Basic Combat Training

Basic Combat Training (BCT)

BCT is the mandatory onboarding program every recruit must complete before joining a permanent element. All three phases must be signed off by a qualified Cadre member before you graduate and receive your assignment.

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Phase 1 — Inprocessing & Orientation

Before you attend a single training or operation, the following must be complete:

• Mods installed and verified — You can connect to the unit server without errors. If you get a mismatch, you are missing a mod. Re-check your mod list.

• Dashboard access confirmed — You are logged in, your profile exists on the Roster page, and you have read every document in Rules & SOPs.

• Discord linked and active — You are in the Discord server, can hear and transmit in voice channels, and have read the rules.

• Chain of command identified — You know the names of your Squad Leader and the Company Commander. If you have a question, it goes to your Squad Leader first — not dropped in a general channel.

• Sponsor assigned — You have been paired with an active member who will answer questions and guide you through BCT.

Phase 1 is signed off when: You can connect to the server, your Discord is confirmed, and you can verbally identify your chain of command to your Cadre.

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Phase 2 — Individual Skills

#### Radio Procedures

All communication on operations follows a standard format. Transmissions must be clear, brief, and purposeful. Read the Radio Procedures SOP for full detail. The essentials:

Initiating a call:

"[Recipient callsign], this is [Your callsign], [message], over."

Always wait for an acknowledgment before continuing. If the channel is busy, hold your transmission.

Contact Report — Used the moment you spot or take fire from the enemy. Say it in one breath:

"CONTACT [direction], [distance], [description], [what they are doing]."

Example: *"Contact north, 200 meters, two dismounts behind the wall, moving east."*

SALUTE Report — Used for a deliberate enemy observation. More detailed than a contact report.

Radio discipline rules:

• Do not transmit unless you have something relevant to say

• Keep the net clear during contact — only the FTL and SL transmit unless directed

• Use "Break" between long messages to allow others to cut in on priority traffic

• Use "Say again" — never "Repeat" (repeat is a fire mission command)

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#### Movement Standards

• Spacing — Maintain a minimum of 5 meters between each soldier. A single grenade or burst of fire should not be able to hit more than one person.

• Formations — Your SL or FTL will call the formation. Column is used on roads and confined terrain. Wedge is used in open terrain for 360-degree coverage. Line is used when assaulting.

• Bounding — When moving under fire or near a threat, the element moves in bounds. One group suppresses while the other moves. You never have the entire element moving at the same time.

• Noise and light discipline — At night and near the objective: no sprinting unless necessary, crouch-walk in built-up areas, and minimize unnecessary voice transmissions.

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#### Medical — Self-Aid

If you take a hit, treat yourself in this order:

1. Get into cover before anything else — do not self-treat while still taking fire

2. Tourniquet any limb that is bleeding

3. Bandage all wounds — packing bandages are preferred

4. PAK — stitch the wounds once all are bandaged to prevent them reopening

5. Check blood volume — if critically low, administer an IV saline bag

6. Check heart rate — if there is no pulse, Epinephrine is required

You are responsible for your own medical state. If you go down and cannot self-treat, call it up the chain immediately: *"[Callsign] is down, [location]."*

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#### Marksmanship

• Positive ID before firing — if you are not certain a target is hostile, do not fire. Report it up the chain and wait for clearance.

• Trigger discipline — finger off the trigger until you are on target and have decided to shoot.

• Use cover and concealment — prone is your most stable shooting position and presents the smallest target. Use it whenever the ground permits.

• Suppression — if you cannot get a clean shot, putting rounds near the enemy forces them into cover and allows your team to maneuver. A miss that pins the enemy is still useful.

Phase 2 is signed off when: You complete a live assessment covering a loadout inspection, ACE self-aid on a simulated wound, a contact report over radio, and a marksmanship exercise.

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Phase 3 — Collective Skills

#### Fireteam Roles

Your fireteam has four roles. Know yours before every operation.

Follow your FTL at all times. If you lose your FTL, the senior rifleman assumes control and reports up to the SL.

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#### Battle Drills

React to Contact:

1. Troops in contact immediately call direction and distance over the net

2. The element gets off the line of fire — move laterally, not straight back

3. FTL designates suppression element and maneuver element

4. Suppression element engages and keeps the enemy occupied

5. Maneuver element flanks or bounds back to a covered position

6. Consolidate at the last rally point and account for all personnel

React to Near Ambush (enemy within 50 meters):

1. Do not attempt to retreat — assault through the ambush line immediately

2. Every soldier engages the ambush position at close range

3. Push through, clear the position, consolidate on the far side

4. Treat casualties and report up

Entering and Clearing a Room:

1. Stack outside the door — two shooters minimum, one on each side

2. Both confirm ready

3. First man enters and moves hard into the nearest corner

4. Second man enters and clears the opposite corner

5. Call "CLEAR" only when the entire room has been visually confirmed

6. Hold in place until the next room is ready to clear

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#### Navigation

• Identify your position on the map using surrounding terrain — roads, ridgelines, rivers, and structures.

• Rally points are designated by the SL before every objective. If the element is separated or overwhelmed, break contact and return to the rally point. Do not freelance.

• Grid references are read right then up (Easting first, Northing second). Practice reading and reporting grids accurately — your SL will call for position reports.

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#### CASEVAC

When a teammate goes down:

1. Suppress and secure the area first — drag only after the immediate threat is neutralized

2. Drag the casualty behind cover using ACE interact

3. Apply tourniquet to bleeding limbs, bandage all wounds

4. Check for pulse — administer Epinephrine if no heartbeat

5. Administer saline IV if blood volume is critical

6. Report up: *"One urgent surgical at [location] — ready for CASEVAC."*

9-Line MEDEVAC format (used when requesting vehicle or air evacuation):

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#### Actions on the Objective

Every assault is broken into three elements:

• Assault element — closes with the enemy, enters and clears the objective

• Support element — occupies a support-by-fire position and suppresses the enemy while the assault element moves

• Security element — blocks avenues of approach to prevent enemy reinforcement or escape

As a rifleman you will almost always be part of the assault element. Hit your assigned sector, move on the FTL's command, and report anything unexpected immediately.

Phase 3 is signed off when: You participate in a full cadre-run field exercise covering movement to contact, at least one battle drill, a CASEVAC, and actions on an objective.

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Graduation

All three phases signed off by a qualified Cadre member. Upon graduation:

• Promoted from Recruit (RCT) to Private (PVT)

• Assigned to a permanent element and Squad Leader

• Expected to attend weekly operations

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Post-BCT Qualifications