TROOP LEADING PROCEDURES

TROOP LEADING PROCEDURES • STEP 1 - RECEIVE THE MISSION • STEP 2 - ISSUE WARNING ORDER • STEP 3 - MAKE A TENTATIVE PLAN • STEP 4 - START NECESSARY MOVEMENT • STEP 5 - RECONNOITER • STEP 6 - COMPLETE THE PLAN • STEP 7 - ISSUE COMPLETE ORDER • STEP 8 - SUPERVISE * ONLY THE FIRST TWO STEPS MUST BE COMPLETED IN ORDER

PATROLLING • DEFINITION • PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS • ORGANIZATION • INITIAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION • COMPLETION OF THE PLAN • DEPARTURE FROM FRIENDLY LINES • RALLY POINTS • LEADER’S RECON • REENTRY OF FRIENDLY LINES • DEBRIEFING

PATROLLING • PATROLS ARE MISSIONS TO GATHER INFORMATION OR TO CONDUCT COMBAT OPERATIONS. NORMALLY, PATROLS ARE CONDUCTED BY INFANTRY PLATOONS AND SQUADS. • THREE TYPES OF PATROLS ARE RECONNAISSANCE, COMBAT, AND TRACKING. • BLOCK OF INSTRUCTION DESCRIBES PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS USED IN PREPARATION OF PATROLS, CONDUCT OF PATROLS, AND ESTABLISHMENT OF AND ACTIONS TAKEN IN A PATROL.

5 PRINCIPLES OF PATROLLING • PLANNING • RECONNAISSANCE • SURVEILLANCE • CONTROL • COMMON SENSE

PATROL ORGANIZATION • WHERE POSSIBLE, MAINTAIN SQUAD AND FIRE TEAM INTEGRITY • ORGANIZATION COMMON TO ALL PATROLS: • HQ ELEMENT • PATROL LEADER (PL) • RTO • ASST PATROL LEADER (APL) • MACHINE GUNNER • ASST GUNNER • AID & LITTER TM • EPW TM • SURVEILLANCE / RECON TM • ENROUTE RECORDER • COMPASS MAN • PACE MAN • MEDIA TM

PL RESPONSIBILITIES • MAKE THE PLAN • UNIT REHEARSALS • FINAL INSPECTIONS • DEVELOP THE TIMELINE • ASSAULT ELEMENT • MOVES AFTER 1ST SQUAD • OPORD PARA 2 AND 3 • MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT • SALUTE REPORT • ACTIONS ON THE OBJ • LEADER'S RECON • DESIGNATING % SECURITY

APL RESPONSIBILITIES • MAKING IT HAPPEN • SPECIAL TEAM REHEARSALS • INITIAL INSPECTION • ENFORCING TIMELINE • SUPPORT ELEMENT • OPORD PARA 4 • ACE REPORT • CONSOLIDATION AND REORGANIZATION • ORP ACTIVITIES • MAKING SECURITY ROSTER • ACCOUNTABILITY • MAINTENANCE • PATROL BASE ACTIVITIES • STAND-TO • SOLDIER CARE ISSUES • PACKING LIST • CORRECTING BREAKS IN CONTACT • NOISE AND LIGHT DISCIPLINE • COORDINATION FOR MOVEMENT

PATROL PLANNING • LEADERS PLAN AND PREPARE FOR PATROLS USING TLP’s AND THE ESTIMATE OF THE SITUATION. • LEADERS IDENTIFY REQUIRED ACTIONS ON THE OBJECTIVE, THEN THEY PLAN BACKWARDS TO THE DEPARTURE. • BECAUSE PATROLS ACT INDEPENDENTLY, AND MOVE BEYOND THE DIRECT FIRE SUPPORT OF THE PARENT UNIT, COORDINATION IS THOROUGH AND DETAILED.

PATROL PLANNING (cont) • ITEMS COORDINATED BETWEEN THE LEADER AND HIGHER HQ: • CHANGES OR UPDATE IN THE FRIENDLY OR ENEMY SITUATION • BEST USE OF TERRAIN FOR ROUTES, RALLY POINTS, AND PATROL BASES • THE ATTACHMENT OF SOLDIERS WITH SPECIAL SKILLS OR EQUIPMENT; I.E. SNIPER TEAM, SCOUT DOG TEAM, FOs, OR INTERPRETERS • USE AND LOCATION OF LZs • FIRE SUPPORT ON THE OBJECTIVE AND ALONG PLANNED ROUTES, INCLUDING ALTERNATE ROUTES

PATROL PLANNING (cont) • REHEARSAL AREAS AND TIMES: • THE TERRAIN FOR THE REHEARSAL SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE OBJECTIVE, TO INCLUDE BUILDINGS AND FORTIFICATIONS IF POSSIBLE. • COORDINATION FOR REHEARSALS INCLUDES SECURITY OF THE AREA, USE OF BLANKS, PYROTECHNICS, AND LIVE AMMUNITION. • SPECIAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS • TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT, INCLUDING TO AND FROM REHEARSAL LOCATION • SIGNAL PLAN: CALL SIGNS, FREQUENCIES, CODE WORDS, PYROTECHNICS, AND CHALLENGE & PASSWORD

PATROLLING MISSIONS • RECONNAISSANCE PATROL • AREA • ZONE • ROUTE • COMBAT PATROL • AMBUSH • RAID • PRESENCE PATROL

DEPARTURE FROM FRIENDLY LINES COORDINATION • PATROL LEADER PROVIDES CDR OF FORWARD UNIT: • PATROL IDENTIFICATION • SIZE OF PATROL • DEPARTURE / RETURN TIMES • AO • CDR OF FORWARD UNIT PROVIDES PATROL LEADER: • TERRAIN INFO • ENEMY SITUATION • - KNOWN / SUSPECTED POSITIONS • - LATEST ENEMY ACTIVITY • - LIKELY AMBUSH SITES • FRIENDLY SITUATION • - POSITIONS • - OBSTACLES • - FIRE PLAN

DEPARTURE FROM FRIENDLY LINES COORDINATION (Cont) • SUPPORT THAT FORWARD UNIT CAN PROVIDE: • FIRE SUPPORT • LITTER TEAM • GUIDES • COMMUNICATION • REACTION FORCE

PP 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 1 1 DEPARTURE FROM FRIENDLY LINES DEPLOY INTO MOVEMENT FORMATION G GUIDE LEADS PATROL OUT ENEMY APL FOLLOWS GUIDE, COUNTS PATROL OUT FRIENDLY SINGLE FILE • INITIAL RALLY POINT • SECURITY HALT • FINAL COORDINATION • CONFIRM SIGNAL PLAN • (RUNNING PASSWORD, ETC.) IRP • CONTACT or CHECK POINT • L/U WITH GUIDE

RECONNAISSANCE PATROL • ORGANIZATION • RECONNAISSANCE TEAM • RECONNAISSANCE AND SECURITY • PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS • INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MISSION • SIZE AND NUMBER OF RECONNAISSANCE OBJECTIVES • REQUIREMENT TO SECURE ORP AND OTHER POINTS • TIME ALLOWED FOR CONDUCTING MISSION • TYPES OF RECON MISSIONS • AREA RECONNAISSANCE • ZONE RECONNAISSANCE • ROUTE RECONNAISSANCE

RECONNAISSANCE OPERATIONS • AREA RECON • GAIN INFORMATION ON A CERTAIN LOCATION • TEAMS MOVE TO VANTAGE POINT • TEAMS MOVE FROM POINT TO POINT • ZONE RECON • GAIN INFORMATION ON A SPECIFIC ZONE OR SECTOR • MOVING • STATIONARY • ROUTE RECON • DETAILED INFORMATION ON ROUTE AND ADJACENT TERRAIN • TRAFFICABILITY, ENEMY ACTIVITY, NBC CONTAMINATION, DOMINATING TERRAIN

AREA RECONNAISSANCE • AN AREA RECON IS CONDUCTED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT A SPECIFIED LOCATION AND THE AREA AROUND IT. • THE LOCATION MAY BE GIVEN AS A GRID OR AN OBJECTIVE ON AN OVERLAY. • IN AN AREA RECON, THE PATROL USES SURVEILLANCE OR VANTAGE POINTS AROUND THE OBJECTIVE FROM WHICH TO OBSERVE THE OBJECTIVE AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

AREA RECONNAISSANCE • IN PLANNING FOR AN AREA RECON MISSION, THE PATROL LEADER CONSIDERS THESE ACTIONS: • PL MAY INCLUDE A SURV TEAM IN THE RECON OF THE OBJ FROM THE ORP. • PL POSITIONS THE TEAM WHILE ON RECON. • APL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SECURITY AT ORP AND POSITIONS OTHER SECURITY TEAMS AS REQUIRED ON ENEMY AVENUES OF APPROACH IN THE OBJ AREA. • IF REQUIRED PL POSITIONS OTHER SURV TEAMS ABOUT OBJ. PL MAY MOVE THEM ON ONE ROUTE, POSITIONING THEM AS THEY MOVE, OR MAY DIRECT THEM TO MOVE ALONG SEPARATE ROUTES TO ASSIGNED LOCATIONS. • AFTER OBSERVING OBJ FOR A SPECIFIED TIME, ALL ELEMENTS RETURN TO ORP AND REPORT THEIR OBSERVATIONS TO PL AND/OR RECORDER. ONCE ALL INFORMATION IS COLLECTED, IT IS DISSEMINATED TO EVERYONE.

OP OP OP OP RP ORP AREA RECON OBJ

ZONE RECONNAISSANCE • A ZONE RECON IS CONDUCTED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON ENEMY TERRAIN AND ROUTES WITHIN A SPECIFIED ZONE. • ZONE RECON TECHNIQUES INCLUDE THE USE OF MOVING ELEMENTS, STATIONARY TEAMS, OR A SERIES OF AREA RECON ACTIONS. • MOVING ELEMENTS - THE PL PLANS THE USE OF SQUADS OR FIRE TEAMS MOVING ALONG MULTIPLE ROUTES TO COVER THE ENTIRE ZONE. • METHODS FOR PLANNING THE MOVEMENT OF MULTIPLE ELEMENTS THROUGH A ZONE INCLUDE THE FAN, BOX, CONVERGING ROUTES, AND SUCCESSIVE SECTORS.

ZONE RECONNAISSANCE • FAN METHOD • PL FIRST SELECTS A SERIES OF ORPs THROUGHOUT THE ZONE. • PL ESTABLISHES SECURITY AT THE FIRST ORP. • EACH R&S TEAM MOVES FROM THE ORP ALONG A DIFFERENT FAN-SHAPED ROUTE THAT OVERLAPS WITH OTHERS ENSURING RECON OF ENTIRE AREA. • PL MAINTAINS A RESERVE AT ORP. • WHEN ALL R&S TEAMS HAVE RETURNED TO ORP, PATROL COLLECTS AND DISSEMINATES ALL INFORMATION TO EVERY SOLDER BEFORE MOVEMENT TO NEXT ORP.

ROUTE RECON • A ROUTE RECON IS CONDUCTED TO OBTAIN DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT ONE ROUTE AND THE ADJACENT TERRAIN. • A ROUTE RECON IS ORIENTED ON A ROAD; A NARROW AXIS SUCH AS AN INFILTRATION LANE; OR A GENERAL DIRECTION OF ATTACK. • A ROUTE RECON RESULTS IN DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT TRAFFICABILITY, ENEMY ACTIVITY, AND ASPECTS OF ADJACENT TERRAIN FROM BOTH THE ENEMY AND FRIENDLY VIEWPOINTS.

ROUTE RECON • PREFERRED METHOD FOR CONDUCTING A ROUTE RECON IS THE FAN METHOD. PL MUST ENSURE THAT FANS ARE EXTENSIVE ENOUGH TO RECON INTERSECTING ROUTES BEYOND DIRECT-FIRE RANGE OF MAIN ROUTE. • PATROL SHOULD USE A DIFFERENT RETURN ROUTE. • IF ALL OR PART OF PROPOSED ROUTE IS A ROAD, PL MUST TREAT ROAD AS A DANGER AREA. PATROL MOVES PARALLEL TO THE ROAD USING A COVERED AND CONCEALED ROUTE. WHEN REQUIRED, R&S TEAMS MOVE CLOSE TO THE ROAD TO RECON KEY AREAS.

MOVEMENT • TECHNIQUES - STAGGERED COLUMN • ROUTE SELECTION - OCOKA • LAND NAVIGATION - MILITARY CREST • CONTROL MEASURES - BOUNDARIES • SELECTION OF RALLY POINTS - IRP, ERP • ACTIONS AT DANGER AREAS • ACTIONS ON CONTACT

TL TL TL TL STAGGERED COLUMN A TM SL B TM PL RTO MG TM A TM SL APL B TM

OCCUPY AN OBJECTIVE RALLY POINT (ORP) • EASILY RECOGNIZED • OFFERS COVER & CONCEALMENT • DEFENDABLE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME • AWAY FROM NATURAL LINES OF DRIFT

DANGER AREAS • TYPES OF DANGER AREAS: • OPEN AREAS • ROADS & TRAILS • VILLAGES • ENEMY POSITIONS • MINEFIELDS • STREAMS • WIRE OBSTACLES • DESIGNATE NEAR & FAR SIDE RALLY POINTS • SECURE NEAR SIDE • RECON AND SECURE FAR SIDE • EXECUTE CROSSING OF THE DANGER AREA

CONDUCT LDRS RECON • DEPART ORP - LEAVE 5-POINT CONTINGENCY PLAN (GOTWA) • PINPOINT OBJECTIVE • IDENTIFY RP; MAINTAIN SECURITY, SELECT SUPPORT & ASSAULT POSITIONS, AND ESTABLISH SURVEILLANCE POINTS FOR RECON • VERIFY TENTATIVE EXECUTION PLAN • LEAVE SURVEILLANCE TO OBSERVE OBJECTIVE • RETURN TO ORP • COMPLETE PLAN AND ISSUE FRAGO AS NECESSARY

5 - POINT CONTINGENCY PLAN G - GOING WHERE? O - OTHERS GOING WITH YOU T - TIME YOU EXPECT TO BE GONE W - WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO NOT RETURN A - ACTIONS TO TAKE IF YOU GET HIT & ACTIONS TO TAKE IF PATROL GETS HIT BRIEF BACK

COMBAT PATROLS • COMBAT PATROLS ARE CONDUCTED TO DESTROY OR CAPTURE ENEMY OR EQUIPMENT; DESTROY INSTALLATIONS, FACILITIES, OR KEY POINTS; OR HARASS ENEMY FORCES. THEY ALSO CAN PROVIDE SECURITY FOR LARGER UNITS. • 2 TYPES OF COMBAT MISSIONS: • AMBUSH • RAID

AMBUSH OPERATIONS • POINT AMBUSH • ATTACK ENEMY IN A SINGLE KILL ZONE • AREA AMBUSH • SERIES OF POINT AMBUSHES • FORMATIONS • LINEAR • L-SHAPED

CONDUCT DELIBERATE AMBUSH • ORGANIZATION • ASSAULT • SUPPORT • SECURITY • SCHEME OF MANEUVER • TROOP LEADING PROCEDURES • OCCUPY ORP • CONDUCT LEADER’S RECON • POSITION ELEMENTS • CONDUCT AMBUSH

CONDUCT DELIBERATE AMBUSH • AMBUSHES ARE CONDUCTED AGAINST A SPECIFIC TARGET AT A PRE-DETERMINED LOCATION. • PATROL LEADER REQUIRES DETAILED INFORMATION IN PLANNING A DELIBERATE AMBUSH. • SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THE TARGETED UNIT • WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE TO THE ENEMY • ENEMY’S ROUTE AND DIRECTION OF TRAVEL • TIMES THAT THE TARGETED UNIT WILL REACH OR PASS SPECIFIED POINTS ALONG THE ROUTE

RAID • RAIDS ARE COMBAT OPERATIONS TO ATTACK A POSITION OR INSTALLATION FOLLOWED BY PLANNED WITHDRAWAL • SQUADS DO NOT EXECUTE RAIDS • SEQUENCE OF SECTION ACTIONS FOR A RAID IS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF AN AMBUSH • ASSAULT ELEMENT OF A SECTION MAY HAVE TO CONDUCT A BREACH OF AN OBSTACLE • MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL TASKS TO PERFORM ON THE OBJECTIVE • DEMOLITION OF FIXED FACILITIES

CONSOLIDATE REORGANIZE • SECURITY • MAN CREW-SERVED WEAPONS • POSITION SOLDIERS • PREPARE FIGHTING POSITIONS • FILL KEY LEADER POSITIONS • ACE REPORT • TREAT CASUALTIES • HANDLE POWs • SUBMIT INTEL REPORT

ESTABLISH A PATROL BASE • PURPOSE • SITE SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS • OCCUPATION • PRIORITY OF WORK • PATROL BASE ACTIVITIES

PATROL BASE PRIORITY OF WORK • ADJUSTED BASED ON METT-TC AND CDR'S INTENT • SECURITY - R&S TEAMS, LP/OP • POSITION WEAPONS & SOLDIERS; ASSIGN SECTORS OF FIRE • ESTABLISH CP • DESIGNATE FINAL PROTECTIVE LINE (FPL) • ESTABLISH FINAL PROTECTIVE FIRES (FPF) • CLEAR FIELDS OF FIRE & PREPARE MACHINE GUN RANGE CARDS / SECTOR SKETCHES • PREPARE PRIMARY FIGHTING POSITIONS • MARK OR IMPROVE MARKING FOR TARGET REFERENCE POINTS (TRP) AND OTHER FIRE CONTROL MEASURES • IMPROVE PRIMARY FIGHTING POSITIONS • PREPARE ALTERNATE POSITIONS • ESTABLISH A SLEEP / REST PLAN • REHEARSE ENGAGEMENTS, DISENGAGEMENTS, & C/ATK PLANS • STOCKPILE AMMO, FOOD, AND WATER

PATROLLINGMISSION AAR FORMAT(30 MINUTE GOAL) • 1. PL explains the plan: • Mission • Concept • What was supposed to happen • 2. What actually happened? • During planning, movement, actions on objective • Focus on PL, APL and SL’s – their roles during entire mission • 3. What did the OPFOR do? • Use 2 – 4 major points • 4. Use 2-4 themes and discuss the mission: • Minimum actions on the objective • Fratricide • Unit movement • Muzzle awareness • TLP’s • 5. Discuss 2-4 sustain & improves for next patrol. • 6. Put Section back into the tactical mode. • Check all weapons • Sensitive items inventory • Hydrate – make everyone drink water • Check all feet and/or other medical problems

TROOP LEADING PROCEDURES