SECTION II: MANEUVER
(FM 71-2, Appendix L; FM 22-100, Chapter2;
FM 17-98, Chapter 4; FM 22-9)
Local security for platoon and company teams is an ongoing challenge due to limited assets, competing battlefield tasks, and individual soldier perceptions. Activities such as providing early warning, securing obstacles, perimeter security, manning observation posts/listening posts, and patrolling all compete for any element's manpower. Successful units plan security and execute counter reconnaissance actions. Even so, OPFOR mounted and dismounted patrols continue to penetrate friendly forces. The following lessons provide units an insight into this challenge.
Threat Perception
During training at home station, few units can resource a large OPFOR or keep up the pace of the battle they will encounter at the NTC. Soldiers get used to going through the motions of occupying OPs, but no enemy ever arrives and nothing happens. At the NTC, they have a difficult time changing from this mindset to actively searching for an aggressive, stealthy enemy. Countering this threat perception is difficult but not impossible. It requires constant attention by leaders at all levels.
- Scouts or dismounted infantry can attempt to penetrate a company team's defense. This reinforces the need for young soldiers and junior NCOs to be alert to the real threats to their positions and obstacles.
- When moving to or occupying a new position, the soldier misinterprets lulls in the battle as administrative time. This is not the case, as enemy reconnaissance is out in force observing and reporting all activities.
- Soldiers must challenge and take action when they observe any movement in their area. Soldiers often see enemy vehicles or soldiers but fail to properly report or challenge them. They often fail to take appropriate action when given an incorrect response to the challenge.
Conops
Digging in, laying mines, stretching wire, and filling sandbags are tiring activities under the best of circumstances. When combined with the effects of heat, cold, sustained/fast paced operations, and MOPP, they become even more exhausting. Soldiers and leaders fall asleep and the enemy penetrates the unit.
Sleep Plan
Junior leader initiative must be planted and nurtured if a unit is to beat fatigue. Everyone must sleep sometime, at least four hours daily. Junior leaders and soldiers must be able to make decisions and take action in the absence of more senior leaders. A sleep plan must be established and used if the unit is to maintain a 24 hour capacity.
Aggressive Patrolling
Use small patrols of three to four personnel from the infantry platoon of each company to check obstacles for breaks and cover dead spaces between units. These patrols are usually sufficient to detect the enemy. They should be prepared for possible contact by having a direct and indirect fire plan.
OPs
A minimum of two men should be used for each observation post. One soldier observes the area while the other provides local security, records information, and sends reports to the section leader or platoon leader. Experience has shown that allowing soldiers to sleep while on the OP does not work. A better technique is to have the soldiers on the OP alternate jobs every 20 or 30 minutes because the effectiveness of the observer decreases quickly after that time. OP personnel should rotate out at least every two hours for continuous operations purposes.
Power Down
Establish responsibility for checking security. Make sure the squad/crew leaders understand their security responsibilities. Once this point is understood and reinforced, the junior leadership will take charge and execute the plan well.
OP duty is tedious and requires the constant attention of junior NCOs in combat arms, combat support, and combat service support units. They must be trained and developed so they fully understand the criticality of security and how much the unit's safety depends on them and their soldiers executing that responsibility.
Table
of Contents
Section
I: Command and Control
Section
III: Fire Support
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