When I was training as an infantry officer at Fort Benning, Georgia in 1979, one of the exercises we often practiced was platoon tactics.  They were training us to lead a platoon of 120 men into combat.  Often they sent us on reconnaissance patrols.  Depending on whether it was day or night, what kind of terrain, and situational awareness of enemy intelligence, we were trained on what formation we should use.  During daytime, we used a wedge formation, but during the night in dense forest, we’d go single file. I remember one night exercise we were in black conditions.  Continue reading →