F-1. Friendly forces operating in the sustainment area are particularly vulnerable to fratricide due to the high concentration of soldiers. Most MP missions are conducted in the sustainment area in support of these friendly forces. During MP operations, it is critical that MP know where other friendly elements are operating. With this knowledge, they anticipate dangerous conditions and take steps to either avoid or mitigate them. The platoon leader is always aware of changes and developments in the situation that may place friendly forces in danger from MP long-range weapon systems.

F-2. It is important that other friendly forces operating in the AO know the location of MP to prevent them from becoming victims of fratricide. MP leaders constantly report the location of their forces to higher HQ. Higher HQ disseminates this information to other friendly forces. When the platoon leader perceives potential for fratricide, he quickly responds to prevent it.

F-3. Fratricide results in unacceptable losses and increases the risk of mission failure; it usually affects the unit's ability to survive and function. Units experiencing fratricide suffer the following consequences:

• Loss of confidence in the unit's leadership.

• Increased self-doubt among the leaders.

• Hesitancy to employ deadly force.

• Oversupervision of units.

• Hesitancy to conduct night operations.

• Loss of aggressiveness.

• Loss of initiative.

• Disrupted operations.

• General degradation of unit cohesiveness, morale, and combat power.

F-4. The following paragraphs discuss the primary causes of fratricide. MP leaders must identify any of the factors that may affect their soldiers and strive to eliminate or correct them.

F-5. The primary cause of fratricide is the lack of positive target identification. MP must positively identify targets before engaging.

F-6. MP may stray into unknown locations, report wrong locations, and become disoriented. In this situation, they may unexpectedly encounter an errant unit, that may fire their weapons at the friendly force.

F-7. Units at all levels may fail to generate timely, accurate, and complete reports as locations and tactical situations change. This distorts the tactical picture available at each level and can lead to erroneous clearance of supporting fire.

F-8. Lapses in individual discipline can result in fratricide. These incidents include charge errors, accidental discharges, mistakes with explosives and hand grenades, and incorrect gun data use.

F-9. A variety of explosive devices and materiel may create danger on the battlefield, such as UXO, unmarked or unrecorded minefields (including scatterable mines), and booby traps. Failure to mark, record, remove, or otherwise anticipate these threats will lead to casualties.

F-10. Table F-1 shows an example of a work sheet for evaluating fratricide risk in the context of mission requirements. The work sheet lists six mission accomplishment factors that affect the fratricide risk, along with related considerations for each factor. Platoon leaders assess the potential risk in each area (low, medium, or high), and assign a point value to each (one point for low risk, two for medium risk, three for high risk), and add the point values to calculate the overall fratricide assessment score.

F-11. They use the resulting score only as a guide. The platoon leader's final assessment is based on observable risk factors, such as those listed on the work sheet, and on his feel for the intangible factors affecting the operation. Note that descriptive terms are listed only in the low- and high-risk columns of the work sheet. The assessment of each factor determines whether the risk matches one of these extremes or lies somewhere between them as a medium risk.

F-12. These measures provide the platoon leader with a guide to actions he can take to reduce and prevent fratricide risk. These guidelines are not directive in nature, nor are they intended to restrict initiative. All MP leaders must learn to apply them as appropriate based on the specific situation and METT-TC factors. Platoon leaders must educate their soldiers on the following reduction and prevention of fratricide principles:

• Identifying and assessing the potential fratricide risks in the estimate of the situation. Express the risks in the OPORD and applicable FRAGOs.

• Maintaining situational awareness. Focusing on such areas as current intelligence, unit locations and/or dispositions, denial areas (minefields and scatterable mines; contaminated areas, such as improved conventional munitions [ICM] and NBC), SITREPs, and METT-TC factors.

• Ensuring positive target identification. Review vehicle and weapons ID cards. Become familiar with the characteristics of potential friendly and enemy vehicles, including their silhouettes and thermal signatures.

• Establishing a command climate that emphasizes fratricide prevention. Enforce fratricide prevention measures, placing special emphasis on the use of doctrinally sound TTP. Ensure supervision in the execution of orders and in the performance of all tasks and missions to standard.

F-13. Additional considerations for fratricide reduction and prevention include the following:

• Reporting MP patrol locations accurately. The TOC and CP track the patrols' locations in relationship to friendly forces.

• Recognizing the signs of battlefield stress. Maintain unit cohesion by taking quick, effective actions to alleviate the battlefield stress.

• Conducting individual, leader, and collective (unit) training covering fratricide awareness.

• Giving complete and concise mission orders.

• Simplifying mission orders by using SOPs that are consistent with the doctrine. Periodically review and update SOPs as needed.

• Striving to provide maximum planning time for leaders and subordinates.

• Planning and establishing effective communications.

• Ensuring that ROE are clear and understood.

• Conducting rehearsals when the situation allows.

• Being in the right place at the right time. If an MP patrol becomes lost or misoriented, leaders must know how to contact higher HQ immediately for instructions and assistance.

• Including a discussion of fratricide incidents in all AARs.

F-14. MP patrol's could become involved in a friendly fire incident in one of several ways: as the victim of the fire, as the firing element, or as an observer observing an attack of one friendly element on another. If a patrol encounters such a situation, it should follow the procedures for the various situations listed below:

F-15. When falling victim to friendly fire, react to contact until recognizing friendly fire, then—

• Cease fire.

• Take immediate actions to protect soldiers and vehicles.

• Use a visual recognition signal directing the firing unit to cease fire.

• Report the following on the next higher unit net:

  • Announce that friendly fire has been received.

  • Request medical assistance as needed.

  • Give the location and direction of the firing vehicles.

  • Warn the higher unit not to return fire if the firing unit has been identified as friendly.

F-16. When engaging friendly forces, cease fire and report the following on the next higher unit net:

• The ID of the engaged friendly force (if the unit is unidentified, report the number and type of vehicles).

• The location of the incident.

• The direction and distance to the engaged force.

• The type of fire.

• The target effects.

F-17. When observing a friendly fire incident, seek cover for protection, then—

• Use a visual recognition signal directing the firing unit to cease fire.

• Report the following on the next higher unit net:

  • The ID of the engaged friendly force (if the unit is unidentified, then report the number and the type of vehicles).

  • The location of the incident.

  • The direction and distance to the victim and the firing unit.

  • The type of fire.

  • The target effects.

• Provide assistance as needed (when safe to do so).

F-18. In all situations involving the risk of fratricide and friendly fire, leaders must be prepared to take immediate actions to prevent casualties and equipment damage or destruction. Recommended actions in fratricide situations include—

• Identifying the incident and ordering the parties involved to cease fire.

• Conducting an in-stride risk assessment.

• Identifying and implementing the controls to prevent the incident from recurring.