Email: First Time TAB Experience, US Army.

In my inbox. SSG ****** sends:

Long time forum lurker, I post as RedWire.  I cannot access your website on my work computer, so I will email you to share my revelations on the subject of the TAB.

My unit is currently hosting a group of British ********** troops here in ***, and I volunteered to take them on a ruck here at *****.  Thankfully it wasn’t ___________________________.  Regardless, between your website and through rumors, I was expecting to be left on the trail in a twisted heap…. So this morning, we stepped off at a 13 min mile pace, 48lbs in my Mystery Ranch ruck, Garmont NFS boots on my feet, lord knows how heavy the Brits had their bergens.  First mile we made in 11 minutes.  Out of 5 hills encountered on the tank trail, we ran up two and down two and speed walked the 5th one.  My LT and the Brits sprinted the last 1/4 mile of a 4.75 mile route, I had a moment of weakness as we just topped a hill and kept my 14 min pace and let them go ahead.  My time for the distance 1 hour 40 seconds. 4.76 miles.  They were easily 4 minutes ahead of me after their sprint to the finish.

Observations-

Being able to pull speed out of your “reserves” consistently seems to be their strongpoint

A 13:30 pace was a walk in the park to these gentlemen, I was exerting myself but not feeling terrible.

Hill work, if people aren’t used to it, it will burn you down fast.

I have only seen one group of people who can pull out of a 10-11 min mile TAB and settle into a 13:30 pace in a consistent manner without losing momentum and falling into a 15 min pace…That would be your former comrades in the British Army.  The US Army will sprint and then go to almost a crawl and lose their momentum.

I thought my pace wasn’t possible, even after reading your website every week and knowing others have done it.  Now I have done it (I hope a 12:45 average pace is a start?) and I understand what you mean by Tactical Advance to Battle.  This ruck didn’t leave me winded at the end, which I know you mention is important, that you have the energy at the end to make contact with the enemy.  Thanks for taking the time to read this, if you wish to post it to the website or Facebook, please redact my location and full name and the specific unit of the British Army.  Looking forward to the Patriot Dawn sequel and some leave time to attend your training.

SSG *******.