052-192-1042 (SL1) - Perform Self-Extraction from a Mined Area
Standards: Self-extract from a mined area, by foot or from a vehicle, under the following conditions without causing personal injury or mine detonation. When footprints are clearly visible, when footprints are not clearly visible (stepping-stone and lane technique), and from a vehicle. Locate, mark, and bypass each trip wire and mine within the area probed. Remove enough soil to confirm the presence of a mine. Report the mined area information to higher headquarters.

1.   Take immediate action on observed indicators or confirmation of a mine.

Note: The acronym for stop, assess, note, draw back, inform (SANDI) is used to remember the sequence of events for extraction. Stop and gain control of yourself. Assess the situation of mines or booby traps and personnel. Note the situation for future reference. Draw back to the last known safe area. Self-extraction to the nearest safe area may be referred to as draw back. Inform higher headquarters of the situation. The letters from the acronym will be reinforced throughout this task and represented with bold letters.

a. Stop immediately and gain control of yourself.

(1)  Do not move your feet if you are on foot.

(2)  Remain in the vehicle.

(3)  Warn other elements operating in the area, and advise higher elements of the situation for possible support with extraction.

Note In an emergency mine situation involving a single casualty, call for help. If the casualty is conscious, establish communication with the victim. Instruct the soldier to remain still and administer self-help first aid. Reassure him that help is coming. The use of radio communications equipment is acceptable. While there are certain mines that can be fuzed to detonate on a specific radio frequency, these mines are extremely rare and unlikely to be encountered within a minefield. The life saving advantage of using a radio to call for help far outweighs the threat of radio frequency-activated mines. Submit a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) report.

b. Assess the situation.

(1)  Determine the nearest safe area not containing mines.

(2)  Determine the shortest route to the safe area.

(3)  Determine if in the middle of a mined area.

c. Note the situation.

(1)  Make notes about the mine that you see.

(a)   Describe the shape, and draw pictures if necessary (square, round, conical, circular, rectangular, concave, dome, or cylindrical) (Figure 052-192-1042-1).

Figure 052-192-1042-1. Samples of Mine Shapes

(b)   State the color (light green, dark green, brown, black, sand, camouflage, gray, metallic, natural wood, olive, blue, or white).

(c)   Annotate the size.

(d)   Annotate the material type. Most mines are made of plastic, plastic casting, wood, sheet metal, cast iron, metal alloys, concrete, Bakelite™, and cast explosive.

(2)  Indicate the number of mines.

(3)  Annotate the terrain considerations.

(4)  Indicate the location.

Note 1: Stay where you are, if possible, when support is available. If support is delayed, consider probing a safe area to sit.

Note 2: Go to performance step 2 to perform self-extraction when footprints are not clearly visible (without a vehicle) or to perform casualty evacuation using the lane technique. Go to performance step 2b to perform the stepping-stone technique (no casualties). Go to performance step 3 to perform self-extraction from a vehicle. Go to performance step 4 to perform self-extraction when footprints are clearly visible (without a vehicle). Go to performance step 5 to perform actions after detecting a trip wire. Go to performance step 6 to perform actions after detecting a possible mine while probing.

Note 3: Consider clearing an area to place excess equipment, such as a ruck sack and load bearing equipment, if it is going to take a long time to reach a safe area.

2.   Perform self-extraction when footprints are not clearly visible (without a vehicle).

Note 1: Carry a personal extraction kit. For example, as a minimum, carry 50 markers, pins, or poker chips; a trip wire feeler; and a probe (nonmetallic preferred). Use of a nonmetallic probe is recommended. When a nonmetallic probe is not available, probing tools can be made of any material as long as they are rigid enough to push through the soil, long enough to penetrate the ground at least 3 inches at a 30° angle, and small enough so that a soldier can continue the probing drill for several hours. Magnetic and nonmagnetic metal tools, such as bayonets, screwdrivers, and penknives are suitable for probing when a nonmetallic probe is not available.

Note 2: The prone position is the safest position to probe from because it reduces the casualty-causing effects of an accidental blast. The lane technique is normally performed for casualty evacuation.

Note 3: Use the stepping-stone technique when there are no casualties. This technique provides speed by minimizing the area probed and cleared for extraction. A probing soldier will not adopt the prone position while performing this technique. Go to performance step 2b for the stepping-stone technique.

a. Assume the prone position.

(1)  Squat down without touching your knees to the ground.

(2)  Use the look-feel-probe procedure to clear the area.

(a)   Look around for high and low trip wires. Look for mine indicators on the ground, to include mine fuzes, mine parts, or disturbed ground.

(b)   Feel for trip wires using the trip wire feeler. Push the trip wire feeler forward along the ground from your feet to your front left, then front center, and then front right. Raise the trip wire feeler in a gentle upward sweeping action to above your head height.
Feel the ground around your feet with your fingers using a slow sideways sweep, feeling for exposed mine fuze prongs or other mine parts.

Note 1: A trip wire feeler can be made of a light, wooden rod or stick; a light-gauge wire; plastic rods; or anything else that will allow you to feel a trip wire without activating it. The trip wire feeler must be a minimum of 24-inches long and a maximum of 36-inches long. The trip wire feeler should be stiff enough to be held straight out to the front, but not so stiff as to come in contact with a trip wire without you being able to feel the wire.

Note 2: Go to performance step 5 for performance actions taken after detecting a trip wire.

(c)   Probe the area as far forward as comfortable.
Hold the probe in either hand, with the palm up, allowing the blunt end of the probe to extend beyond the cup of the palm.
Apply just enough pressure on the probe to sink it slowly into the ground at a 30° angle and to a depth of 3 inches (Figure 052-192-1042-2).

Figure 052-192-1042-2. Probing Technique Using a Suitable Probe

(d)   Probe every 1 inch across the required extraction width path (0.6 meter [24 inches] for self extraction, 1 meter for evacuating a casualty using the individual-carry technique, and 2 meters for evacuating a casualty using a litter), then move forward 1 inch and stagger (offset) the probe indentations from the previously probed row (Figure 052-192-1042-3).

Figure 052-192-1042-3. Probing Across the Required Extraction Width Path

Note: Continue the probing technique and ensure that the probe indentations in each row are offset from the previously probed rows, thus creating a diamond shape.

(3)  Kneel on the ground after the area is found to be clear, and continue probing forward until you can assume the prone position.

(4)  Continue the look-feel-probe procedure across the required extraction width path until you reach a safe area or the casualty.

Note: Go to performance step 6 for actions taken after detecting a possible mine.

(a)   Clear up to and under the casualty in case he is lying on a mine.

(b)   Clear and mark a 1-meter circumference around the casualty for individual-carry extraction or a 2-meter circumference for litter-carry extraction.

(c)   Remove the casualty out of the mined area.

(5)  Mark the area for mines.

(6)  Inform higher headquarters with noted information using the UXO spot report (Figure 052-192-1042-4).

Figure 052-192-1042-4. UXO Spot Report

b. Use the stepping-stone technique (Figure 052-192-1042-5).

Figure 052-192-1042-5. Stepping Stone Technique

Note: Go to performance step 5 for actions taken after detecting a trip wire. Go to performance step 6 for performance actions taken after detecting a possible mine.

(1)  Clear individual stepping-stone areas to step into by using the look-feel-probe procedure.

(2)  Probe from a squatted position an area of 18 inches in diameter to your front to allow for both feet to stand in the area. The gap between stepping-stones should be no more than 12 inches.

(3)  Step into the cleared area and reorient towards the previously determined safe area.