MEMBERS of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) late yesterday demonstrated how an ambush works in real-life situations during the conduct of a Force Tactical Exercise codenamed EXERCISE GREENHEART.The seven-day exercise, which began last Tuesday and ends today with an inspection by Commander-in-Chief, President David Granger, is being conducted primarily in the Bartica-Potaro area of Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), the jungle-like terrain of which is conducive to such operations.

Major Rawle Jerrick, commanding officer of one of the battalions participating in the exercise, told the media that yesterday’s aspect of the operation represents a simple but deadly exercise that is most successful globally.
Noting that the exercise at reference is done once a year at different locations, Jerrick said:
“An ambush in the military is a surprise attack by force lying in wait on a stationary or moving enemy.”
He said that after the ambush is sprung, the next sequence of events is to ensure that all those who appear to be dead are indeed dead.
As he was at pains to explain, “It is important that you carry out a diligent search on the target, as most of the time, they would have grenades under their stomachs…”
Asked how often troops are trained for such activities, Jerrick said, “We do it as often as possible. You see, the ambush is one of the most deadliest forms of offences practised in all military… Training is an ongoing cycle; you learn the basics, and you have to keep practising to perfect it.”
He said that should the situation be reversed, “troops, depending on the distance, either evade or attack.”

He noted that while real grenades and bullets were not used in the exercise, he gave a live impression of what should take place in a real ambush situation. “In an ambush,” he said, “you’d have several teams; early warning is a most critical aspect.”
Equally critical, he said, is “the killing group”, as the two work hand in hand.

When similar exercises are conducted, troops awake at 06:00hrs and walk through the jungle. They walk for the entire day, using a map. “When it is evening, we go into a defensive position, and we sleep for the night. And then we continue the next morning,” Major Jerrick said.