Sorry for Blowing Up Your Truck

[tomahawk6]

Thought you guys might like this story. ;D

A thank you note of a Canadian soldier was found in a DAF XF transported back to the Netherlands aboard an Antonov. The truck was lend to Canadian forces in Afghanistan.

 

[Mike Baker]

Haha nice. How many of those trucks do we have?

 

[McG]

Deployed fleet sizes (even borrowed fleets) do not belong on the internet.

 

[Mike Baker]

Deployed fleet sizes (even borrowed fleets) do not belong on the internet.

Roger that.

 

[X-mo-1979]

Deployed fleet sizes (even borrowed fleets) do not belong on the internet.

I didnt think battle damage was either.

Oh well.

 

[tomahawk6]

There are pic's of blown up vehicles all over the internet I dont see an OPSEC issue, after all the bad guys know when they total a vehicle. Now there are pic's [very few] that depict IED countermeasures on vehicles now those I wont post.

 

[Pil]

There are pic's of blown up vehicles all over the internet I dont see an OPSEC issue, after all the bad guys know when they total a vehicle. Now there are pic's [very few] that depict IED countermeasures on vehicles now those I wont post.

I think MCG was replying to the poster who asked how many vehicles we have. Not commenting on the picture.

 

[Michael OLeary]

I think MCG was replying to the poster who asked how many vehicles we have. Not commenting on the picture.

And Tomahawk6 was replying to X-mo-1979.

 

[Pil]

Makes sense. Apologies

 

[tomahawk6]

;D oops

 

[geo]

I didnt think battle damage was either.

Oh well.

A single picture that shows very little "battle damage".... nothing wrong with that.

Also, given that this vehicle is not an AFV, pert much any IED will bend parts..... not an opsec issue

 

[tomahawk6]

It was the note that made this story for me.

 

[McG]

I didnt think battle damage was either.

Typically it is not okay (some photos vetted for the media or which slip out in the media are the exception).  There is much frustration at certain levels that such SECRET material is making it onto the internet.  I've heard trophy photos, of soldiers' blown up vehicles, are starting to catch peoples radar.  I've said it before, showing of battle damage is a foolish way to hand the enemy information on the strengths ans weaknesses of our armour.

 

[X-mo-1979]

  I've said it before, showing of battle damage is a foolish way to hand the enemy information on the strengths ans weaknesses of our armour.

+1.
If I was the "button pusher" on this IED I would be very grateful for those who posted it on the World wide web.Yes I may have seen that I disabled the vehicle from my position 2000m on a hill.
However I maybe didn't know the two inside survived,also I can now see the weaker parts of the vehicle (missing parts on the cab).Where shrapnel penetrated etc.

Army regulation 530-1 (US)
f. Technical Intelligence (TECHINT).
(1) TECHINT is derived from the collection and analysis of threat and foreign military equipment and associated
material for the purposes of preventing technological surprise, assessing foreign scientific and technical capabilities,
and developing countermeasures designed to neutralize an adversary’s technological advantages.
(2) Adversaries seek TECHINT on U.S. equipment and material in order to learn their vulnerabilities and counter
U.S. technological advantages. As an example, adversaries want to know the vulnerabilities of U.S. vehicles and armor
protection in order to conduct effective improvised explosive device (IED) attacks against U.S. forces.
g. Counterintelligence (CI). Counterintelligence counters or neutralizes the adversary’s intelligence collection efforts

I've heard trophy photos, of soldiers' blown up vehicles, are starting to catch peoples radar.

Good point actually.One only has to look at regimental websites to find it actually.Many sites I have visited in the past little while has the crews/occupants posing next to their vehicles.As I can understand wanting to have a pic for the old memory box,I believe we have to be more careful on where these photo's end up.

Or maybe were just paranoid.
Time to throw in black sabbath and enjoy my sunday with my tinfoil hat on.

 

[geo]

+1.
If I was the "button pusher" on this IED I would be very grateful for those who posted it on the World wide web.Yes I may have seen that I disabled the vehicle from my position 2000m on a hill.
However I maybe didn't know the two inside survived,also I can now see the weaker parts of the vehicle (missing parts on the cab).Where shrapnel penetrated etc.

Ohhh.... please....
1) the picture & the note were released by dutch - after the vehicle got back to Holland
2) analysis of the the picture will give you very little real information
one tire is missing,
Fuel tank is punctured - but no fire
Some body panels missing BUT, nothing critical showing.

 

[George Wallace]

I'm just curious as to why everyone seems to "ass u me" it was an IED?  It could have been an ambush and RPG attack.  It could have been a lot of things.  "Blown up" may not even be an accurate statement, but some "literary licence" that the author took after a firefight.

 

[armyvern]

However I maybe didn't know the two inside survived,

What?? They don't listen to the news or watch TV over there? "Two pers survided an IED today, suffering only minor injuries." (Not that they'd be able to recognize the vehicle as the one from their specific IED anyway, after all they were 2000m away).

Now, I don't profess to state that pics should be posted on the internet, but fuck ... they can listen to the outcomes of their attacks on the news -- Canada does.

 

[Roy Harding]

It was the note that made this story for me.

Me too.  I loved it.  Thank you for posting it.

I think Geo covered the opsec issue (pictures released by our Netherlands friends), BUT all the discussion does make one think.

 

[JBoyd]

At least the note shows that we as a Canadian people are polite and appologetic

 

[McG]

A single picture that shows very little "battle damage".... nothing wrong with that.

Just to keep this simple for those who don't want to gamble with jail time, all pictures of battle damaged vehicles are officially classified as SECRET unless formally vetted for release.

If the picture of the truck was released by the Dutch military/government, then that information is out there & free game.  Same with photos you may find in the media or on CF webpages.  That is it.

If you want to make the call that there is not too much damage so you're going to post your photo, well then you'd better be ready to make your argument in a court.  Remember, sometimes what's not damaged is just as important to keep secret as what is.  Also, by keeping close hold on such pictures, we are denying more than you might guess to the enemy.