1. MASTER GROUND SIGN AWARENESS1 1

2. So what am I looking for?

3. “absence of the normal; presence of the abnormal” (what’s missing / what’s new)
Look out for the following indicators:
COLOUR – Unnatural colours or colour change. The difference in colour will depend on the length of time since emplacement, often clearer hrs after emplacement.
TRANSFERENCE – Soil, sand, foliage and other debris deposited in places where nature would not cause it to be.
REGULARITY – Geometric shapes and strange angles which do not naturally occur.

4. “absence of the normal; presence of the abnormal” (what’s missing / what’s new)
FLATTENING – Foliage, grass etc flattened by humans/animals reflects the light at a different angle.
DISCARDABLES – Items left visible by the INS when placing IEDs such as cigarette butts, bits of wire or tape.
DISTURBANCE – Movement of soil, breaking of foliage and placing of items in an unnatural way to attempt to cover sign.

5. Some examples:
REGULARITY
(and some COLOUR change)
DISTURBANCE

6. Some examples:
REGULARITY
&
DISTURBANCE
FLATTENING
VOIED

7. Some examples: ??

8. Some examples: PRESSURE PLATE FLATTENING DISTURBANCE COLOUR Change
BATTERY PACK
PRESSURE PLATE
FLATTENING
DISTURBANCE
COLOUR Change
REGULARITY
STONE MARKERS

9. PRACTICE
There’s now a chance to practice looking for the Ground Sign in a number of pictures.
Not all the pictures actually have Ground Sign in them – the first two slides are an example of one with and one without – the answer is revealed each time on the next mouse click. The phrase ‘No known indicators’ is used for pictures without Ground Sign – because we don’t know for certain that there was nothing there. In other words, if you see something that you think is suspicious in a picture then you are not wrong.
After the two examples there are two presentations with 20 pictures each – the first is easy the second is more difficult. For each picture you should identify any Ground Sign before clicking for the answer.

10. 1
Example One – Identify any Ground Sign. State the Grids it’s in. 2 3
Marker stones placed by LNs to warn of device 4 5 A B C D E F A

11. 1
Example Two – Identify any Ground Sign. State the Grids it’s in. 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

12. PRACTICE ONE EASY!

13. 1 2 3 4
They do get harder! 5 A B C D E F A

14. 1 2 3 4
Warning stones 5 A B C D E F A

15. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

16. 1 2 3
Warning stones
Main charge location 4 5 A B C D E F A

17. 1 2 3 4
No Ground Sign visible – there is an IED but too far down track to see. 5 A B C D E F A

18. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

19. 1 2 3 4 5
Markers placed to warn of device A B C D E F A

20. 1 2 3 4 5 A B C D E F
Warning stones A

21. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

22. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

23. 1 2 3 4
Warning stones 5 A B C D E F A

24. 1 2 3 4
3 x Marker stones placed by LNs or INS 5 A B C D E F A

25. 1 2 3 4 5
Patch of discoloured earth A B C D E F A

26. 1 2 3 4 5
Partly uncovered Pressure Plate. A B C D E F A

27. 1 2
.. but this is suspicious also 3
Location of IED Main Charge 4 5 A B C D E F A

28. 1 2 3 4
Warning stones 5 A B C D E F A

29. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

30. 1 2 3
Warning stones 4 5 A B C D E F A

31. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

32. 1 2 3
Marker stones placed by LNs to warn of device 4 5 A B C D E F A

33. NEXT SLIDE – START OF LEVEL 2
END OF LEVEL 1
NEXT SLIDE – START OF LEVEL 2

34. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

35. 1 2 3 4
Main charge here. Hard to ID as it just looks like a part of the collapsed wall. 5 A B C D E F A

36. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

37. 1 2 3
Warning stones 4 5 A B C D E F A

38. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

39. 1 2 3 4 5
Possible length of Command Wire A B C D E F A

40. 1 2 3
Patch of discoloured earth 4 5 A B C D E F A

41. 1 2 3 4
Large patch of disturbed earth 5 A B C D E F A

42. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

43. 1 2 3 4 5
Concealed Battery pack A B C D E F A

44. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

45. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

46. 1 2 3 4
Linear feature – possible CW 5 A B C D E F A

47. 1 2 3 4
Location of Pressure Plate & Main Charge 5 A B C D E F A

48. 1 2 3 4
Discoloured patch of earth 5 A B C D E F A

49. 1 2 3 4
No known indicators 5 A B C D E F A

50. 1 2 3
Pressure Plate - partly uncovered 4 5 A B C D E F A

51. 1
Markers across track 2 3 4 5 A B C D E F A

52. 1 2
Warning stones 3 4 5 A B C D E F A

53. 1
Colour change – main charge hidden in wall and connected to anti-lift on wpn mag. 2 3
Wire Link. 4 5 A B C D E F A