Daily Routine

To conduct their border missions, the Grenztruppen used a rotating shift schedule that kept the border manned 24 hours a day. In the schedules below you’ll see how Company 11, 3rd Grenzbattalion, of the 3rd Grenzregiment conducted their border operations. Shift changes on the border in this unit occurred at  04:00, 12:00 and 20:00  hours. The troops rotated from the Early Shift, to the Day shift, then to the Evening shift, and then rotate back to the early shift.  

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Click here to see a daily status sheet from the Border Service Book of a Border Company Commander  
     
Early shift: 0400 – 1200
 
02:30                        Wake up
02:30 – 02:50            Wash and make beds
02:40                        Special instructions/orders
02:50 – 03:10            Breakfast
03:20 – 03:30            Company /Platoon Orders
03:30 – 03:40            Prepare for duty
03:40 – 03:55            Pick up weapons
03:55 - 04:00             Prepare to leave 
04:00                        March/transport to Border area
04:00 - 12:00             Border patrols
12:30 – 14:00            Return to unit – serve as standby force
16:00                        Guard mount (selected personnel)
16:45 – 17:10            Dinner
17:30 – 24:00            Off duty (except for alerts)
   
Day shift:1200 – 2000
 
08:00                       Wake up/Guard mount
08:05 – 08:25            Wash and make beds
08:25 – 08:45            Breakfast
08:50 – 09:50            Area clean-up
10:00 – 10:20            Political information
10:20 – 10:40            Platoon Leader’s orders
10:40 – 10:50            Special instructions/orders
10:50 – 11:10            Lunch
11:20 – 11:30            Company instructions/orders
11:30 – 11:40            Prepare for duty
11:40 – 11:55            Pickup weapons
11:55 – 12:00            Prepare to leave
12:00                        Depart for the border
12:00 – 20:00            Border patrols
20:30 – 22:00            Return to unit/Standby force       
22:00                          Off duty
 

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Enlisted soldiers wall locker.

Evening shift: 2000 – 0400

07:00                        Wake up
07:05 – 07:25            Wash and make beds
07:25 – 07:45            Breakfast
07:50 – 08:20            Area clean-up
08:30 – 12:00            Various training
13:00                        Guard mount 
13:00 – 13:20            Lunch
14:00 – 18:30            Rest

18:30                        Wake up & Orders
18:35 – 18:50            Wash and make up beds
18:40                        Special orders
18:50 – 19:10            Dinner
19:20 –19:30             Company instructions/orders
19:30 – 19:40            Prepare for duty
19:40 – 19:55          Pick-up weapons
19:55                       Prepare to leave
20:00                       Depart for the border
20:00 – 04:00            Border patrols
04:30 – 06:30            Return to unit

06:30 – 13:00            Rest
13:00                        Wake up
13:05 – 13:25            Wash/make up beds
13:25 – 13:45            Lunch
13:45 – 14:00            Area clean-up
14:00 – 17:00            Meetings/ maintenance/training
16:00                        Guard mount 
17:30 – 17:50            Dinner
19:00 – 02:30            Rest 

  (rotate back to early shift)

 

Source: Ich War Grenzaufklaerer