Imagineworking all day in 100-degree plus temperatures under constant life-threateningcircumstances, sometimes relying only on the negligible amount of hydrationfrom a cactus you've dug up. This is the life of a U.S. Army soldier in placeslike Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, which is why the U.S. Army Desert Operations Handbook is a vital reference forsurvival in one of the harshest environments in the world. This official guidecovers how to plan and conduct operations, how the environment affectspersonnel and equipment, and most importantly, how to survive and receivesupplies in the desert. Theobvious problems with extreme temperatures are water location and mobility.However, from handling and caring for firearms to operating and fueling a tank,the entire game changes in the dry, sandy desert conditions. The skills in thisguide are taken from lessons learned in real combat situations. Success indesert operations requires the ability to adapt with constant terrain andtemperature changes, which are often drastic within the same twenty-four-hourperiod. All the while, the soldier must be able to move within a unit withoutbeing visible to unfriendly groups. This combat-tested manual is sure to armanyone with the skills necessary to survive in the desert.