單兵戰鬥教練: Individual Combat Training

 "Fireteam leader! Please cover me so I can prepare for the upcoming assault!"

(「報告伍長，請伍長以火力掩護我，以便我完成攻擊前準備！」)

Our squad knelt on the grass of the combat course in full combat gear, grouped into fire teams of three. Standing in front of us, our squad leader raised his megaphone:

"I expect ALL of you to speak up during individual combat training. Continue!"
"Very well, I will cover you."
(「好，我以火力掩護你！」)

We started down at the sheet of paper we'd been given with complete outline and SOP for this exercise, which has delighted and annoyed generations of new recruits. We'd spent nap time carefully laminating our sheets with clear tape so they would survive being dragged through the dirt with us. 

This is Individual Combat Training (單兵戰鬥教練  or 單戰 for short) - intended to provide an experience for new recruits approximating combat. More or less.

"Adjacent troops, please cover me!", we shouted. Then answering our own requests: "Very well, I will cover you!"

Or we would if we weren't so focused on memorizing the lines printed on our cheat sheets under "1. PRE-ATTACK PREPARATIONS".

"Weapons on safe. Retreating behind cover and assuming low squat..."
(「關保險，以潛行迅速退至掩蔽物後方三至五步之後採戰鬥蹲姿...」)

"Well, move back behind those mounds and squat!", the drill sergeant yelled. Retreating behind the mounds of dirt, we continued reciting our lines, pointing at the individual items on the list:

"... checking weapons and equipment. First checking weapon from the top down: flash suppressor, forward sight, hand guard, bolt carrier and receiver assembly, trigger assembly, stock. Checking ammunition and replacing if less than 5 rounds remain."
( 「...檢查武器裝具，首先檢查武器，由上而下檢查: 防火帽、準星、護木、槍機總成、扳機總成、槍托、檢查子彈，不足五發予以更換或補足。」)

"5 rounds?", one of my squadmates whispered, "I wouldn't play Counterstrike with only 5 rounds."

"Checking equipment from the top down, from left to right, front to back..."
（「檢查裝具，由上而下，由左而右，由前而後...」）

Like I'd have time to regurgitate this in a tactical situation, I thought.

"Checking left boot laces, left blousers, right boot laces, right blouses, ammo pouches, gun belt, bayonet scabbard, canteen, entrenchment tools, gas mask, grenade pouch. Checking whether helmet is securely fastened. Checking whether camouflage matches with current operational environment (Swipe hand across face)-"
（「檢查左鞋帶、左綁腿、右鞋帶、右綁腿、彈袋、Ｓ腰袋、刺刀銷、水壺、土工器具、防護面具、手榴彈袋、檢查鋼盔扣是否扣實。檢查偽裝是否與現地相符 (手往臉上畫)」）

"DON'T READ THE PART IN PARENTHESES, JUST DO IT!", came the shout from the loudspeakers. "God", the recruit beside me muttered, "I thought I was done with memorizing bullshit after I finished high school".

Preach on brother.

We then tested whether everything was securely fastened in a memorable fashion: wearing our ten extra pounds of gear and holding our rifles erect under the scorching southern Taiwan sun, we jumped in place turning in 6 semi-circles, landing back in a squat, counting out each semi-circle as we went:

*jump* "1 of 1..."

"Higher!"

*jump* "2 of 1..."

"Is that the best you can do?" 

*jump* "1 of 2..."

"Whose trench-digger fell off?"

*groan* *jump* "2 of 2..."

My ankles hurt.

*gasp* *jump* "1 of 3..."

Oh god I can't feel my toes.

*arrrrrrrrg* *jump* "2 of 3!"

We knelt on the ground leaning on our rifles, gasping for breath. "Well, continue!", the drill sergeant said.

"Move low and take cover. Disengaging safety. Reporting, fire team leader: pre-attack preparations complete. Ready to attack when ordered!"
（「以潛行迅速進入掩蔽物後方，開保險。好，報告伍長，單兵已完成攻擊前準備，待命攻擊。」）

Anyone who's seen the Taiwan educational system knows the drill: Memorize to Pass (背多分). In our case, this meant memorizing the entire SOP.

Individual Combat Training consists of ten segments comprising pre-attack preparations, gas attack, moving under fire, crossing various obstacles including stockades, trenches, barbed wire, and culminating an imaginary assault on a PLA (Chinese People's Liberation Army) stronghold. Once you get over the fact that you're required to memorize the requisite lines from what is essentially a prepared script, it is actually somewhat exhilarating crawling under barbed wire, running around in zig-zags, and diving for cover.

At one time, according to our superiors, the entire course would be run complete with dummy explosive charges, pyrotechnics, and a fake opposing force. These days thanks to budget cuts and overprotective parents, we just have to use our imaginations.

Things I should not shoot at.

The entire sequence ends with the surrender of the imaginary PLA forces after being subject to the following lines recited by everyone, and sounding as if they haven't been updated since 1979:

"Greetings communist compatriots! You are surrounded! Any further resistance is futile. Drop your weapons and come with us. Our government is forgiving and will guarantee your safety."
（「親愛的共軍弟兄們，你們已經被包圍了，不要再做無謂的抵抗了。放下武器，起義歸來吧。我們的政府是寬大為懷的，絕對保障你們的生命安全。」）

Sgt. H was one of our superiors whose leadership skills I actually admired. Whereas some of the younger drill sergeants preferred to go around blasting the new recruits indiscriminately, Sgt. H adopted a solemn, but firm attitude, commanding the respect of the recruits under him. In another universe, he might have been a successful high school teacher.

"Look", he said during an all too brief rest period. "You know and I know that in real life, nothing ever goes according to script. Some of you have complained that you aren't going to run onto the battlefield regurgitating lines, which is true. If you ever do get the opportunity to use any of what you've been practicing, then it means the worst has already happened and Taiwan has already been overrun. In that case, it will be up to you to pick and choose from the moves that you're now practicing to put together some coherent resistance."

"Come on Sarge", one of the recruits said expressing a popular sentiment, "There won't be a war. And if there were, we're screwed anyhow."

"You are members of the ROC military. I don't care whether you identify or not, but as long as you are members of the military you will obey all orders until you are discharged. Until you are a civilian again, you don't have the right to say no."

We would run the Individual Combat course many more times, in preparation for the final exam, and spend countless hours memorizing our lines. They say that militaries are a microcosm of the societies that they serve. Insofar as this is the land of cram schools and rote memorization, I can say they're right when it comes to this.