Event Standards
Event Administration
All events are invitation only. You must be a member in good standing of an invited unit to participate.
Northern Light Operations, LLC will be responsible for working with site owners on matters related to renting the site and usage of on site facilities. While as the legal entity administering the event, NLO is the supreme authority, NLO will administer event functions through the re-enactor chain of command. There will be no “event staff cadre", event security or re-enactor military police operating outside the German and Allied chain of command.
Each co-belligerent (German and Allied) will operate their respective headquarters where on-site registration and ammunition inspection will be conducted. All matters related to those functions plus any matters relating to discipline and the field tactical exercise (FTX, i.e. “battle”) will be administered from German and Allied headquarters using each side’s respective chain of command.
In garrison and in the field, unit leadership (officers and NCOs) will perform the jobs commensurate with their respective rank and be accountable through the chain of command.
Officer and NCO Qualifications
In the field, each maneuver unit will be required to have a Qualified Infantry Leader (QIL) present. The QIL will be someone with documented U.S. or Canadian military infantry leadership experience. If a maneuver unit does not have a QIL in their membership, they will operate in the field with a maneuver unit that does. The QIL does not have to be a unit commander or NCO. NLO does not presume to alter a unit’s structure or chain of command.
A “maneuver unit” is defined as either one registered re-enacting unit or, depending on number of re-enactors, two or more combined registered reenacting units in a mock battle formation as determined by the event’s scenario and field leadership.
A “QIL” is defined as an individual who obtained infantry leadership experience while serving in the U.S. or Canadian military. This experience includes, but is not limited to, Officer Basic Course, NCO Basic Course, Command of an Infantry Company, etc.
The QIL can be the formation’s field leader, but that is not required. If he is not the leader, the QIL is empowered by Northern Light Operations, LLC to engage/intervene with the leader as appropriate on matters of safety.
A QIL is proficient at the following skill sets:
Unit leaders will also certify in writing that their members are adequately trained to maneuver, operate their weapons safely and that the ammunition has been checked.
Weapons Training
Unit leaders will certify that their members have been trained on the safe operation of their weapons and will provide appropriate documentation in support. Most, if not all invited units maintain some kind of paper trail already. The certification will attest that members understand blank fire muzzle discipline and can load, safe, unload, field strip/re-assemble.
Social Media Hygiene
There will be no official Facebook site, nor will any “unofficial” Facebook sites be tolerated. Any necessary information will be posted to the NLO website and communicated accordingly via email using the chain of command. Questions, comments, suggestions and answers will flow up and down the chain of command. Participants who comment about NLO events on their own social media sites do so at their own risk. They are expected to behave professionally, in a soldierly fashion with good judgment, free of obscenity and juvenile commentary. Northern Lights Operations, LLC reserves the right to eject any participant who is in obvious violation.
Scenario Development
Scenarios will be developed under the guidance of NLO's Senior Military Advisor, Timothy R. O’Neill. His responsibility at NLO events will be to plan field operations and be the primary historical and educational adviser. Battle scenarios that are chosen to be re-created will be designed to ensure historical authenticity and suitability for the chosen terrain for the safe insertion and extraction of men and material.
Timothy R. O'Neill served as an officer in the United States Army for more than 25 years, from Viet Nam to Desert Storm. He commanded tank and armored reconnaissance units in training and combat, completed two combat tours in Viet Nam, and served on squadron and brigade staffs. He was a tactical officer and instructor for officer candidates and served for sixteen years as a member of the permanent faculty of the United States Military Academy at West Point; he is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College. Since his retirement, he has served as an advisor to the United States Army, the US Marine Corps, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Hostage Rescue Team, and the armed forces of the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, and the Marine Corps and Army Corps of Special Forces of the United States of Mexico. He is a graduate of The Citadel and holds the MA from the University of North Carolina and the PhD from the University of Virginia. He is the author of numerous articles and monographs on military and scientific topics, and he is named on over 600 patents; he is author of two books.
Security and Firearms Compliance
Larry Mihlon will be the Senior Security Advisor and his responsibility at NLO events will be to oversee matters relating to weapons safety, ammunition inspection and compliance with all relevant federal, state and local fire-arms regulations.
Mr. Mihlon is a retired New Jersey Police Chief, having served in Federal and local law enforcement for over 37 years. Among his many professional certifications is having graduated at the top of his class at the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police, West Point Command and Leadership course. As a re-enactor of as many years as his law enforcement career, Larry served in many leadership capacities, including being the former overall Axis commander at the annual Battle of the Bulge living history week at Fort Indiantown Gap and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the World War II Historical Association (WWIIHA).
Advance Team
Sites for events will be identified and developed by an advance team led by Rich Moran, who has been involved in re-enacting for over twenty years in many capacities, including unit leader, event administrator and board member for re-enacting non-profits. He is also the president of his own construction company and brings to bear valuable business experience and contacts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mr. Moran also serves as NLO's on-site Deputy Event Administrator.
All events are invitation only. You must be a member in good standing of an invited unit to participate.
Northern Light Operations, LLC will be responsible for working with site owners on matters related to renting the site and usage of on site facilities. While as the legal entity administering the event, NLO is the supreme authority, NLO will administer event functions through the re-enactor chain of command. There will be no “event staff cadre", event security or re-enactor military police operating outside the German and Allied chain of command.
Each co-belligerent (German and Allied) will operate their respective headquarters where on-site registration and ammunition inspection will be conducted. All matters related to those functions plus any matters relating to discipline and the field tactical exercise (FTX, i.e. “battle”) will be administered from German and Allied headquarters using each side’s respective chain of command.
In garrison and in the field, unit leadership (officers and NCOs) will perform the jobs commensurate with their respective rank and be accountable through the chain of command.
Officer and NCO Qualifications
In the field, each maneuver unit will be required to have a Qualified Infantry Leader (QIL) present. The QIL will be someone with documented U.S. or Canadian military infantry leadership experience. If a maneuver unit does not have a QIL in their membership, they will operate in the field with a maneuver unit that does. The QIL does not have to be a unit commander or NCO. NLO does not presume to alter a unit’s structure or chain of command.
A “maneuver unit” is defined as either one registered re-enacting unit or, depending on number of re-enactors, two or more combined registered reenacting units in a mock battle formation as determined by the event’s scenario and field leadership.
A “QIL” is defined as an individual who obtained infantry leadership experience while serving in the U.S. or Canadian military. This experience includes, but is not limited to, Officer Basic Course, NCO Basic Course, Command of an Infantry Company, etc.
The QIL can be the formation’s field leader, but that is not required. If he is not the leader, the QIL is empowered by Northern Light Operations, LLC to engage/intervene with the leader as appropriate on matters of safety.
A QIL is proficient at the following skill sets:
- Topographic map-reading and navigation by map and compass.
- Basic infantry tactics from squad through company: squad/platoon/company in attack and in defense, combat formations for route march, approach march, and assault.
- Safe operation of infantry weapons, individual and crew served.
- Military radio procedure.
- Call for fire (artillery support).
- Field safety, including how to avoid injury, dehydration, hypothermia, and getting lost. Understanding basic plans and operations, including MDMP (Military Decision-Making Process, the 5-paragraph field order, reading an overlay.
Unit leaders will also certify in writing that their members are adequately trained to maneuver, operate their weapons safely and that the ammunition has been checked.
Weapons Training
Unit leaders will certify that their members have been trained on the safe operation of their weapons and will provide appropriate documentation in support. Most, if not all invited units maintain some kind of paper trail already. The certification will attest that members understand blank fire muzzle discipline and can load, safe, unload, field strip/re-assemble.
Social Media Hygiene
There will be no official Facebook site, nor will any “unofficial” Facebook sites be tolerated. Any necessary information will be posted to the NLO website and communicated accordingly via email using the chain of command. Questions, comments, suggestions and answers will flow up and down the chain of command. Participants who comment about NLO events on their own social media sites do so at their own risk. They are expected to behave professionally, in a soldierly fashion with good judgment, free of obscenity and juvenile commentary. Northern Lights Operations, LLC reserves the right to eject any participant who is in obvious violation.
Scenario Development
Scenarios will be developed under the guidance of NLO's Senior Military Advisor, Timothy R. O’Neill. His responsibility at NLO events will be to plan field operations and be the primary historical and educational adviser. Battle scenarios that are chosen to be re-created will be designed to ensure historical authenticity and suitability for the chosen terrain for the safe insertion and extraction of men and material.
Timothy R. O'Neill served as an officer in the United States Army for more than 25 years, from Viet Nam to Desert Storm. He commanded tank and armored reconnaissance units in training and combat, completed two combat tours in Viet Nam, and served on squadron and brigade staffs. He was a tactical officer and instructor for officer candidates and served for sixteen years as a member of the permanent faculty of the United States Military Academy at West Point; he is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College. Since his retirement, he has served as an advisor to the United States Army, the US Marine Corps, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Hostage Rescue Team, and the armed forces of the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, and the Marine Corps and Army Corps of Special Forces of the United States of Mexico. He is a graduate of The Citadel and holds the MA from the University of North Carolina and the PhD from the University of Virginia. He is the author of numerous articles and monographs on military and scientific topics, and he is named on over 600 patents; he is author of two books.
Security and Firearms Compliance
Larry Mihlon will be the Senior Security Advisor and his responsibility at NLO events will be to oversee matters relating to weapons safety, ammunition inspection and compliance with all relevant federal, state and local fire-arms regulations.
Mr. Mihlon is a retired New Jersey Police Chief, having served in Federal and local law enforcement for over 37 years. Among his many professional certifications is having graduated at the top of his class at the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police, West Point Command and Leadership course. As a re-enactor of as many years as his law enforcement career, Larry served in many leadership capacities, including being the former overall Axis commander at the annual Battle of the Bulge living history week at Fort Indiantown Gap and as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the World War II Historical Association (WWIIHA).
Advance Team
Sites for events will be identified and developed by an advance team led by Rich Moran, who has been involved in re-enacting for over twenty years in many capacities, including unit leader, event administrator and board member for re-enacting non-profits. He is also the president of his own construction company and brings to bear valuable business experience and contacts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mr. Moran also serves as NLO's on-site Deputy Event Administrator.