the employment of smoke. High winds may not be felt in heavily vegetated
areas since they tend to pass above the jungle canopy.
4) Temperature changes in mountainous jungle areas will sometimes range 40 to 50
degrees over a period of 12 hours. In other jungle areas the deviation from day to night
will be constant and have very little change.
5) Trafficability varies with the location of the jungle area. Near large bodies of water,
low ground maybe constantly soft, even in the dry season and may therefore, be passable
without improvement only to foot troops. Conversely, at higher elevations, trafficability
will remain excellent throughout most of the year, becoming poor only during the worst
part of the rainy season.
d. Availability of Troops
1) No realistic plans can be made or actions taken that do not consider the capabilities of
the forces available.
2) The capabilities of a force are dependent on:
a) Number of units
b) Type of units
c) State of Training.
d) Morale
e) Strength in men and equipment.

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 f) Previous, present and contemplated employment
g) Location and Disposition
h) State of maintenance and supply
i) Adequacy of combat support and combat service support.
j) Experience of commanders
OPERATIONAL LIMITATIONS
In jungle warfare, forces may have to move rapidly from primary jungle through secondary
growth or cultivated areas. This require great flexibility in thought, planning, organization,
equipment, and tactics; it may require decentralization of command and control for at times a
unit may be located where control is easy.

The effects of the restriction imposed by jungle operations are:

a. Forces should move on different axes

b. The amount of heavy equipment and supporting weapons that can be used is severely
limited.
c. Control is difficult and must be decentralized
d. Frontages must be shortened and intervals must be lessened in movement.
e. Numerous limited objectives must be assigned in an attack
f. Maintaining direction of movement is difficult
g. Silence and security measures increase in importance

PREPARATION FOR COMBAT

For jungle operation, a detailed standing operating procedures (SOP) and rehearsed battle drills
should be prepared by all units down to and including fire teams. This SOP may include
organization for combat, supply procedures, bivouac and shelter preparation, march rate, and
formations. The battle drills should provide for action to be taken in the event of sudden enemy
contact, occupation of patrol bases, defensive positions, and communications.

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SURVIVAL TECHNIQUES

Survival – is the art of living into a new state of things but adapted to an
environment as a result of natural selection.

a. The following cause survival situations:

1) Air crashes
2) Crash landing
3) Ship wreck
4) Lost patrol
5) Unit cut-off main body

b. Psychological conditions to overcome in order to survive

1) Fear of the unknown – your fear of the unknown will be eliminated

by proper training and briefing. Perhaps you will learn something of the geography, topography
and the climate of the area which you will operate. All it take is to recall them.

2) Fear of discomfort – fear of discomfort will be eliminated when

you
know how to get water, food and proper ways to travel thru the terrain. Knowledge of medicines
and construction of shelter will also help you to overcome this condition. Remember that rest is
valuable than speed and you will be more comfortable if you make your way with careful
planning.
3) Fear of people – Fear of certain races of people within the territory
can be relieved by previous knowledge and some common sense. Unless they have been allied
with the enemy, you will have little trouble from the native and possibly get a lot of assistance.
4) Fear of your weakness – considerable outdoor experience, or

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previous experience in environment similar to that which you find yourself; you should have
confidence in your ability to live-off then land if not, take advantage of any opportunity to go any
survival school.

c. Deciding factors for survival

1) Determination to Live – You can remain alive anywhere in the
world when you keep your wits, you may suffer all the hardship and obstacles yet you will still
be alive because of your strong determination and your will to survive.
2) Ability to make nature work for you – Remember that nature and
elements are actually interested on your welfare. If you know how to use it in your own
advantage, it will always be your friend.
e. Key words in survival
1) Size up the situation by considering:
a) Yourself – Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
Recall survival training, expect it to work. Be confident that you can survive. Get to safe
comfortable place as quickly as possible. Once there, look things over, think and forge a plan.
Your fear will lessen and your confidence increases. Be calm. Take It easy until you know where
you and where you are heading for.
b) The area – Part of your fear may come from being in a
strange country. Therefore, try to determine where you are by landmarks, compass direction or
by recalling intelligence passed to you by leaders.
c) The Enemy – put yourself in the enemy’s shoes. What would you
do? Watch the enemy habits & routines. Base your plans in your
observations. Remember you know where the enemy is but he
does not know where you are. 2) Undue haste makes
waste
a) Don’t be too eager to move. It will make you careless and

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impatient.
b) Don’t lose your temper. It causes you to stop thinking
when something initiating happens, stop, take a breath and relax, start
over.
c) Face the fact, danger does exist.
3) Remember where you are.
You may give yourself away because you are top acting in a certain way. Do things
naturally.
4) Vanquish fear and panic
a) To fear is normal and necessary but it has to be controlled.
b) When you are injured and in pain, it is difficult to control fear. Pain
sometimes turn fear into panic and causes person to act without
thinking.
c) Panic can also cause loneliness. It can lead to hopelessness, suicide
and carelessness, even capture or surrender. Recognizing this signs
help to overcome panic.
d) Planning your escape will keep your mind busy. Find things
to do and watch. Remember that miracle work best for those who prepare carefully and they can
do so to save themselves.
5) Improvise
a) You can always do something to improve the situation.
Figure out of what you have, then, improvise.
b) Learn to put up with new and unpleasant conditions.
Keeping your mind on survival will help. Don’t be afraid to try strange food.
6) Value living
a) A hope for escape reduces your fear and makes chance of
survival.

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 b) Conserve your health and strength. Injury will greatly
reduce your chance of survival and escape.
c) Hunger, cold and fatigue lower your efficiency and stamina make
you careless and increases the possibility of getting caught.
Knowing this will make you especially careful because you will
realize that your low spirit is the result of your physical condition
and not of danger.

d) Remember your goal – Getting out alive, concentrating on the time

after you get out alive, will help you value living now.
7) Act like a native
Accept the true customs of the native. When you are in the situation, accept and adapt
native behavior.
8) Learn basic skills

f. Survival rules on edibility

1) Generally:

a) Anything that swims, flies, creeps and crawls are edible.

b) All four-legged animals edible
c) Anything that birds and monkeys eat is edible
d) All eggs are edible
e) All larvae are edible
f) Almost all sea leaves are edible
g) All reptiles are edible
h) All crustaceans and mollusk are edible
i) Most fish you can catch in an open sea and sight of land
are good to eat

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 j) Eel are good to eat than sea snakes
k) All snakes except sea snake are edible
l) Cook animals as soon after killing as possible
m) Frogs, turtles, lizards, alligators and crocodiles are edibles.
Toads are not edible
n) Always remove in-trails (intestines) and sex glands before
cooking.
2) Water – will be a primary requirement. Start looking for it
immediately. An individual can get along without food for a week, but he can’t live along without
water, especially in hot or in arctic areas where he will lose large quantities of water thru sweating
or dehydration.
Purification – purify all water before drinking, either (1) by boiling for at least one
minute; (2) by using water purification tablets; (3) by adding eight drops of 2 ½ percent solution
of iodine to a quart (canteen full) of water and letting it stand for ten minutes before drinking.
Rainwater collected directly in the clean containers or in plants is
generally safe to drink without purifying. Don’t drink urine or sea water – the salt content is to
high.
3) Plants - Never eat large quantities of strange food without first
tasting it. Prepare a cooked sample then take a mouthful, chew and hold it in your mouth for
five minutes. If it still taste good, go ahead and eat it. If the taste is disagreeable, don’t eat it. A
Burning of bitter taste is a warning of danger.
a) Plants eaten by birds and animals are safe.
b) Don’t eat unknown plants with milky juice or let silk contact your
body skin.
c) Don’t eat unknown plants that have a disagreeable odor.
d) Non-poisonous mushroom are edible. Poisonous

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mushroom are very dangerous. Cooking will not destroy the poison. Poisonous mushroom have
a frill or ring around the upper part of the stem and cup that the base into which the stem fits.
e) Don’t eat unknown plants that taste disagreeable, bitterness is a
guide for danger.
4) Most roots are edible, but must be boiled thoroughly.

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 Module 9
SELF ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

Name:________________________________Date_____________________Score:__________
Program/ Year: ________________________ Class Sched: ______________________________
Professor/Instructor:_____________________________________________________________

Activity 9-1 - Fill in the Blanks. Write the correct answer on the blank provided

1. Commanders must use ______________– type orders that give maximum latitude to
subordinates
2. Commanders and intelligence officers must be cautious not to conclude that the ____________
cannot attack through supposedly impenetrable areas or that he cannot reinforce in time to affect
the mission.
3. __________________ in jungle areas includes trails, roads, bridges, streambeds, and
communication centers
4. _____________________ such as patrolling, operations from forward positions, ambush, and
other forms of close combat are common in jungle areas.
5. In the jungle, _________________________________ are limited by the undergrowth
6. ________________ is provided by surface irregularities such as ravines and gullies.
7. ________________________ are often more effective in jungle areas than in normal terrain, due
to limited communication routes.
8. ________________ maybe greatly restricted during rainy seasons due not only to the rainfall
itself, but also to heavy ground fogs which may linger for several hours after sunrise.
9. In selection of __________________ available to the enemy, the commander and the intelligence
officer should not consider any portion of the jungle area to be impassable, no matter how difficult
or thick.
10. _______________________may include organization for combat, supply procedures, bivouac and
shelter preparation, march rate, and formations
11. ________________ is the art of living into a new state of things but adapted to an environment
as a result of natural selection.
12. ________________ changes in mountainous jungle areas will sometimes range 40 to 50 degrees
over a period of 12 hours.
13. The _________________ will require timely and accurate information on enemy location,
strength, disposition, composition and activities so that he may make a continuing estimate of
enemy capabilities and vulnerabilities.
14. The _____________________ should provide for action to be taken in the event of sudden enemy
contact, occupation of patrol bases, defensive positions, and communications
15. An individual can get along without food for a week, but he can’t live along without __________,
especially in hot or in arctic areas where he will lose large quantities of _________ thru sweating
or dehydration

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Activity 9-2
I. Draw and add a color, if necessary in the given cause of Survival situations. Please choose at
least one in the following: (30 points)
1. Air crashes
2. Crash landing
3. Ship Wreck
4. Lost patrol

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Activity 9-3 - Answer the following questions briefly (15 points)
1. Which among the Psychological conditions you have fear most? Why? Support your answer with
your actual experience.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the keywords in survival?
S–
U–
R–
V–
I–
V–
A–
L–
3. Give at least five example of Edible food.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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