Passwords - Night Ops or other 'need-ID' scenarios

[Kokanee]

Originally Posted by nb.nagantsniper

great idea , and this below is standard military patrol stuff.

called patrol number ............lets say patrol number tonite is 9.......

Why did you necro post to only rehash info that's already posted....

[nb.nagantsniper]

sorry to offend .........was just mentioning its not some new thing military has had this as sop for years .
thats all.

Originally Posted by Kokanee

Why did you necro post to only rehash info that's already posted....

[Metalsynth]

This is one we used a couple of times :

5 letter word example :

The word is STRAY

If I say S

you say T

If I say A

you say Y

If I say T

you say A because R is the forbidden letter

If I say R

you shoot because it's the forbidden letter

If I say Y

You shoot because you never say the last letter

This way, if someone squeals on the password during capture, the system can save you ass until people findout it's been compromised.

[1toughtrooper]

It is called a "running password".
pick a number that will always equal to the number picked
I.E 7

I yell 6
you - 1

I say 9
you - 2

as long as it always equals to the picked number, you are good to go.

[Gato]

NATO Challenge procedure and Running Passwords are my favorite.

Originally Posted by 1toughtrooper

It is called a "running password".
pick a number that will always equal to the number picked
I.E 7

I yell 6
you - 1

I say 9
you - 2

as long as it always equals to the picked number, you are good to go.

That's not accurately a running password and it's a little complicated for use as such, especially considering how most people are fully retarded at math.

The purpose of a running password is speedy recognition, I've been bumped and don't have the time to play Reader Rabbit Math 4 with you, I need the fuck inside friendly lines and need to do it NOW.

Usually, it's a per-determined phrase, two words not normally used together work well for this, a couple examples are ones that have been used in the past, "Cock sled", "Jesus Paste" or "Tooth Key".

I come running at you yelling "Cock Sled" it means shit has gone badly and there's no time for a proper challenge procedure.

Originally Posted by Metalsynth

This is one we used a couple of times :

5 letter word example :

The word is STRAY

If I say S

you say T

If I say A

you say Y

If I say T

you say A because R is the forbidden letter

If I say R

you shoot because it's the forbidden letter

If I say Y

You shoot because you never say the last letter

This way, if someone squeals on the password during capture, the system can save you ass until people findout it's been compromised.

This sounds like an overly complicated variant of the NATO 5 letter challenge procedure, likely made up by the users.

To keep it really simple, let's use the word CANOE.

As you approach I'll halt you, tell you and your group to raise your weapon above your head, hand off the pistol grip (Likely "Place hands on the barrel and buttstock") and possibly ask who goes there. If you respond with a Person or Group authorized for entry, I will then order "Advance one to be recognized". Once you are within a sufficiently close manner for me to challenge you in a low tone, I will order you to halt. The procedure then goes as follows.

Me: Charlie Charlie
You: Alpha Alpha

I would then have you come up to where I am and then I would individualy have your group advance one by one for you to authenticate that they are in fact your group and no one has "latched on" to the group.

According to SOP, if you got the Challenge answer wrong, it may go as follows

Me: Charlie Charlie
You: Gulf Gulf
Me: Change on November. Oscar Oscar
You: Echo Echo

We now follow through on the remainder of the procedure.

If you got it wrong again, I follow my SOP and ROEs, possibly resulting in you being shot.


Keep in mind, while the scenario I mentioned is from the viewpoint of a sentry, it applies elsewhere if the procedures are laid out beforehand. As a sentry, you will not be alone, while you are challenging the individual, you should have an individual covering you, ideally with a C9. This individual will be placed at a short distance from you so as to be able to respond if you are fired upon. Ideally, while you face the approaching group directly, your support will be off on an angle from you with a clean line of sight.

It's been some time since I've rehashed the Challenge Procedure as far as lessons go, but I'm fairly certain I got it right, if not, the fuck up will be the "Change on" and those who may know should feel free to correct me

[1toughtrooper]

Originally Posted by Gato

NATO Challenge procedure and Running Passwords are my favorite.
That's not accurately a running password and it's a little complicated for use as such, especially considering how most people are fully retarded at math.

Well it was in my unit and thankfully we weren't challenged at math like others ;p

[Forever_kaos]

Fun part is getting everyone to stay with it. There's been a few events where we've issued the challenge, whatever it might be, only to get responded with "It's me!"

Or even better "Don't shoot, I'm on your team"

Fire off a warning round (if you're lucky) challenge again. Failure to comply equals getting shot. It's there for a reason.
Get on board or get shot.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

What I have done in the past is have 3 or 4 passwords that are time sensitive, so the first one is from 19:00 to 01:00 the second from 01:00 to 05:00 and also have a codeword for password compromised so that people can be told to move on to the next password in the list if the enemy figure out your password.

This is a time honoured and effective procedure.. it works

[McKee]

The five letter password is often butchered.. the "change on" thing is for if your password is compromised. Usually a password is changed every 24 hours but if the password is overheard by the enemy and the challenger knows / suspects this, he could open his challenge with (say password is PHONE) OSCAR OSCAR....... NOVEMBER NOVEMBER. Expected response should be ECHO ECHO. Many times the enemy will overhear PAPA PAPA and the response HOTEL HOTEL but he wont know the password in full, so this is effective. It doesn't necessarily need to be repeated twice but this is common practice.

[Cf.vandervalk]

when the Canadian forces have a hide they use the phonetic code and use simple 5 letter words. example:
apple

challenge with: alpha alpha
approacher responds with next letter : papa papa
if the challenger still doesnt trust he can change on the third letter: change on papa and say lima lima

[Mike27MB]

We do stuff like this at my local field. This is a very good idea and quite efficient.

[R711]

Some of this you guys are getting it right, some not so much. Passwords are used for passing through the FEBA or into a large hide.
Patrol numbers are used forward of the FEBA as to not give away your password to the enemy if they hear you use it.
Light recognition can be used both white light (coloured) or IR
Running passwords are used if shit has hit the fan.
Radio authentication is done via a one time pad series of letters
All passwords change at midnight and are good for 24 hrs
None of this is classified, it's all open sourced and it's a NATO standard