Scouting and Patrolling Operations Flashcards
What is a patrol?
A detachment of ground, sea, or air forces sent out for the purpose of gathering information or carrying out a destructive, harassing, mopping-up, or security mission.
Patrols are classified by:
- Means of movement
- Mission
What are the different types of “Means of Movement”?
- Foot mobile
- Motorized
- Helicopter-borne
- Waterborne
What are the different types of “Missions”?
- Reconnaissance patrols
- Combat patrols
What are the three types of reconnaissance patrols?
- Route
- Area
- Zone
What is a route reconnaissance?
A directed effort to obtain detailed information of a specified route and all terrain from which the enemy could influence movement along that route.
What is an area reconnaissance?
A directed effort to obtain detailed information on the terrain or enemy activity within a prescribed area, such as a town, edge line, woods or other features critical to operations.
What is a zone reconnaissance?
A directed effort to obtain detailed information on all routes, obstacles (to include chemical or radiological contamination), terrain, and enemy forces within a zone defined by boundaries.
What is the secondary mission of combat patrols?
Collect and report information about the enemy and terrain.
What are the 3 types of combat patrols?
- Security
- Contact
- Ambush
What is a security patrol?
A patrol that is used in proximity to defensive positions, on the flanks of advancing units, or in rear areas.
What is the purpose of a security patrol?
- Detect infiltration by the enemy
- Destroy infiltrators
- Protect against surprise and ambush
On a squad level, fire teams are broken down into what kind of units?
- Security
- Headquarters
- Assault
What is a contact patrol?
A patrol to establish and/or maintain contact with an enemy force when the definite location is unknown.
What is an ambush?
A surprise attack from a concealed position on a moving or temporarily halted target.
What is the composition of the support unit?
- Support unit leader
- Attachments to assist in support by fire
- Navigator/paceman
What is the composition of the security unit?
- Security unit leader
- Flankers
- Point man
What is the composition of the assault unit?
- Assault unit leader
- Assault/search teams
- Attachments to assist in assault of an objective
What are the duties/tasks of the support unit?
- Base unit for patrol
- Provides base of fires in contact
What are the duties/tasks of the security unit?
- Provide security to front & flanks during movement
- Isolates objectives in ambush sites
What are the duties/tasks of the assault unit?
- Provide rear security during movement
- Patrol’s maneuver element
- In ambush site: Searches the engagement area
What is the composition of attachments?
On a squad-size patrol:
- Consists of non-organic units provided to execute tasks that the organic unit cannot
- Organization will depend on the patrol’s mission
What are the duties/tasks of attachments?
Execute tasks that the organic unit cannot (will generally travel with another element, and not independently)
What is the composition of the headquarters unit?
- Patrol leader
- Assistant patrol leader
- Radio operator
- Corpsman
What are the duties/tasks of the headquarters unit?
- Command and control of the patrol during preparation and execution of the mission
What are the duties/responsibilities of the security unit?
- Provides security to the front and flanks during movement
- Upon enemy contact:
+ Isolates the enemy
+ Secures the objective rally point (ORP)
+ Covers the withdrawal of the support unit
What are the duties/responsibilities of the assault unit?
- Provides rear security during movement
- Is the maneuver unit of the patrol
- Upon enemy contact:
+ Engages the enemy
+ Assaults through and searches the objective area
+ Emplaces any demolition
What are the duties/responsibilities of the support unit?
- Controls speed and direction of movement of patrol (base unit)
- May provide flank security during patrol
- Responsible for the communications with higher
- Ultimately responsible for any and all aspects require to control and support the patrol
- Upon enemy contact:
+ Directs movement to the objective
+ Establishes the object rally point (ORP)
What are the duties/responsibilities of attachments?
- Execute tasks that the squad can not with the equipment that they have organic to them
Who should the PL specifically task for patrols?
- Assistant patrol leader
- Security unit leader
- Assault unit leader
- Aid / Litter and EPW teams
- Flanks
- Navigator
- Pacer
- Radio operator
What should be included in the “Begin the Planning” phase?
- Study the mission
- Plan the use of available time
- Study terrain and situation
- Equipment considerations
- Issue the warning order
What should be included in the “Arrange Reconnaissance/Make Coordination” phase?
- Combat Operations Center (COC) coordination
- Forward Unit Coordination (FUC)
What should be included in the “Make Reconnaissance” phase?
- Physical, aerial, or map reconnaissance
What should be included in the “Complete the Planning” phase?
- Complete the plan with the information driven by METT-TC analysis and reconniassance