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TECHNIQUES
LOW CRAWL
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 to
squad. 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.
THE FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS
RIFLEMAN RIFLEMAN
FIRE TEAM FILE
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
CHARACTERISTICS
MOVEMENT WHEN
FORMATION NORMALLY FIRE CAPABILITIES /
USED CONTROL FLEXIBILITY RESTRICTIONS SECURITY
•SQUAD COLUMN
•SQUAD LINE
SQUAD COLUMN
(POINT MAN)
TEAM LEADER
(COMPASS)
AUTOMATIC GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
(PASE)
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LEADER
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LINE
AUTOMATIC AUTOMATIC
GRENADIER RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LEADER
GRENADIER
AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
TEAM LEADER
GRENADIER
AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
COMPARISON OF SQUAD FORMATIONS
WHEN CHARACTERISTICS
MOVEMENT NORMALLY
FIRE CAPABILITIES /
FORMATION USED CONTROL FLEXIBILITY SECURITY
RESTRICTIONS
- PLATOON IN COLUMN
- PLATOON VEE
- PLATOON WEDGE
IN R
GRN AR
COLUMN SL
LEAD
TL
AR GRN
SQUAD
R
X PLT LDR
FO RATELO
FO RATELO
MG CREW
MG CREW
TL
GRN AR CENTER
LEGEND R
SQUAD
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER SL
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT GRN
SL – SQUAD LEADER TL
AR R
TL- TEAM LEADER
GRN- GRENADIER
R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
X PSG
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR AID MAIN (CLS)
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
TL
AR
TRAIL
GRN
SQUAD
R
SL
TL
GRN
AR
R
PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – ON - LINE
• BASIC PLATOON ASSAULT FORMATION
• 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 - LINE
TL TL TL TL TL TL
SL SL SL
X PSG
R R X PLT LDR R R R R
AR
RATELO
FO RATELO MG CREW
NOTE: SQUAD LEADER (SL) POSITIONS HIMSELF WHERE HE CAN BEST CONTROL
THE SQUAD
LEGEND
• 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.
• WHEN NOT SERVING AS THE BASE PLATOON, THE FLANK NEAREST THE
BASE PLATOON IS THE BASE SQUAD
PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMN
TL TL TL
R
R X PLT LDR X PSG
R
FO RATELO MG CREW
SL SL SL
MG CREW AID MAIN (CLS)
TL TL TL
AR GRN AR
GRN AR GRN
R FO RATELO R
R
LEGEND
• MOVEMENT IS SLOW
PLATOON VEE AR
GRN
GRN
AR
R
R SL
SL X PLT LDR
TL
RATELO
TL
FO AR GRN
GRN AR
MG CREW
FO RATELO
R
R
X PSG
AR GRN
SL R
TL
AR
GRN
• HAS TWO SQUADS IN THE REAR THAT CAN OVERWATCH OR TRAIL THE
LEAD SQUAD
AR GRN
R
SL
TL
LEGEND
GRN AR
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER R
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT LEAD SQUAD
SL – SQUAD LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER X PLT LDR
GRN- GRENADIER
R – RIFLEMAN RATELO
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR FO
MG CREW
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER FO RATELO
X
PSG
MG CREW AID MAIN (CLS)
TL TL
GRN AR
GRN R
AR
SL
R
SL TL
AR
TL GRN
GRN AR R
R
RIGHT FLANK SQUAD
LEFT FLANK SQUAD
PLATOON FILE
X PLT LDR
FO FO RATELO
RATELO
MG CREW TL
TL
MG CREW
GRN AR
GRN TL R
AR R GRN
AR
FLANK SECURITY R
SL
FLANK SECURITY
TEAM TL TEAM
GRN
AR
LEGEND R
AID MAIN (CLS)
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT X PSG
SL – SQUAD LEADER TL
TL- TEAM LEADER GRN
GRN- GRENADIER AR
R – RIFLEMAN R
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN SL
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR TL
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW GRN
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER AR
R
COMPARISON OF PLATOON FORMATIONS
MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES
• A MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE IS THE MANNER A PLATOON USES TO TRAVERSE TERRAIN.
- TRAVELING
• 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.
• LEADERS CONTROL MOVEMENT WITH HAND AND ARM SIGNALS. RADIOS ONLY WHEN NEEDED.
CHARACTERISTICS
MOVEMENT WHEN
FORMATION NORMALLY
USED CONTROL FLEXIBILITY SPEED SECURITY
NOTE: THE PLATOON LEADER WILL DIRECT WHICH MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE THE SQUAD WILL USE
TRAVELING
• USED WHEN CONTACT WITH ENEMY IS NOT LIKELY AND SPEED IS NEEDED
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LEADER
+ 20 METERS
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
TRAVELING 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
AUTOMATIC GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
+ 50 METERS
SQUAD LEADER
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
BOUNDING 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
• TRAVELING IS USED WHEN ENEMY CONTACT IS NOT LIKELY AND SPEED IS NEEDED
+ 20 METERS
PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS
+ 20 METERS
+ 20 METERS
+ 20 METERS
TRAVELING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)
• THE PLATOON LEADER MOVES WHERE HE OR SHE CAN BEST CONTROL THE
PLATOON
+ 50 TO 100 METERS
PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS
+ 20 METERS
+ 20 METERS
+ 20 METERS
BOUNDING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)
• BOUNDING OVERWATCH IS USED WHEN CONTACT IS EXPECTED
• 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
BOUNDING OVERWATCH
PLATOON BOUNDING OVERWATCH
ACTIONS 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.
- 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.)