The cadre candidates who joined Jäger Battalion 23 in the fall are currently completing Cadre Training 1, in which they are learning the skills required to be an infantryman. The 28 men and four women are also already training to work together at squad level. Last week, the focus was on reconnaissance and attacks in urban terrain – including house-to-house combat and infiltrating occupied buildings.
It was assumed that enemy groups were operating weapons transshipment points at three locations in the greater Feldkirch area. The advanced reconnaissance team was able to identify one of these transshipment points in the fire station of the fire department school and reported this to the company command. With the firehouse under further observation, the deputy company commander, Lieutenant Tobias O., formed an attack element from the cadre candidates. The future cadre soldiers moved to Feldkirch in two armored Hägglunds and formed up behind the garages of the firefighting school to attack the firehouse. Under cover of their armored vehicles, they initially moved covertly in the direction of the attack target. They were soon recognized and fired on with heavy weapons from the gunrunners. However, the company’s reconnaissance team, which was still in the remaining buildings, fired back with machine guns and forced the arms smugglers back into the firehouse.
Now the squad members had to advance as quickly as possible to the firehouse and take the target. The Hägglunds secured both the approach and the penetration into the building with their heavy machine gun on the roof of the vehicle. The future cadre soldiers were able to storm the building simultaneously through doors and windows using the ladders they had brought with them. But entering the building was not enough: all rooms from the cellar to the attic had to be checked and secured. This led to further firefights and even hand-to-hand combat with the arms smugglers. In the end, the entire building was secured and numerous illegal weapons were seized. All the soldiers involved were equipped with reflectors on their helmets and all over their bodies, which immediately indicated incorrect combat behavior and hits and caused the soldier concerned to “drop out”. Lieutenant O. concluded: “Although it was the first exercise of this kind for the cadre candidates, they did well and were all highly motivated.”
