ESTONIAN ARMY

[archangelranger]

Tiny country (1.4 million people)
Tiny Army (3,500 strong)

These guys DEAL!!!

I had the priviledge of running with these guys for a few weeks. Hard, motivated, and smart, they have lost a total of 2 since they came in at the beginning of this thing, both to the same IED. In response, they have been rolling up bad guys left and right, capturing tons of weapons, and killing those who richly deserve it.

If you ever get a chance to ride with these guys, I highly recommend it... IF you can keep up!

RLTW!

[Nomad]

Sounds like you had a real blast. I have seen many of the Ukrainians, Lithuanian's and a bunch of other former Soviet countries and none of them even remotely impressed me, so I am quite intruiged by your high opinion of these guys.

Want to elaborate on why they were so good?

[archangelranger]

I liked the fact that these guys were very aggressive without being reckless. They patrolled 24 hours a day, changing up to route and approach constantly. When they saw something developing, they didn't waste time trying to decide if they would get in trouble for doing their job... they just did it. We captured a shit bag on almost every patrol. Dynamic entries... and there were alot of them... went like clockwork.

Things were getting tense in Sabeaa al-Boor when I left... in fact on the day I left, the evening patrol got into a fire fight. They killed 2, captured 5. No casualties. The next morning, the following patrol also got into a fire fight. They killed 1, wounded 1. No casualties. I am impressed with these guys because all of them are fighters. I never heard anything out of these guys but enthusiasm for closing with and destroying the enemy, and they went out and did it every day. From the lowliest private up, they were unfailingly courageous and professional.

[Chiron]

Sounds like a good reason to be impressed.

[Nomad]

Wow. Quite impressive. It would be nice if our men weren't under the insane scrutiny of politician's who believe a war is fought at a coffee table...

[archangelranger]

Exactly. They fight the way Americans would if they were allowed to.

[Clownpuncher]

Anybody ever hear of the Ranger School story where at graduation an RI asked some Estonian soldier what his favorite part of the course was? ...And his response was "jumping" because he had never done it before!

[archangelranger]

I hadn't heard it, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was true.
These guys don't screw around... they just execute.

[TC204]

So I take it if a Estonian sniper has a bad guy in his sights he doesn't have to call their equivalent of the Pentagon for permission to pull the trigger?

They sound like some professional hard chargers.

[archangelranger]

Hell, as a Major I was the ranking man on the scene, and he didn't even ask ME.

[Exbootneck]

Want to elaborate on why they were so good? Unquote

I am the senior Instructor from this Team.

The thread should read Estonian Platoon as in Estpla...and number or known by you as Stone.

The Estonian Soldier is amongst the best in the world upon receiving the appropriate training, the rest they do themselves.

I am a former Royal Marine of 23 years service and EDF service of 10 years...the remainder of the team are the best soldier's and instructors in the EDF a terrific combination...my opinion...I am now an old fat fart but hey call me coach or something else beginning with C.

I am a stickler for detail, the basics and reasons why, so yup, an old granny, I understand however that granny can still make mistakes and can learn from the young. I try to be a funny but firm granny.

I firmly believe soldiers are intelligent or you train them to be and they think levels up. Anybody who does not tell the truth is not a soldier.

We have now finished as of this training year, training for future Iraq deployments. I would like to use this forum to thank Yannek, Ricks, Martin and the two Indreks for a great five years, these guys also served and some received medals from the Americans. Some of them were involved in some actions mentioned. I was a REMF taking a large coffee hit, or was that tea.

I would also like to thank the American MLT in Tallinn for their terrific support.

Train for war not A war...keep the safety angles in training close and keep your fingers crossed, we used to have a nervous giggle on certain Fridays that we got away with it again!...that was my decision based on training results...and something you are able to do with a small sausage machine.

Regards

Chris

OLD BLOKE NOW A REMF

I feckin hate parachuting a number 9 bus is far more civilized.

[Jim]

Chris,
Please post an introduction in the appropriate thread. We need more FOGs.