STABO for LE - Cal DOJ / CAMP

[Erick]

Subtitle: Training Can Be Fun 'cuz you aren't in the office.

Ok, I got the joke out of the way.

For those who are wondering, California's Dept of Justice administers our state-wide Campaign Against Marijuana Planting program. They've decided that there are certain garden site(s) that are a bit too remote to justify (time-wise) having teams hike into in order to pull the plants. So, after working with BLM and the Forest Service, they've decided that STABO is the way to go. This has been going on for a while in some counties. It will now happen program wide. CAMP will only allow those who've been certified through their course to do this operationally (wow, novel concept)

Equipment: Aside from the helicopter, the requirements are- military style helmet (nearly all wore kevlars), long sleeve shirts & pants, leather boots (though there was no grief for Danners or jungle boots), goggles, gloves & harnesses.

Class-
Unfortunately, they held the class on one of the hottest days we've had, 110+, on the old Mather AFB. As a result, they tried to get everything in quick. The entire classroom & safety portion was under 45 minutes. Fairly short, given the amount of folks that had no or little experience with helicopters.

None of the equipment was addressed in the classroom, short of what was required. Emergency procedures were almost glossed over. A power point presentation covering general helo ops issues was shown.

We moved to the training site & our harnesses were inspected. Following that, we donned them & were re-checked. We were then taught a 10 point 'buddy' check - good idea! The theory being that operationally it would be 2 to 4 of us in a garden site. During extraction, it'd be up to us to ensure each other was correctly in the harness.
Emergency procedures were again covered.

Then we started our flights. Four successful ones were needed for certification. I don't know what an unsuccessful one would be - though I imagine it'd involved a PLF, sans parachute.
Under the eyes of an instructor, we had to 'buddy' check our partner. Our instructor was with BLM and I think a former paratrooper. His buddy check was more like a JMPI.
The flights were about a 1/4 mile in length. Upon landing, you'd unhook & another team would hook-up and fly off. When the next team returned, the process would repeat & you'd have two flights in.

The class wasn't bad. I look forward to doing it operationally. I guess I expected more detail in certain areas given prior military training. We flew off of contract commercial rather than Guard birds. Oyrs was a Hughes 500, but there were also 2 JetRangers for the class.

Rather than use the military harnesses, we were in Yates harnesses at $198 a copy.

Erick

[maniac]

Thank God they got rid of all those evil pot-plants (and only wasted thousands of dollars in the process)! Have'nt they heard, they lost the War on Drugs.

[bd]

Hey Erick,

Keep us posted on your STABO ops. I'd be interested in hearing if you think they're effective operationally.

Take care and be safe.


Now, on to maniac...

I've noticed several of your posts and have a question for you. Why do you feel the need to inflame others with your posts? If you have so little respect for those in the LE community, why not just keep your mouth shut and stay off the forum instead of posting immature drivel at every opportunity? In the past this forum has been nice and civil with positive discussions (because *most* here are real-deal professionals). I for one whould like to see it stay professional.

As for your comments on losing the war on drugs: It would be a hell of a lot worse without dedicated efforts of the people fighting that war right now. What should we do?... sit home and polish our SWAT gear, letting drug abuse/murder/crime spiral out of control? It's obvious to me you have no LE/SWAT experience at all. I couldn't care less about your opinions, but don't belittle the efforts of real operators out there who are working hard every day to make your community safer.

I'm not saying you can't have your opinions, but posting in an inflamatory manner serves no purpose.

BD

[Swat1]

You hit the nail on the head bd.

[maniac]

BD, I don't post "just to inflame others". I also don't post immature drivel (it's easy to degrade other peoples views by calling it drivel like you do). I was saying, in my on cynical way, that the stabo idea (and fighting against pot in general) is huge waste of money, manpower, and time. The war on drugs is failing miserably because the tactics suck. Our LE is busy looking for pot-fields (a drug no worse than alcohol) while thousands of kilos of cocaine and heroin (serious drugs) are brought into our country everyday. A real war on drugs is what we need (how about bombing Columbia like we did the Serbs. If we can take out an ADA site with a missile, why not a coca field). Or building a real border with Mexico (like the Berlin Wall). Get rid of corrupt LEOs and Customs Officers, who take drug-money to look the other way. Or enforce a death penalty to those who sell drugs (it would stop repeat offenders). We put thousands of troops on the DMZ in Korea but we can't stop thousands of illegals (and drugs) from crossing our own border? Before you discount what I'm saying as "more drivel", think about it...do you really think our leaders (Clinton!) wants to win the drug-war? Don't let my cynicism throw you off, I know the LEOs out there are busting their butts, and I guess you have to try something (I just hate tax-dollars wasted). I'm really sorry but the deck has been stacked against you by your own leaders.

[This message has been edited by maniac (edited 06-16-2000).]

[dsumner]

Manic, Up to this point I resited the temptation to respond, but your posts ofver the last few days are growing increasingly annoying.

I've got a several questions for you.

1) Were you ever in the military and for how long?

2) What is your problem with the LE enforcement community?

3) What do you do know except throw out insults and degrading comments?

You constantly complain aboutthe government, but don't offer any real suggestions to "problems" you see.

If you have a problem with the way things are being done then why don't you try to change them?

As for the war on drugs, what do you suggest we do? Allow drugs to be openly sold on the streets? Your comment about marijuana not being anymore dangerous than alchohol is ignorant. Alchohol is respnsibile for the deaths of thousands each year. I have people
who are in prison right now for vehicular homicide and repeat offender charges for DUI.

I'm going to stop rambling at this point becuase I see no further reason to continue to respond to you.

[bd]

maniac,

You obviously have no concept of the difference between the military and civilian tactical operations. Here it is:

Military enforces POLICY
Law Enforcement enforces the LAW

Comparing Korea to the US/Mexican border can't be done. The military is not trained in law enforcment (Korea is a WAR zone). I'd rather have them prepared to kill people and break things, not stop illegals from border jumping. As well, local teams enforce local laws, which is why they go after "individual fields".

Also, your past statements about all LE personnel are easily corruptable could not be further from the truth. I can probably speak for everyone in saying that is an insult. Are there problems? Sure there are. And I totally agree with dealing swiftly with law breakers. But your perception of LE is obviously colored by the evening news sensationalizing isolated events. If you have a problem with leadership, that's what you address...you don't insult the whole community. Instead of ranting, how about some positive comments in the future?

BD

[maniac]

Why waste my time, your minds are made up so I will not confuse you with the facts. I'm so glad you guys who know all the answers have come here to enlighted us idiotic kids. It's the long run that counts.

[Erick]

bd-
I'll you know how it turns out. I'm very interested how it will actually work.

Maniac-
I haven't noticed you here previously, obviously that was to my benefit. Whether you agree with what I do or not is immaterial.

The forum is for military & LE 'special' operations. Silly me, I thought that a post on STABO training is relevant to those present who are either operational or merely interested.

If you disagree, fine, I just have no desire to 'hear' it in this area. I read enough of that drivel in the media.

As for not looking for Coke & Heroin at the border - Sorry, we're a bit too far from any of this nation's borders to be doing border interdiction. My team ends up doing Marijuana eradication in between clandestine labs & meth dealers.

[wolfhound227]

I'm glab to see Califoria going to STABO for
the CAMP runs.Down the road this might be used for the element of suprise(I know it's
almost impossible to sneak up on those sights
and catch any body..but still).The Santa Lucias and the Los Padres forrests are perfect for this.Cool Cool Cool.

[Swat1]

Hey guys,

maybe we should just nuke Mexico, Brazil, Bolivia (Hell all of Latin America), and while were at it white heroin comes from Asia so we'll nuke them too, and damn BC Bud comes from Canada so them too but not too close to the border, wouldn't want any fallout to get us over here, and after we nuke everyone, for those who survive we'll build a giant wall around the entire country and if he find someone with a teener of meth on them well just shoot them right there in the street and...... LE according to maniac....Maniac for President!!! what do ya think?


I am so glad we have the NTOA board where these idiots can't bother us.

[RECON5]

Well Guys I don't think Maniac will be looking for our vote. He posted on the cops tv issue and said he was "through with socnet". And we thought all the kids who had watched too much television only posted on Sealnet.....I mean after all I agree with SWAT1. Just because we have been doing this job for all these years, who are we to be turning down well educated suggestions from someone, who has less time breathing air than most of us do on the job.

REMEMBER 1*

[Erick]

FYI-

We just finished three days of 'operational' insertions with CAMP and Team Wolf. I'll post more in the next few days.

Good time was had by all, except for those who had their crop harvested.

[WS-G]

maniac:

You wrote: A real war on drugs is what we need (how about bombing Columbia like we did the Serbs. If we can take out an ADA site with a missile, why not a coca field).
Do types such as the Air Tractor AT-800 or the Ayres TurboThrush T-65 ring a bell? Do you know what is meant by the term "aerial applicator"? Do you know what 2,4-D is?

No? Well... that is how one "bombs" a coca/marijuana/opium field.