I’ve received multiple questions from friends asking about advice for their upcoming JRTC rotations. I’ve compiled some of the questions and responses below in order to help streamline the process.
“What do training units usually screw up when they go fight OPFOR at JRTC?”
While you want to treat the “box” like a real combat environment, there are some idiosyncrasies that are unique to JRTC. OPFOR vehicles are one thing that tends to throw people off. While a standard Soviet vehicle identification chart is a good thing to memorize, the OPFOR vehicles often look much different than the vehicles they are supposed to represent. Knowing the specifics before hand will make accurate “in game” reporting much more accurate and concise.
“What’s the terrain like?”
Well, it’s kind of a swamp, and kind of just a massive pine forest filled with every known poisonous creature. Mostly flat with a few slight hilly areas. Assume all of the low lands is going to be marshy. It mostly looks like Mordor in the winter. The impact area is huge and pretty easy to wander into, so keep that in mind. Additionally there are a lot of really sandy areas on the north end of Geronimo DZ near the town up there, I think it’s called either Turani or Tofani, one of the two. It’s terrible to walk through and bad for vehicles as well. Make sure you do proper map recon, and feel free to ask the roleplayers for “local knowledge”, without giving them specifics about your movements. They WILL tell OPFOR if they are a “red” town.
The temps aren’t too bad, but the humidity is always super high which makes it feel worse than it is, whether it be cold or hot. August time frame is absolutely miserable. Packing a good combat shirt or three is about the best thing you can do, no matter the season, as you will always be sweating due to heat, or wet and cold due to humidity. The ability to quickly dry a combat shirt is a lifesaver, in addition to packing multiple pairs of high quality socks. I typically wore wool socks year round, even during the summer, and typically paired them with low cut hiking boots, if that’s something your chain of command will allow. If hiking boots aren’t on the horizon, the Nike SFBs, or OTB style 670-1 boots are phenomenal, because while they will get wet, they also dry out quickly, no matter the weather. Avoid anything waterproof on your feet, as sweat or external wetness will just pool up and make you miserable.
“What gear should I bring?”
Light gear. Seriously. JRTC is a light infantryman’s war, and having something that’s light and breathable is paramount to comfort when operating in that environment. Many of the OPFOR will use belt based rigs, (modern takes on the old ALICE system), which allows you to carry everything you need regardless of armor, and also keeps your chest and back open for better circulation, as well as more comfortable when wearing a ruck or assault pack. I personally preferred using Nalgenes or water bottles to Camelbaks for the same reason, as the Camelbak has a tendency to retain heat and leak, wrecking your back for the duration of the rotation. For food, I typically carried a large amount of ramen, jerky, and canned fish. I’d eat the ramen dry, along with the seasoning, (salt helps with your electrolytes), and everything was light and compact so I could carry several weeks worth of food in a single ruck, along with my other necessary gear.
“I heard the OPFOR are jerks/cheaters”
Typically, we will only be jerks if you are a jerk to us. If you remember that at the end of the day, we are still on the same team, and treat us like fellow soldiers, we will help you out if we can. I would often give away extra food, Monsters, cold water, and tobacco to training unit soldiers who were having a bad time, assuming they treated me like a soldier and not like some sort of nondeployed hack.
1/509th, while technically a deployable unit, doesn’t often deploy, but that doesn’t mean that everyone wearing green is a cherry. Many soldiers show up to JRTC with a chip on their shoulder, and feel like it’s a great time to make cracks at the OPFOR guys.
Wrong answer.
You never know who you’re talking to, and pissing off the only person in between you and a cold bottle of water when you’re in 98 degree temps probably isn’t the best thing to do.
As for the cheater accusation, it gets thrown out a lot. Ultimately, OPFOR has a lot to lose if they get caught cheating. Every OPFOR soldier is issued an EXROE book when they sign into the unit, and they are expected to study it for the duration of their term there. OPFOR soldiers can, and have, been given article 15s or other punishments for flaunting EXROE and other “box” rules. Stop overestimating your own abilities. While cheaters do exist, there isn’t a massive OPFOR conspiracy to win every single engagement. Even if we get “killed”, we still have to come right back out and play again the very next month, so we have no incentive to win all the time.
90% of the cheating accusations I’ve personally witnessed stemmed from an overestimation of their own skill, some sort of technical problem with the MILES gear that they didn’t understand, embarrassment because of their own unit’s lack of security posture, or a lack of understanding when it comes to EXROE. Just read the book, learn as much as you can, and stop assuming you’re better than everyone. OPFOR literally knows the training area like the back of their hand, and they do this on a monthly basis. It’s a tough fight, so best to be humble and just take your lumps when they come without bruising your own ego.
If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me. Keep in mind my information grows more dated by the minute, but I’ll still attempt to help.
-Regards
Cat Patch Tactics 
Very good explantion of a rotation. As a role player I love the experience. I relish the contact with our soldiers and I especially enjoy security checkpoints. The worst experience that constantly pops up is both attitude and not taking it seriously.
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JRTC approached correctly is “the Super Bowl” for the Light Infantry. While my experience is somewhat dated (Chaffee!), your list is as appropriate now as it was then, The only thing I would add is to be open to opportunities: try the unconventional and the unexpected, it can pay off handsomely.
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