115 GROUND COMBAT ELEMENT (GCE), INFANTRY FUNDAMENTALS Flashcards
What is the mission of a Marine division?
To execute amphibious assault operations and other directed operations, providing ground forcible-entry capability to an amphibious task force and conducting subsequent land operations in any environment using combined-arms tactics tailored to each mission.
How is a Marine division employed within the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)?
As the Ground Combat Element (GCE) or to provide task-organized forces for smaller Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs).
What units make up a Marine division?
3 Infantry Regiments, an Artillery Regiment, a Headquarters Battalion, a Tank Battalion, an Assault Amphibian Battalion, a Combat Engineer Battalion, and a Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.
What is the primary mission of the Headquarters Battalion in a Marine division?
To exercise command, control, and administration of the division.
What companies and sections are included in the Headquarters Battalion?
H&S Company, Reconnaissance Company, Special Security Communications Team, Communications Company, Military Police Company, Division Band, and Truck Company.
What functions does the H&S Company of the Headquarters Battalion perform?
Command, administrative, security, and organic supply support.
What is the role of the Reconnaissance Company in the Headquarters Battalion?
Provides ground reconnaissance and surveillance for the division or its subordinate elements with a headquarters section and six platoons, emphasizing directed reconnaissance.
What tasks does the Military Police Company of the Headquarters Battalion handle?
Route reconnaissance, enemy prisoner of war evacuation and control, beach and perimeter defense, area security, crowd control, and investigative services.
What does the Communications Company in the Headquarters Battalion do?
Installs, operates, and maintains multi-channel radio, wire, and communications center facilities for the division headquarters.
What support does the Truck Company provide to the Marine division?
General support motor transport.
What is the primary mission of the Marine Corps Infantry Regiment?
To locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver or repel enemy assaults by fire and close combat.
What are the components of an Infantry Regiment?
A headquarters company and typically three infantry battalions, forming a Regimental Landing Team with combat support and CSS units.
What is the basic means of ground mobility for an Infantry Regiment?
Foot, with all elements helicopter transportable and compatible with AAVs, motor transport, fixed-wing aircraft, and ships.
What medical support does the Infantry Regiment provide?
Preventive medicine, treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, emergency lifesaving, and preparation for evacuation through a regiment aid station and headquarters company medical personnel.
What does the Headquarters Company of an Infantry Regiment consist of?
A regimental headquarters and a reconnaissance platoon.
How does the command group of the Infantry Regiment function?
Through a compact operational command group with the commander and executive staff integrating attached and supporting units across tactical, main, and rear echelons.
What is the mission of the Infantry Battalion within an Infantry Regiment?
To locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver or repel enemy assaults by fire and close combat.
What units form an Infantry Battalion?
An H&S Company, a Weapons Company, and three Rifle Companies, forming a Battalion Landing Team with combat support and CSS units.
What is the tactical role of the Infantry Battalion?
The basic tactical unit of ground combat power and nucleus of the Battalion Landing Team, capable of independent, sustained operations and coordinated defense.
What sections are included in the H&S Company of an Infantry Battalion?
Company Headquarters, BLT Headquarters, Communications Platoon, Service Platoon, Medical Platoon (2 Medical Officers and 65 Corpsmen), and Chaplain Section (1 Chaplain and 1 Religious Programming Specialist).
What platoons make up the Weapons Company of an Infantry Battalion?
Company Headquarters, Mortar Platoon, Anti-Armor Platoon, and Heavy Machine Gun Platoon.
What weapons are assigned to the Mortar Platoon in the Weapons Company?
8 M252 81-mm mortars.
What equipment does the Anti-Armor Platoon in the Weapons Company use?
12 M47 Dragons and 8 TOW missiles.
How many and what type of weapons are in the Heavy Machine Gun Platoon?
Six M2 .50-cal machine guns and six MK19 40-mm grenade machine guns.
What is the structure of a Rifle Company in an Infantry Battalion?
Company Headquarters, Weapons Platoon, and three Rifle Platoons, each with three squads of three four-man fire teams.
What sections are included in the Weapons Platoon of a Rifle Company?
Mortar Section, Assault Section, and Machine Gun Section.
What weapons does the fire team leader in a Rifle Company carry?
M16A2 rifle and M203 grenade launcher.
What is the squad automatic rifleman in a Rifle Company equipped with?
M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW).
What rifles do most personnel in a Rifle Company carry?
M16A2 rifles, including assistant automatic riflemen, squad leaders, and platoon headquarters personnel.
What weapons are assigned to the Machine Gun Section of a Rifle Company’s Weapons Platoon?
Six M240G machine guns.
How many mortars are in the Mortar Section of a Rifle Company’s Weapons Platoon?
Three M224 60-mm mortars.
What equipment does the Assault Section of a Rifle Company’s Weapons Platoon use?
Six MK153 83-mm SMAWs.
What is the mission of a Marine Corps rifle squad?
To locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver or repel enemy assaults by fire and close combat.
How is a rifle squad organized?
Three fire teams, each built around an automatic weapon and led by a fire team leader.
What are the responsibilities of the squad leader in a rifle squad?
Discipline, appearance, training, control, conduct, welfare, weapon and equipment care, and tactical employment, fire discipline, fire control, and maneuver in combat, positioned to execute platoon commander orders and control the squad.
What duties does the fire team leader/grenadier perform?
Executes squad leader orders, ensures fire discipline and control, manages weapon and equipment use, positions to control the team and automatic rifleman, and employs the grenade launcher and rifle effectively.
What is the role of the automatic rifleman in a fire team?
Executes fire team leader orders, employs the automatic rifle effectively, and maintains its condition and care.
How does the assistant automatic rifleman contribute to the fire team?
Assists with the automatic rifle, carries additional ammunition, prepares to assume automatic rifleman duties, and maintains weapon condition and care.
What are the duties of a rifleman in a fire team?
Executes fire team leader orders, employs the rifle effectively, maintains its condition and care, and is trained as a scout.
What is the primary fighting position?
The best available position to cover the assigned sector of fire, assigned to individuals, fire teams, squads, and crew-served weapons.
What characterizes an alternate fighting position?
Used mainly by crew-served weapons to continue their mission if the primary position becomes untenable, not typically assigned to individuals or units within the platoon.
What defines a supplementary fighting position?
A secondary position prepared to guard against attacks from directions other than the main expected attack, providing security and not covering the same sector as the primary position.
What should be avoided when clearing fields of fire to maintain concealment?
Excessive or careless clearing that discloses the squad’s fighting position.
How should clearing fields of fire begin and progress?
Start near the fighting position and work forward to the limits of effective small arms fire.
What natural cover should be preserved when clearing fields of fire?
A thin natural screen of foliage to hide fighting positions.
How should large trees be handled in sparsely wooded areas when clearing fields of fire?
Remove lower branches and possibly entire trees that could serve as enemy reference points.
What is the approach to clearing fields of fire in heavy woods?
Thin undergrowth and remove lower branches of large trees, clearing narrow lanes for automatic weapons, as complete clearing is neither possible nor desirable.
What structures should be demolished when clearing fields of fire, if practical?
Buildings and walls that obstruct fields of fire or provide enemy cover and concealment.
Where should cut brush be moved during field of fire clearing?
To locations where it won’t provide enemy concealment or disclose the squad’s position.
Why must fire team leaders take care when clearing fields of fire related to M203 projectiles?
To ensure obstructions don’t cause premature detonation.
What does FPF stand for in the context of a rifle squad?
Final Protective Fires, the final attempt to stop an enemy attack before reaching the platoon’s battle position with all squad members firing in assigned sectors.
What are the five types of patrols used by a Marine Corps rifle squad?
Raid, Contact, Economy of Force, Ambush, and Security patrols.
What is the purpose of raid patrols?
Destroy or capture enemy personnel or equipment, destroy installations, or free captured friendly personnel.
What do contact patrols aim to achieve?
Establish and/or maintain contact with friendly or enemy forces.
What is the objective of economy of force patrols?
Perform limited objective missions like seizing and holding key terrain to allow maximum forces elsewhere.
What do ambush patrols target?
Enemy patrols, carrying parties, foot columns, and convoys for ambushes.
What is the role of security patrols?
Detect infiltration, kill or capture infiltrators, and protect against surprise or ambush.
What is a checkpoint in the context of a patrol?
A predetermined point on the ground used to control movement, selected and numbered by the patrol leader and coordinated with the parent unit.
What defines a rally point for a patrol?
An easily identifiable, defensible point with cover and concealment where the patrol can reassemble if dispersed, designated by the patrol leader.
What is an initial rally point?
A point within the friendly area for reassembly if dispersed before departing or reaching the first en route rally point, coordinated with the area commander.
What are en route rally points?
Points selected along the patrol’s route to and from the objective for reassembly as needed.
What is the objective rally point?
The rally point nearest the objective for reassembly after the mission, possibly used as the final preparation point.
How does a patrol react to a near ambush (within 50 meters)?
Men in the killing zone assault the enemy position immediately with maximum fire, grenades, and yelling, while others maneuver against the ambush force, continuing the assault or breaking contact based on enemy response.
What actions are taken in a far ambush (beyond 50 meters)?
Men in the killing zone return fire and seek cover, while others maneuver as directed, either firing and maneuvering against the ambush force or breaking contact based on the patrol leader’s assessment.
What determines the success of counter-ambush drills?
Well-trained Marines recognizing the ambush type, rehearsed in proper actions, and confident in their abilities and those of their team, acting without hesitation even if leaders become casualties.
