Troops prepare for desert combat in many ways. When possible, soldiers acclimatize before arriving in the area of operations. Some individuals acclimatize more easily than others. In order to survive in desert operations, troops must fully understand the desert environment. To accomplish this, soldiers train under conditions that are similar to the conditions that exist in the intended area of operations. In order to become accustomed to hardship the troops’ exposure to outside influences should be kept to a minimum.

Much preparation is necessary for operations in a desert environment. Adaptation to the new environment depends upon the individual training skills of the troops. Units trained in the U.S. will have mastered the fundamental technical and tactical skills necessary for warfare in the desert. For those whose skills are below par, no amount of desert survival tactics will correct the situation. [Read more…]