Individual mines and booby traps are most often detected by visual means, by probing, or by electrical detection. Knowledge of the mining practices of a particular enemy often aids in locating mines. The following are likely locations for mines or booby traps:

1. Potholes, road patches, or soft spots in surfaced roadways.

2. Under the edges of road surfacing at the junction of the surfacing and the road shoulder.

3. On road shoulders where mines are easily laid and camouflaged.

4. At locations that block logical bypass routes around a blown bridge or cratered road.

5. Around the edges of craters and ends of damaged bridges or culverts. Antipersonnel mines are sometimes placed in craters if the craters are likely to be used as shelter from enemy artillery fire or air bombing.

6. In barbed-wire entanglements, wire fences, and similar obstacles. In any other type of obstacle, such as abandoned vehicles or among felled tree trunks or limbs across roads or trails.

7. Near an unusual object that may have been placed by the enemy for his own use, such as a minefield marker.

8. In places where it is natural to drive a vehicle, such as turnouts, parking lots, in front of the entrances to buildings, narrow alleys, and airfield runways.

9. Near bodies or souvenir materials, such as pistols, field glasses, and bottles of liquor.

10. In likely bivouac or assembly areas and in buildings suitable for use as command or observation posts.

In spite of a high incidence of mine and boobytrap activity and ingenious methods and techniques, effective defensive measures can be developed and applied in the field. The enemy is not infallible; he does make mistakes, and the material used in mine and booby-trap activities is rarely 100 percent reliable. But do NOT help the enemy by making careless mistakes of your own, such as throwing caution aside when going to the aid of shipmates who have become mine casualties. Learn ways to defend yourself against enemy mines and booby traps.

SAFEGUARD MATERIAL. From ports of entry to the most remote battle areas, the enemy makes every effort to obtain needed material and equipment. Enemy efforts can be thwarted by proper safeguards and policing of the battle area. You can do little to prevent the enemy from picking up artillery and mortar dud shells, but you need not litter the battle area with discarded hand grenades, ammunition, mines, and other items that the enemy can convert to his own use in mine and booby-trap activities.

SAFE INTERVALS. Enemy success in mine warfare is drastically reduced when safe intervals are maintained in the movement of troops and vehicles. The effect of many antipersonnel mines and most hand grenades is such that more than one individual can become a casualty within the effective casualty radius. Well-placed antitank or antivehicular mines can be equally effective against vehicles in convoy that follow too closely.

TRACK VEHICLES. Wheeled and tracked vehicle operators should follow in the tracks of the vehicle ahead when the vehicle is in sight. This reduces the possibility of detonating a pressure-activated mine that the vehicle ahead may have missed. On the other hand, old tracks should be avoided if possible because mines may well be placed in old tracks.

CONTROL VEHICLE SPEEDS. Though battles have been won through rapid and violent attacking maneuvers, speed of itself does not ensure success. It can just as well cause you to become careless or reckless, which is what the enemy relies on in his employment of mines and booby traps. The speed and spacing of vehicles should be varied to make the timing of controlled detonated mines difficult.

SANDBAG VEHICLES. Sandbag the flooring of vehicles to provide protection for mounted personnel. In addition, place a heavy rubber mat over the sandbags to reduce the possibility of injury from fragments, such as stones, sand, shrapnel, and pieces of the bags. To further reduce these chances, sandbags should not be filled with rocks or sand with room in it. When riding in sandbagged vehicles, help protect yourself by keeping your arms and legs inside.

DISPERSE KEY PERSONNEL. Key personnel who are prime targets for controlled installed mines must NOT congregate in one vehicle but should be dispersed throughout the column in the convoy.

DO NOT TRAVEL ALONE. Whenever possible, a vehicle should avoid traveling as a single unit. Doing so makes it a good target for guerrillas seeking weapons and other equipment.