INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT
TECHNIQUES
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
Rush
Wall Obstacle
Wire Obstacle
SMALL UNIT MOVEMENT
TECHNIQUES
THE FIRE TEAM COMPONENTS
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
• 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
WEDGE 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
FIRE TEAM WEDGE
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
TEAM LEADER
GRENADIER
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
GRENADIER
FIRE TEAM FILE
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
• USED WHEN THE TERRAIN PRECLUDES THE USE OF THE
WEDGE
COMPARISON OF FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS
CHARACTERISTICS
MOVEMENT
FORMATION
WHEN
NORMALLY
USED
CONTROL FLEXIBILITY
FIRE TEAM
WEDGE
BASIC FIRE
TEAM
FORMATION
EASY
FIRE TEAM
FILE
CLOSE TERRAIN
EASIEST
DENSE VEGETATIONS, LIMITED
VISIBILITY
CONDITIONS
GOOD
LESS
FLEXIBLE
THAN THE
WEDGE
FIRE CAPABILITIES /
RESTRICTIONS
ALLOWS IMMEDIATE
FIRES IN ALL
DIRECTIONS
ALLOWS IMMEDIATE
FIRES TO THE FLANKS.
MASK MOST FIRES TO
THE REAR
SECURITY
GOOD
LEAST
SQUAD FORMATIONS
• SQUAD FORMATIONS DESCRIBE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN
FIRE TEAMS IN THE SQUAD.
•THEY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
•SQUAD COLUMN
•SQUAD LINE
SQUAD 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.
(POINT MAN)
TEAM LEADER
(COMPASS)
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
GRENADIER
(PASE)
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LEADER
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LINE
TEAM LEADER
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
TEAM LEADER
GRENADIER
GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
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 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.
SQUAD FILE
TEAM LEADER
SQUAD LEADER (OPTIONAL)
GRENADIER
AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LEADER (NORMAL)
TEAM LEADER
GRENADIER
AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
TEAM LEADER (OPTIONAL)
RIFLEMAN
COMPARISON OF SQUAD FORMATIONS
MOVEMENT
FORMATION
WHEN
NORMALLY
USED
CHARACTERISTICS
CONTROL FLEXIBILITY
SQUAD
COLUMN
SQUAD PRIMARY
FORMATION
GOOD
FIRE TEAM
FILE
WHEN MAXIMUM
FIREPOWER IS
REQUIRED TO
THE FRONT
NOT AS
GOOD AS
SQUAD
COLUMN
CLOSE TERRAIN
VEGETATION
LIMITED
VISIBILITY
CONDITIONS
EASIEST
SQUAD
FILE
FACILITATES
MANEUVER,
GOOD
DISPERSION
LATERALLY
AND IN
DEPTH
FIRE CAPABILITIES /
RESTRICTIONS
SECURITY
ALLOWS LARGE
VOLUME OF FIRE TO
THE FLANK – LIMMITED
VOLUME TO THE FRONT
ALL - ROUND
LIMITED
MANEUVER
CAPABILITY
(BOTH FIRE
TEAMS
COMMITTED).
ALLOWS MAXIMUM
IMMEDIATE FIRE TO
THE FRONT
GOOD TO
THE FRONT
LITTLE TO
THE FLANKS
AND REAR
MOST
DIFFICULT
FORMATION
FROM
WHICH TO
MANEUVER
ALLOWS MAXIMUM
IMMEDIATE FIRE TO
THE FLANK MASKS
MOST FIRE TO THE
FRONT AND REAR
LEAST
PLATOON 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 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
PLATOON
IN
COLUMN
TL
GRN
AR
R
LEAD
SQUAD
SL
TL
AR
GRN
X
R
PLT LDR
RATELO
FO
FO RATELO
MG CREW
MG CREW
TL
LEGEND
CENTER
SQUAD
AR
GRN
R
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT
SL – SQUAD LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER
GRN- GRENADIER
R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
SL
GRN
AR
TL
R
X PSG
AID MAIN (CLS)
TL
GRN
R
TRAIL
SQUAD
AR
SL
TL
GRN
AR
R
PLATOON - 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 ALLOW 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 - LINE
TL
TL
TL
GRN
AR
AR
GRN
AR
GRN
SL
R
TL
TL
GRN
AR
AR
TL
GRN
SL
X
R
PLT LDR
R
GRN
AR
SL
X PSG
R
R
R
AR
RATELO
AID MAIN (CLS)
FO
MG CREW
FO RATELO
LEFT FLANK SQUAD
NOTE:
MG CREW
CENTER SQUAD
RIGHT FLANK SQUAD
SQUAD LEADER (SL) POSITIONS HIMSELF WHERE HE CAN BEST CONTROL
THE SQUAD
LEGEND
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT
GRN- GRENADIER
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR
SL – SQUAD LEADER
R – RIFLEMAN
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMN
• USED WHEN THE PLATOON LEADER DOES NOT WANT TO DEPLOY ALL
PERSONNEL ON LINE. 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
PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMN
TL
GRN
AR
TL
TL
R
GRN
X
FO
AR
R
X PSG
PLT LDR
RATELO
R
MG CREW
SL
SL
TL
SL
AID MAIN (CLS)
MG CREW
GRN
GRN
AR
TL
AR
AR
FO RATELO
R
LEFT FLANK SQUAD
TL
GRN
GRN
R
CENTER SQUAD
R
RIGHT FLANK SQUAD
LEGEND
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT
GRN- GRENADIER
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR
AR
SL – SQUAD LEADER
R – RIFLEMAN
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
PLATOON 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.
TL
TL
PLATOON VEE
AR
R
R
X
SL
SL
PLT LDR
TL
RATELO
TL
GRN
AR
GRN
GRN
AR
FO
AR
FO RATELO
GRN
MG CREW
R
R
X PSG
LEFT FLANK SQUAD
MG CREW
AID MAIN (CLS)
RIGHT FLANK SQUAD
TL
AR
GRN
SL
R
TL
GRN
AR
R
LEGEND
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
CENTER SQUAD
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT
GRN- GRENADIER
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR
SL – SQUAD LEADER
R – RIFLEMAN
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
PLATOON WEDGE
• 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 WEDGE
TL
GRN
AR
R
SL
TL
LEGEND
GRN
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT
SL – SQUAD LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER
GRN- GRENADIER
R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
AR
R
LEAD SQUAD
X PLT LDR
RATELO
FO
MG CREW
FO RATELO
X
PSG
MG CREW
TL
AID MAIN (CLS)
TL
GRN
GRN
AR
SL
R
SL
TL
TL
GRN
AR
R
GRN
AR
R
LEFT FLANK SQUAD
AR
R
RIGHT FLANK SQUAD
PLATOON FILE
• 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 FILE
TL
GRN
AR
R
POINT SECURITY
TEAM
SL
X
PLT LDR
FO RATELO
FO
RATELO
MG CREW
TL
TL
MG CREW
GRN
GRN
AR
TL
GRN
AR
R
SL
R
FLANK SECURITY
TEAM
LEGEND
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT
SL – SQUAD LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER
GRN- GRENADIER
R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
TL
GRN
AR
R
AID MAIN (CLS)
X
PSG
TL
GRN
AR
R
SL
TL
GRN
AR
R
AR
R
FLANK SECURITY
TEAM
COMPARISON OF PLATOON FORMATIONS
MOVEMENT 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 FACTORS 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 CHARACTERISTICS
CHARACTERISTICS
MOVEMENT
FORMATION
WHEN
NORMALLY
USED
TRAVELING
CONTACT NOT
LIKELY
CONTROL
FLEXIBILITY
SPEED
SECURITY
MOORE
LESS
FASTEST
LEAST
TRAVELING
OVERWATCH
CONTACT
POSSIBLE
LESS
MORE
SLOWER
MORE
BOUNDING
OVERWATCH
CONTACT
EXPECTED
MOST
MOST
SLOWEST
MOST
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
RIFLEMAN
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
SQUAD LEADER
+ 20 METERS
TEAM LEADER
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
AUTOMATIC
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
RIFLEMAN
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
+ 50 METERS
SQUAD LEADER
TEAM LEADER
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
AUTOMATIC
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
• 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 BOUND
SQUAD SUCCESSIVE AND ALTERNATE BOUNDS
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
+ 20 METERS
PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS
+ 20 METERS
+ 20 METERS
PLATOON SERGENAT, AIDMAN, WEAPONS (OPTIONAL)
+ 20 METERS
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)
LEAD SQUAD IN TRAVELING OVERWATCH FORMATION
+ 50 TO 100 METERS
PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS
+ 20 METERS
+ 20 METERS
PLATOON SERGENAT, AIDMAN, WEAPONS (OPTIONAL)
+ 20 METERS
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.)
• 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
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.
• 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.)
- 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 LARGE OPEN AREA.
CROSSING A SMALL OPEN AREA