Dear E-5’s mother,
I regret to inform you that I am responsible for the untimely death of your son in this time of training and doctrine. It is extremely unfortunate for you to have this happen for it was a grave mistake of identity in a battlefield environment that could perhaps have been avoided if I were using more caution, or had paid more attention to my surroundings. I deeply regret your loss and I would like to take a minute to tell you about the rules of engagement on a battlefield.
Thiers five different levels to the ROE: the first level consist of a compliant subject that responds and complies to verbal commands. The second contains a subject that is resistant yet still passive, the individual resists to verbal commands but complies immediately after and contact is made. The third is Resistant, the subject demonstrates physical resistance and needs to be controlled by using force. The fourth is an Assaultive stage in where the subject may physically attack but is not armed, therefore we must use defensive tactics to control the subject. Finally the fifth stage is the assault with deadly force stage where we must control the individual with lethal force.
When I encountered your son on the battlefield he was in the wrong spot at the wrong time, we had reports of enemy contact in the area and no one quite knows why he was in the area alone at that time of the day but he proceeded in jumping out from behind a wooden barrier and tried scaring me which caused me to react to what I thought was an ambush and caused me to double tap on what I believed was the enemy.
Also one other thing I believe needs to be addressed is our rules on escalation of force. there are five S’s that apply to this concept. The fist is Shout to warn, the second is Show to warn, the third is Shove to warn, the fourth is Shoot to intimidate, and the fifth and last is Shoot to kill! These are common ground rules for engaging what might be a civilian or opfor insurgents....