During 2200 NODs lane on Range 12, I briefed this: depth perception lies, step high and drive the scan… First step off the LMTV, my fastest runner tried to combat glide and found a two-foot drainage ditch; no injuries, full ego reset, and the whole squad now heel-to-toe checks. Got your own train-hard, laugh-safe bloopers from the lanes?
We started hanging a tiny IR chem at the far lip of any ditch and made everyone say ‘toe, heel, check’ before stepping off; NODs turn drainage into ninjas. If you’re light on chems, a gloved knuckle tap to the ground before committing the weight works; a buddy hand on the ruck for the first three steps off the LMTV calms the wobble too.
At 2200 under NODs, angle your IR illuminator low and sweep; it throws hard shadows on dips so that two‑foot ditch pops before the first step off the LMTV. I keep a cut‑down whip antenna as a ‘poke stick’ to tap two feet ahead when dismounting, cheap and quiet. @t_mccoy84 ever try the low sweep instead of hanging chems?
I defocus one tube for ‘depth’ and toe-tap with a rubber duck antenna; better than a faceplant?