movement techniques

INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES

LOW CRAWL

1. WHEN THE ROUTE YOU HAVE SELECTED PROVIDES COVER AND CONCEALMENT LESS THAN ONE FOOT HIGH

2. WHEN THE TERRAIN YOU ARE CROSSING PROVIDES GOOD ENEMY OBSERVATION

3. WHEN SPEED IS NOT REQUIRED

HIGH CRAWL

1. WHEN YOUR MOVEMENT ROUTE PROVIDES GOOD COVER AND CONCEALMENT

2. WHEN POOR VISIBILITY REDUCES THE POSSIBILITY OF YOUR BEING SPOTTED

3. WHEN THE TERRAIN OR VEGETATION ARE ONLY SUITABLE FOR THE LOW CRAWL, BUT SPEED IS REQUIRED

RUSH

1. WHEN YOU MUST CROSS OPEN AREAS.

2. WHEN TIME IS CRITICAL.

Low Crawl

High Crawl

Wall Obstacle

Wire Obstacle

SMALL UNIT MOVEMENT SMALL UNIT MOVEMENT TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES

THE FIRE TEAM COMPONENTSTHE FIRE TEAM COMPONENTS

THE INFANTRYMAN:THE INFANTRYMAN: Supervises, leads, or serves as a member of an infantry activity that employs individual or crew served weapons in support of offensive

and defensive combat operations

Most infantry operates in "Fire Teams" of three to four men, with two or three such teams tosquad. When attacking, each man in the team has a specific job. 1) Fire team leaders control the fire of their soldiers by using standard fire commands (initial and supplemental) containing the following elements: Alert, Direction, Description, Range, Method of fire (manipulation and rate of fire), and command to commence firing

2) The Automatic Rifleman (or light machine gunner) tries to pin the enemy down.

3) The Grenadier (armed, usually, with an M203 or the equivalent) does two things: helps the automatic rifleman isolate the enemy position, and looks for an opening to shoot a grenade at it.

4) One or two men, under cover of the Automatic Rifleman and Grenadier, attempt to close with the enemy position and kill the enemy.

• WEDGE AND FILE

• USED FOR CONTROL FLEXIBILITY AND SECURITY

• LEADERS ARE UP FRONT IN THE FORMATION WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. “FOLLOW ME AND DO AS I DO.”

• ALL SOLDIERS IN THE TEAM MUST BE ABLE TO SEE THE LEADER

THE FIRE TEAM FORMATIONSTHE FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS

WEDGE FORMATIONWEDGE FORMATION

• IS THE BASIC FORMATION FOR THE FIRE TEAM • THE INTERVAL BETWEEN SOLDIERS IS NORMALLY 10 METERS

• EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS DEPENDING ON TERRAIN

• WHEN ROUGH TERRAIN AND POOR VISIBILITY OR OTHER FACTORS MAKE CONTROL OF THE WEDGE DIFFICULT

- NORMAL INTERVAL IS REDUCED SO THAT THE TEAM LEADER CAN SEE HIS OR HER SQUAD

- THE SIDES OF THE WEDGE CAN CONTRACT TO THE POINT WHERE THE WEDGE RESEMBLES A FILE

• WHEN MOVING IN LESS RUGGED TERRAIN WHERE CONTROL IS EASIER, SOLDIERS EXPAND OR RESUME THEIR ORIGINAL POSITIONS

RIFLEMAN RIFLEMAN

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

GRENADIER GRENADIER

TEAM LEADER TEAM LEADER

FIRE TEAM WEDGEFIRE TEAM WEDGE

RIFLEMAN

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

GRENADIER

TEAM LEADER

FIRE TEAM FILEFIRE TEAM FILE

• USED WHEN THE TERRAIN PRECLUDES THE USE OF THE WEDGE

COMPARISON OF FIRE TEAM FORMATIONSCOMPARISON OF FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS

CHARACTERISTICS

CONTROL FLEXIBILITYFIRE CAPABILITIES /

RESTRICTIONS SECURITY

MOVEMENTFORMATION

WHENNORMALLY

USED

FIRE TEAMWEDGE

FIRE TEAMFILE

BASIC FIRE TEAMFORMATION

CLOSE TERRAINDENSE VEGETAT-IONS, LIMITEDVISIBILITY CONDITIONS

EASY

EASIEST

GOOD

LESSFLEXIBLE THAN THE WEDGE

ALLOWS IMMEDIATEFIRES IN ALL DIRECTIONS

ALLOWS IMMEDIATEFIRES TO THE FLANKS. MASK MOST FIRES TO THE REAR

GOOD

LEAST

SQUAD FORMATIONSSQUAD FORMATIONS

• SQUAD FORMATIONS DESCRIBE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FIRE TEAMS IN THE SQUAD.

•THEY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

•SQUAD COLUMN

•SQUAD LINE

SQUAD COLUMNSQUAD COLUMN

• IS THE SQUAD’S MOST COMMON FORMATION

• IT PROVIDES GOOD DISPERSION LATERALLY AND IN DEPTH WITHOUT SACRIFICING CONTOL, WHILE FACILITATING GOOD MANUVERABILITY

• WHEN THE SQUAD MOVES INDEPENDENTLY OR AS THE REAR ELEMENT OF THE PLATOON, THE RIFLEMAN IN THE TRAIL FIRE TEAM PROVIDES REAR SECURITY

SQUAD COLUMN WITH FIRE TEAMS IN COLUMN.SQUAD COLUMN WITH FIRE TEAMS IN COLUMN.

RIFLEMAN

RIFLEMAN

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

GRENADIER

GRENADIER

TEAM LEADER

TEAM LEADER

SQUAD LEADER

(PASE)

(COMPASS)

(POINT MAN)

RIFLEMANRIFLEMAN

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

AUTOMATICRIFLEMANGRENADIER GRENADIER

TEAM LEADER TEAM LEADER

SQUAD LINESQUAD LINE

SQUAD LEADER

• THE SQUAD LINE PROVIDES MAXIMUM FIREPOWER TO THE FRONT.

• WHEN THE SQUAD IS ACTING AS THE BASE SQUAD, THE FIRE TEAM ON THE RIGHT IS THE BASE FIRE TEAM

SQUAD FILESQUAD FILE

• IS USED WHEN NOT TRAVELING IN A COLUMN OR LINE

• HAS THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE FIRE TEAM FILE

• SQUAD LEADER CAN BE MOVED FROM NORMAL POSITION TO THE FIRST OR SECOND POSITION:

- TO INCREASE CONTROL OVER THE FORMATION

- EXERT GREATER MORAL PRESENCE BY LEADING FROM THE FRONT

- IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO MAKE KEY DECISIONS

• ADDITIONAL CONTROL OVER THE REAR OF THE FORMATION CAN BE PROVIDED BY MOVING A TEAM LEADER TO THE LAST POSTION.

AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN

AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN

GRENADIER

GRENADIER

TEAM LEADER

TEAM LEADER

SQUAD LEADER (NORMAL)

SQUAD LEADER (OPTIONAL)

RIFLEMAN

TEAM LEADER (OPTIONAL)

RIFLEMAN

SQUAD FILESQUAD FILE

COMPARISON OF SQUAD FORMATIONSCOMPARISON OF SQUAD FORMATIONS

CHARACTERISTICS

CONTROL FLEXIBILITYFIRE CAPABILITIES /

RESTRICTIONS SECURITYMOVEMENTFORMATION

WHENNORMALLY

USED

SQUAD COLUMN

FIRE TEAMFILE

SQUAD PRIMARYFORMATION

WHEN MAXIMUMFIREPOWER IS REQUIRED TO THE FRONT

GOOD

NOT AS GOOD ASSQUADCOLUMN

FACILITATESMANEUVER,GOODDISPERSIONLATERALLYAND IN DEPTHLIMITEDMANEUVERCAPABILITY(BOTH FIRETEAMS COMMITTED).

ALLOWS LARGE VOLUME OF FIRE TO THE FLANK – LIMMITED VOLUME TO THE FRONT

ALLOWS MAXIMUMIMMEDIATE FIRE TO THE FRONT

ALL - ROUND

GOOD TO THE FRONTLITTLE TO THE FLANKSAND REAR

SQUADFILE

CLOSE TERRAINVEGETATIONLIMITED VISIBILITYCONDITIONS

EASIEST MOST DIFFICULTFORMATIONFROM WHICH TOMANEUVER

ALLOWS MAXIMUMIMMEDIATE FIRE TO THE FLANK MASKSMOST FIRE TO THE FRONT AND REAR

LEAST

PLATOON FORMATIONSPLATOON FORMATIONS

• PLATOON FORMATIONS CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING

- PLATOON IN COLUMN

- PLATOON LINE (SQUADS ON LINE OR IN COLUMN)

- PLATOON VEE

- PLATOON WEDGE

• THE LEADER SHOULD WEIGH THESE CAREFULLY TO SELECT THE BEST FORMATION BASED ON HIS MISSION AND ON METT-T (MISSION, EQUIPMENT, TERAIN, TROOPS AVAILABLE AND TIME AVAILABLE) ANNALSIS

PLATOON COLUMNPLATOON COLUMN

• IS THE SQUAD’S PLATOON’S PRIMARY MOVEMENT FORMATION

• IT PROVIDES GOOD DISPERSION BOTH LATERALLY AND IN DEPTH AND SIMPLIFIES CONTROL.

• THE LEAD SQUAD IS THE BASE SQUAD.

NOTE: METT-T WILL DETERMINE WHERE CREW SERVED WEAPONS WILL MOVE IN THE FORMATION. THEY NORMALLY MOVE WITH THE PLATOON LEADER SO HE CAN QUICKLY ESTABLISH A BASE OF FIRE

X

X

TL

ARGRNR

SL

TLAR GRN

RPLT LDR

RATELO

MG CREWMG CREW

FO

FO RATELO

TLARGRN

R

SLGRN

TL RAR

PSG

AID MAIN (CLS)

TL

ARGRN

R SL

TL

GRNRAR

LEGENDLEGEND

PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADERPSG – PLATOON SERGEANTSL – SQUAD LEADERTL- TEAM LEADERGRN- GRENADIERR – RIFLEMANAR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMANRATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATORMG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREWAID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER

PLATOON PLATOON IN IN

COLUMNCOLUMN LEAD SQUAD

CENTERSQUAD

TRAIL SQUAD

PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – ON - LINEPLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – ON - LINE

• BASIC PLATOON ASSAULT FORMATION • THIS FORMATION ALLOWS THE DELIVERY OF MAXIMUM FIRE TO THE FRONT BUT LITTLE FIRE TO THE FLANKS.

• IS HARD TO CONTROL AND DOES NOT ALOW FOR RAPID MOVEMENT

• WHEN TWO OR MORE PLATOONS ARE ATTACKING, THE COMPANY COMMANDER CHOOSES ONE OF THEM AS THE BASE PLATOON.

• THE BASE PLATOON’S CENTER SQUAD IS ITS BASE SQUAD.

• WHEN THE PLATOON IS NOT ACTING AS THE BASE PLATOON, ITS BASE SQUAD IS ITS FLANK SQUAD NEAREST THE BASE PLATOON.

• THE MACHINE GUNS CAN MOVE WITH THE PLATOON, OR THEY CAN SUPPORT BY FIRE FROM A SUPPORT POSITION.

PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS - ON - LINEPLATOON - LINE, SQUADS - ON - LINE

XX

PLT LDR

RATELO

MG CREWFO

FO RATELO

R RAR

PSG

AID MAIN (CLS)

MG CREW

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TL

GRN AR

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TL

GRN AR

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TL

GRN AR

R R R R

LEFT FLANK SQUAD CENTER SQUAD RIGHT FLANK SQUAD

NOTE: SQUAD LEADER (SL) POSITIONS HIMSELF WHERE HE CAN BEST CONTROL THE SQUADLEGENDLEGEND

PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT SL – SQUAD LEADERTL- TEAM LEADER GRN- GRENADIER R – RIFLEMANAR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREWAID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER

PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMNPLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMN

• USED WHEN THE PLATOON LEADER DOES NOT WANT TO DEPLOY ALL PERSONNEL ON LINT. AND WHEN HE WANTS THE SQUADS TO REACT TO UNEXPECTED CONTACT.

• IS EASY TO CONTROL AND IS MORE CAPABLE OF RAPID MOVEMENT THE PLATOON-LINE OR SQUADS-ON-LINE FORMATION.

• DOES NOT FACILITATE RAPID MOVEMENT AS WELL AS A PLATOON IN COLUMN

• BASE SQUAD IS THE CENTER SQUAD

• WHEN NOT SERVING AS THE BASE PLATOON, THE FLANK NEAREST THE BASE PLATOON IS THE BASE SQUAD

X

FO RATELO

RPSG

AID MAIN (CLS)

MG CREW

TL TL

GRN AR

RX PLT LDR

RATELO

MG CREW

FO

R

TL

AR GRN

AR

SL

TL

GRN

R

AR GRN

GRN

SL

TL

AR

R

AR

SL

TL

GRN

R

PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMNPLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMN

LEFT FLANK SQUAD CENTER SQUAD RIGHT FLANK SQUAD

LEGENDLEGEND


PLATOON VEEPLATOON VEE

• HAS TWO SQUADS UP FRONT TO PROVIDE A HEAVY VOLUME OF FIRE ON CONTACT

• ONE SQUAD SERVES AS EITHER OVERWATCH OR TRAIL FOR THE OTHER SQUADS

• FORMATION IS HARD TO CONTROL

• MOVEMENT IS SLOW

• THE PLATOON LEADER DESIGNATES ONE OF THE FRONT SQUADS TO BE THE PLATOONS BASE SQUAD.

R

R

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TL

GRN AR

X

X

PLT LDR

RATELO

MG CREWFO

FO RATELO

PSG

AID MAIN (CLS)MG CREW

SL

GRN

TL

GRN ARTL

AR

R

R

AR

TL

SL

GRN

TL

GRN

AR

R

R

LEFT FLANK SQUAD

CENTER SQUAD

RIGHT FLANK SQUAD

LEGENDLEGEND


PLATOON VEEPLATOON VEE

• HAS TWO SQUADS IN THE REAR THAT CAN OVERWATCH OR TRAIL THE LEAD SQUAD

• PROVIDES A LARGE VOLUME OF FIRE TO THE FRONT OR FLANKS.

• IT ALLOWS THE PLATOON LEADER TO MAKE CONTACT WITH A SQUAD AND STILL HAVE ONE OR TWO SQUADS FOR MANEUVER.

• THE LEAD SQUAD IS THE BASE SQUAD

PLATOON WEDGEPLATOON WEDGE

PLATOON WEDGEPLATOON WEDGE

X

X

PLT LDR

RATELO

MG CREWFO

FO RATELO

AR

PSGAID MAIN (CLS)MG CREW TL

TL

SL

GRN

GRN AR

R

R

R

R

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TL

GRN AR

LEAD SQUAD

R

R

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TL

GRN AR

LEFT FLANK SQUAD RIGHT FLANK SQUAD

LEGENDLEGEND


• SINGLE PLATOON FILE WITH A FRONT SECURITY ELEMENT (POINT) AND FLANK SECURITY ELEMENTS.

• USED WHEN VISIBILITY IS POOR DUE TO TERRAIN, VEGITATION, OR LIGHT CONDITIONS.

• DISTIANCE IS LESS THAN IN OTHER FORMATIONS, TO ALLOW COMMUNICATION BY PASSING MESSAGES UP AND DOWN THE FILE.

• HAS THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE FIRE TEAM AND SQUAD FILES

PLATOON FILEPLATOON FILE

POINT SECURITY TEAM

FLANK SECURITYTEAM

TL

GRNAR R

X

X

PLT LDR

RATELO

MG CREW

FO FO RATELO

R

R

PSG

AID MAIN (CLS)

MG CREW

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TLGRNAR

TL

AR

SL

GRN

TLGRN

AR

R

R

R

TL

GRN ARR

PLATOON FILEPLATOON FILE

LEGENDLEGEND


FLANK SECURITYTEAM

COMPARISON OF PLATOON FORMATIONSCOMPARISON OF PLATOON FORMATIONS

MOVEMENT TECHNIQUESMOVEMENT TECHNIQUES• A MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE IS THE MANNER A PLATOON USES TO TRAVERSE TERRAIN.

• THERE ARE THREE MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES:

- TRAVELING

- TRAVELING OVER - WATCH

- BOUNDING OVER – WATCH

• THE SELECTION OF A MOVEMENT TECHINIQUE IS BASED ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF ENEMY CONTACT AND THE NEED FOR SPEED

• MOVEMENT TECHINQUES ARE NOT FIXED FORMATIONS.

• THEY REFER TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SOLDIERS, TEAMS, AND SQUADS THAT VARY BASED ON MISSION, ENEMY, TERRAIN, VISIBILITY, AND ANY OTHER FACTO THAT AFFECTS CONTROL.

• SOLDIERS MUST BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR FIRE TEAM LEADERS.

• PLATOON LEADER SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE HIS LEAD SQUAD LEADER

• LEADERS CONTROL MOVEMENT WITH HAND AND ARM SIGNALS. RADIOS ONLY WHEN NEEDED.

• ANY OF THE THREE MOVEMENTS CAN BE USED WITH ANY FORMATION.

MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES AND CHARACTERISTICSMOVEMENT TECHNIQUES AND CHARACTERISTICS

CHARACTERISTICS

CONTROL FLEXIBILITY SPEED SECURITY

MOVEMENTFORMATION

WHENNORMALLY

USED

TRAVELING CONTACT NOTLIKELY

MOORE LESS FASTEST LEAST

TRAVELINGOVERWATCH

CONTACT POSSIBLE

LESS MORE SLOWER MORE

BOUNDINGOVERWATCH

CONTACT EXPECTED

MOST MOST SLOWEST MOST

NOTE: THE PLATOON LEADER WILL DIRECT WHICH MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE THE SQUAD WILL USE

TRAVELINGTRAVELING

• USED WHEN CONTACT WITH ENEMY IS NOT LIKELY AND SPEED IS NEEDED

TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

GRENDIER

RIFLEMAN

SQUAD LEADER

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

TEAM LEADER

GRENDIER

RIFLEMAN

+ 20 METERS

TRAVELING OVERWATCHTRAVELING OVERWATCH

• USED WHEN CONTACT WITH ENEMY IS POSSIBLE

• ATTACHED WEAPONS MOVE NEAR THE SQUAD LEADER AND UNDER THIS CONTROL SO HE OR SHE CAN DEPLOY THEM QUICKLY.

TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

GRENDIER

RIFLEMAN

SQUAD LEADER

AUTOMATICRIFLEMAN

TEAM LEADER

GRENDIER

RIFLEMAN

+ 50 METERS

BOUNDING OVERWATCHBOUNDING OVERWATCH• USED WHEN CONTACT WITH ENEMY EXPECTED OR A DANGER AREA MUST BE CROSSED

• THE LEAD TEAM OVERWATCHES FIRST SOLDIERS SCAN THE AREA. SQUAD LEADER USUALLY STAYS WITH THE OVERWATCH TEAM.

• THE TRAIL FIRE TEAM BOUNDS AND SIGNALS THE SQUAD LEADER WHEN HIS TEAM COMPLETES ITS BOUND AND IS PREPARED TO OVERWATCH THE MOVEMENT OF THE OTHER TEAM

• BOTH TEAM LEADERS NEED TO KNOW:

- IF SUCCESSIVE OR ALTERNATE BOUNDS WILL BE USED AND WHERE WHICH TEAM THE SQUAD LEADER WILL BE IN.

- ROUTE, DESTINATION, POSSIBLE ENEMY LOCATIONS, ACTIONS TO TAKE WHEN THEY ARIVE AT THEIR DESTINATION, AND HOW HE OR SHE WILL RECEIVE HIS OR HER INSTRUCTIONS.

• THE COVER AND CONCEALMENT ON TH BOUNDING TEAM’S ROUTE DICTATES HOW ITS SOLDIERS WILL MOVE

EXAMPLE OF SQUAD LEADER’S ORDER TO BOUNDEXAMPLE OF SQUAD LEADER’S ORDER TO BOUND

SQUAD SUCCESSIVE AND ALTERNATE BOUNDSSQUAD SUCCESSIVE AND ALTERNATE BOUNDS

TRAVELING (PLATOON)TRAVELING (PLATOON)

• THE PLATOON LEADER DETERMINES AND DIRECTS WHICH MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE THE PLATOON WILL USE.

• TRAVELING IS USED WHEN ENEMY CONTACT IS NOT LIKELY AND SPEED IS NEEDED

LEAD SQUAD IN TRAVELING OVERWATCH FORMATION

PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS

PLATOON SERGENAT, AIDMAN, WEAPONS (OPTIONAL)

+ 20 METERS

+ 20 METERS

+ 20 METERS

+ 20 METERS

TRAVELING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)TRAVELING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)

• TRAVELING OVERWATCH IS USED WHEN CONTACT IS POSSIBLE BUT SPEED IS NEEDED

• THE PLATOON LEADER MOVES WHERE HE OR SHE CAN BEST CONTROL THE PLATOON

• THE PLATOON SERGEANT IS FREE TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE FORMATION TO ENFORCE, NOISE AND LIGHT DISCIPLINE, AND DISTANCES BETWEEN SQUADS

• THE LEAD SQUAD USES TRAVELING OVERWATCH AND THE TRAILING SQUADS USE TRAVELING.

TRAVELING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)TRAVELING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)

LEAD SQUAD IN TRAVELING OVERWATCH FORMATION

+ 50 TO 100 METERS

PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS

PLATOON SERGENAT, AIDMAN, WEAPONS (OPTIONAL)

+ 20 METERS

+ 20 METERS

+ 20 METERS

BOUNDING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)BOUNDING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)• BOUNDING OVERWATCH IS USED WHEN CONTACT IS EXPECTED

• COMPONENTS FOR A BOUNDING OVERWATCH ARE:

- ONE SQUAD BOUNDING, THIS SQUAD BOUNDS FROWARD TO A CHOSEN POSITION, THEN IT BECOMES THE OVERWATHCING ELEMENT. THE BOUNDING SQUAD CAN USE EITHER TRAVELING OVERWATCH OR BOUNDING OVERWATCH OR INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES (LOW AND HIGH CRAWL, AND SHORT RUSHES BY FIRE TEAM OR PAIRS).

- ONE SQUAD OVERWATCHING. THIS SQUAD OVERWATCHES THE BOUNDING SQUAD FROM A COVERED POSTION FROM WHICH IT CAN SEE AND SUPPRESS LIKELY ENEMY POSITIONS. SOLDIERS USE SCANNING TECHNIQUES TO VIEW THEIR ASSIGNED SECTOR.

NOTE: THE PLATOON LEADER REMAINS WITH THE OVERWATCHING SQUAD NORMALLY THE PLATOONS’S MACHINE GUNS ARE LOCATED WITH THE OVERWATCHING SQUAD ALSO

- ONE SQUAD AWAITIN ORDERS. ONE SQUAD IS UNCOMMITTED AND READY FOR EMPLOYMENT AS DIRECTED BY THE PLATOON LEADER.

THE PLATOON SERGEANT AND THE LEADER OF THE SQUAD AWAITING ORDERS POSITION THEMSELVES CLOSE TO THE PLATOON LEADER.

BOUNDING OVERWATCH (PLATOON) (CONT.)BOUNDING OVERWATCH (PLATOON) (CONT.)• CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO BOUNDING

- THE REQUIERMENTS OF THE MISSION- WHERE THE ENEMY IS LIKELY TO BE- THE ROUTES TO THE NEXT OVERWATCH POSITION- THE ABILITY OF AN OVERWATCHING ELEMENT’S WEAPONS TO COVER THE BOUND- THE FIELDS OF FIRE AT THE NEXT OVERWATCH POSTION

• INSTRUCTIONS FROM PLATOON LEADER BEFORE THE BOUND

- THE DIRECTION OR LOCATION OF THE ENEMY- THE POSITONS OF THE OVERWATCHING SQUAD- THE NEXT OVERWATCH POSTIONS- THE ROUTE OF THE BOUNDING SQUAD- WHAT TO DO AFTER THE BOUNDING SQUAD REACHES THE NEXT POSITION- WHAT SIGNAL THE BOUNDING SQUAD WILL USE TO ANOUNCE IT IS PREPARED TO OVERWATCH-HOW THE SQUAD WILL RECEIVE THEIR NEXT ORDERS

• MACHINE GUN PLACEMENT, THE MACHINE GUNS ARE NORMALY EMPLOYED IN ONE OF TWO WAYS.

- ATTACH BOTH GUNS TO THE OVERWATCH SQUAD(S)- ONE MACHINE GUN WITH THE OVERWATCH SQUAD AND THE OTHER WITH

THE BOUNDING SQUAD. THIS TECHNIQUE REQUIRES TH GUNS TO MOVE BETWEEN THE SQUADS AS THEY LEAVE THE OVERWATCH TO JOIN THE BOUNDING SQUAD.

EXAMPLE OF PLATOON LEADER’S ORDER FOR EXAMPLE OF PLATOON LEADER’S ORDER FOR BOUNDING OVERWATCHBOUNDING OVERWATCH

PLATOON BOUNDING OVERWATCHPLATOON BOUNDING OVERWATCH

ACTIONS AT DANGER AREASACTIONS AT DANGER AREAS

• A DANGER AREA IS ANY PLACE ON A ROUTE WERE THE LEADER’S ESTIMATE PROCESS TELLS HIM OR HER THAT THE PLATOON MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO ENEMY OBSERVATION, FIRE, OR BOTH. IF A PLATOON MUST CROSS A DANGER AREA IT DOES SO WITH GREAT CAUTION AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

• TYPES OF DANGER AREAS:

- OPEN AREAS: CONCEAL THE PLATOON ON THE NEAR SIDE AND OBSERVE THE AREA. POST SECURITY TO GIVE EARLY WARNING. SEND AN ELEMENT ACROSS TO CLEAR THE FAR SIDE. WHEN CLEARED, CROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE PLATOON AT THE FAR SIDE.- ROADS AND TRAILS: CROSS ROADS OR TRAILS AT OR NEAR A BEND A NARROW SPOT OR ON LOW GROUND-VILLAGES: PASS VILLAGES ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE AND WELL AWAY FROM THEM. AVOIDE ANIMALS, ESPECIALLY DOGS, WHICH MIGHT REVEAL THE PRESENSE OF THE PLATOON- ENEMY POSITIONS: PASS ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE (THE ENEMY MIGHT HAVE SCOUT DOGS. BE ALERT FOR TRIP WIRES AND WARNING DEVICES- MINEFIELDS: BYPASS MINEFIELDS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE EVEN IF IT REQUIRES CHANGING THE ROUTE BY A GREAT DISTANCE. CLEAR A PATH THROUGH MINEFIELDS ONLY IF NECESSARY.

ACTIONS AT DANGER AREAS (CONT.)ACTIONS AT DANGER AREAS (CONT.)

- STREAMS: SELECT A NARROW SPOT IN THE STREAM THAT OFFERS CONCEALMENT ON BOTH BANKS. OBSERVE THE FARSIDE CAREFULLY. EMPLACE NEAR AND FAR-SIDE SECURITY FOR EARLY WARNING. CLEAR THE FAR SID, THEN CROSS RAPIDLY BUT QUIETLY

- WIRE OBSTACLES: AVOIDE WIRE OBSTICALES (THE ENEMY COVERS OBSTACLES WITH OBSERVATION AND FIRE).

• CROSSING OF DANGER AREAS: WHEN A PLATOON CROSSES A DANGER AREA IT MUST

-DESIGNATE NEAR AND FAR SIDE RALLY POINTS-SECURE THE NEAR SIDE (RIGHT,LEFT FLANKS, AND REAR SECURITY).-RECON. AND SECURE THE FAR SIDE-EXECUTE CROSSING THE DANGER AREA.

CROSSING A DANGER AREA.CROSSING A DANGER AREA.

CROSSING A LARGE OPEN AREA.CROSSING A LARGE OPEN AREA.

CROSSING A SMALL OPEN AREACROSSING A SMALL OPEN AREA

movement techniques

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