subject: What Soldiers Need To Know To Remove An Enemy Sentry [print this page] You see him from a distance he's tired and doing his best to stay vigilant until he's relieved. You move across the sand as quietly as possible blade in hand, and with in seconds you're on him. Your hand goes around his mouth and before he can even try and cry out or go for his weapon your blade drives into his back. He squirms as you pull your knife out off his kidney, and then you change grips and you finish him with several quick thrusts to the chest.
You drag him away, and now the path is clear to the enemy's supply depot. You just eliminated a sentry and the technique works just as well on an al-Qaeda member as it did on Nazis.
Warfare is a dirty business and in order to survive you often have to do things you never thought you'd do, but you do what is necessary to survive. In order to survive you need every advantage possible and that includes training and technology, but some techniques have withstood the test of time. The sentry removal techniques designed for commandos in World War II are still effective, and can quickly be taught to soldiers (and civilian patriots).
While there is never enough time to get in all the training you need you can learn from the past experiences of others and employ it in the field.
During World War II the objectives were clear and though the enemies are the same type of scum we're fighting today the battlefield is very different. It should be noted though that there were Nazis fighting a guerrilla campaign in Germany during the Allied occupation that called themselves werewolves, and operated in small independent cells.
So the situation in Iraq is nothing new, but without fixed objectives campaigns are much more difficult, and they is no clear way to show progress. Even though that is the case the enemy has resources that have to be protected, and even fanatics need to sleep.
Most close combat instructors will teach sentry removal techniques with the tools you're issued, but don't limit yourself in your training. A length of rope can easily be used to strangle and enemy soldier and an effective garrote can be made with fishing line or guitar stringers. In a pinch you can use a phone cord, but probably the most effective garrote is one made from piano wire.
Used by many organized crime groups for years in some cases it has actually severed the victim's head. Like any close quarter combat technique find out what works for you and practice, and remember silence is essential. You want to be silent and deadly, and when the fighting does start you want it on your terms.
