PATROLLING

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 REFERENCES

IAW FM 7-8 / PAM 3-0151 Infantry Rifle

Platoon/Squad

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 Terminal Learning Objective

Action: Lead a squad/platoon during

patrolling.

Conditions: As a squad/Platoon sergeant in a

classroom environment culminating in a Field
training exercise.

Standards: Lead a squad/ platoon during

patrolling by:

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Ref:
 SCOPE

 Defining patrolling
 Knowing planning considerations
 Identifying three types of patrol
 Conducting patrol base operations

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Ref:
 DEFINITION
Patrols are missions to gather information
or to conduct combat operations.

PATROL – is a detachment sent out by a larger unit

to conduct a combat, reconnaissance or both
types of operation.

The operation itself is also called a Patrol

The leader of the detachment is referred to as
Patrol Leader.

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 PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

• Organization
• Initial planning and coordination
• Completion of plan
• Departure from friendly lines
• Rally points
• Leader’s recon of the Objective
• Reentry of Friendly Lines

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 ORGANIZATION
Headquarters Element

Platoon Leader
Platoon Sgt
Psyops Sgt
Machine Gunner
Asst Machine Gunner
Signal Operator
Asst Signal Operator
Medical Aidman
-It may consist of any attachments that the platoon
leader decides that he or the platoon sergeant must control
directly.

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 ORGANIZATION
Aid and Litter Team
-Responsible for treating and evacuating
casualties.
Prisoners of ISO
-IAW the five S’s and the leader’s
guidance.(searched, segregated, silenced,
safeguarded, & sped to the rear)
Surveillance Team
-Watch on the objective from the time that the
leader’s reconnaissance ends until the unit
deploys for actions on the objective.

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 ORGANIZATION
En Route Recorder
-Records all information collected during the
mission
Compass Man
-Assists in navigation by ensuring the lead fire
team leader remains on course at all times.
-Designate an alternate compass man
Pace Man
-Maintains an accurate pace at all times
-Designate how often to report the pace
-Designate an alternate pace man
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 INITIAL PLANNING AND COORDINATION

• Coordinate with the battalion staff or company

commander.

• Coordinate with the unit through which his

platoon or squad will conduct its forward and
rearward passage of lines.

• Coordinates patrol activities with the leaders

of other units that will be patrolling in adjacent
areas at the same time.

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 COMPLETION OF THE PLAN
Essential and Supporting Tasks.
- on the objective
- rally points
- danger areas
- security or surveillance locations
- along the route(s)
- passage lanes.

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 COMPLETION OF THE PLAN
Key Travel and Execution Times.
- movement to the objective
- leader’s reconnaissance of the objective
- establishment of security and surveillance
- completion of all assigned tasks on the objective
- movement to an objective rally point to debrief the platoon
- return to and through friendly lines.

Primary and Alternate Routes.

- Selects primary and secondary routes to and from the
objective.

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 COMPLETION OF THE PLAN
Signals
- arm-and-hand signals
- flares
- voice
- whistles
- radios
- infrared equipment

:Rehearsal is a must so that all soldiers know

what they mean

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 COMPLETION OF THE PLAN

Challenge and Password Forward of

Friendly Lines.
- The platoon can use the odd-number system.
- The platoon leader can also designate a
running password.

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COMPLETION OF THE PLAN

Location of Leaders.
The platoon sergeant:
- Area reconnaissance, he normally stays in the
ORP.
- Zone reconnaissance, he normally moves with
the reconnaissance element that sets up the
link-up point.

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 COMPLETION OF THE PLAN
Actions on Enemy Contact

- Unless required by the mission, the platoon

avoids enemy contact.
- Plan must address actions on chance contact
at each phase of the patrol mission.
- Must address the handling of seriously
wounded soldiers and KIAs and the handling of
prisoners who are captured as a result of chance
contact and are not part of the planned mission.
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 COMPLETION OF THE PLAN
Contingency Plans

The leader must issue a five-point contingency plan-

- Where the leader is going.
- Who he is taking with him.
- The amount of time he plans to be gone.
- The actions taken if the leader does not return.
- The unit’s and the leader’s actions on chance contact
while the leader is gone.

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 DEPARTURE FROM FRIENDLY LINES
1.Coordination.
- coordinate with the commander of the forward
unit and the leaders of other units that will be
patrolling in the same or adjacent areas.
- provide the forward unit leader with the unit
identification, the size of the patrol, the
departure and return times and the area of
operation
- the latter provides the former essential
information's about the enemy, friendly units
and terrain
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 DEPARTURE FROM FRIENDLY LINES

2. Planning
following sequence of actions:
- Making contact with friendly guides at the
contact point.
- Moving to the coordinated initial rally point.
- Completing final coordination.
- Moving to and through the passage point.
- Establishing a security-listening halt beyond the
friendly unit’s final protective fires.

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 RALLY POINTS
A rally point is a place designated by the
leader where the platoon moves to
reassemble and reorganize if it becomes
dispersed.

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 RALLY POINTS
Selection of Rally Points
Be easy to find.
Have cover and concealment.
Be defendable for short periods.
.

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 RALLY POINTS
Types of Rally Points

a. Initial Rally Point - a place inside of friendly

lines where a unit may assemble and
reorganize if it makes enemy contact during
the departure of friendly lines or before
reaching the first en route rally point.

b. En Route Rally Point - a place designated by

the leader along the route every 100 to 400
meters (based on the terrain, vegetation and
visibility).
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 RALLY POINTS
There are three ways to designate an en
route rally point:

(1) Physically occupy them for a short period.

This is the preferred method.
(2) Pass by at a distance and designate using
arm-and-hand signals.
(3) Walk through and designate using arm-and-
hand signals.

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 RALLY POINTS

Objective Rally Point

- a point out of sight, sound and small-arms
range of the objective area.

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 RALLY POINTS
Actions at or from the ORP
- Reconnoitering the objective.
- Issuing a FRAGO.
- Disseminating info from recon, if contact was
not made.
- Making final preparations before continuing
operations.
- Accounting for soldiers and equipment after
actions at the objective are complete.
- Reestablishing the chain of command after
actions at the objective are complete.
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RALLY POINTS

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 RALLY POINTS
d. Reentry Rally Point
- a place located out of sight, sound and small-
arms weapons range of the friendly unit
through which the platoon will return.

e. Near-and far-side Rally Point

- rally points on the near and far side of danger
areas.

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 LEADERS RECONNAISSANCE
OF THE OBJECTIVE
Once the platoon or squad establishes the ORP.
- pinpoint the objective
- selects security
- support and assault positions for his squads and fire
teams
- adjusts his plans based on his observation of the
objective
- plan time to return to the ORP
- complete his plan
- disseminate information
- issue orders and instructions
- allow his squads to make any additional preparations.

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 REENTRY TO FRIENDLY LINES

1. The platoon halts in the RRP and establishes

security.
2. The platoon leader radios the code word
advising the friendly unit of its location and that it
is ready to return.
3. Once the friendly unit acknowledges the return
of the platoon, the platoon leader issues a five-
point contingency plan and moves with his
RATELO and a two-man (buddy team) security
element on a determined azimuth and pace to
the reentry point.
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Page 3-9
 REENTRY TO FRIENDLY LINES

4. The platoon leader uses far and near

recognition signals to establish contact with the
guide.
5. The platoon leader signals the platoon forward
(radio) or returns and leads to the reentry point.
He may post the security element with the guide
at the enemy side of the reentry point.
6. The platoon sergeant counts and identifies each
soldier as he passes through the reentry point.

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 REENTRY TO FRIENDLY LINES

7. The guide leads the platoon to the assembly

area.
8. The platoon leader reports to the command post
of the friendly unit. He tells the commander
everything of tactical value concerning the
friendly unit’s area of responsibility.
9. The platoon leader rejoins the platoon in the
assembly area and leads it to a secure area for
debriefing.

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Page 3-9
 DEBRIEFING

Normally debriefing is oral. Sometimes a written

report is required.

- Size and composition of the platoon conducting

the patrol.
- Mission of the platoon (type of patrol, location,
purpose).
- Departure and return times.

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 DEBRIEFING
- Routes. Use check points, grid coordinates for
each leg or include an overlay.
- Detailed description of terrain and enemy
positions that were identified.
- Results of any contact with the enemy.
- Personnel status at the conclusion of the patrol
mission, including the disposition of casualties.
- Conclusions or recommendations.

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3 TYPES OF PATROLS

• Reconnaissance
• Combat
• Tracking

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 RECONNAISSANCE PATROL

Reconnaissance patrols provide timely

and accurate information on the enemy
and terrain. They confirm the leader’s plan
before it is executed. The commander
must inform the leader of the specific
information requirements for each mission.

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 RECONNAISSANCE PATROL
ORGANIZATION
1. Reconnaissance Team - reconnoiters the
objective area once the security teams are in
position. Normally these are two-man teams
(buddy teams) to reduce the possibility of
detection.
2. Reconnaissance and Security Team -
normally used in a zone reconnaissance, but
may be useful in any situation when it is
impractical to separate the responsibilities for
reconnaissance and security.
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 RECONNAISSANCE PATROL

TYPES
1. Area Reconnaissance - conducted to obtain
information about a specified location and the
area around it.

2. Zone Reconnaissance - conducted to

obtain information on enemy, terrain and
routes within a specified zone.

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 RECONNAISSANCE PATROL

Techniques:

a. Moving Elements. The leader plans the use of

squads or fire teams moving along multiple
routes to cover the entire zone.

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 (1) Fan Method

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 (2) Box Method

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 (3) Converging Routes Method

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 (3) Successive Sector Method

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 RECONNAISSANCE PATROL
Techniques:

b. Stationary Teams. The leader positions

surveillance teams in locations where they can
collectively observe the entire zone for a long-
term, continuous information gathering. He must
consider sustainment requirements when
developing his soldier’s load plan.
c. Multiple Area Reconnaissance. The leader
tasks each of his squads to conduct a series of
area reconnaissance actions along a specified
route.
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Multiple Area Reconnaissance

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 RECONNAISSANCE PATROL

3. Route Reconnaissance - conducted to obtain

detailed information about one route and all the
adjacent terrain or to locate sites for emplacing
obstacles.

a. The preferred method is the fan method

described above. The leader must ensure that
the fans are extensive enough to reconnoiter
intersecting routes beyond direct-fire range of
the main route.
b. The platoon should use a different return route.
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 RECONNAISSANCE PATROL

c. If all or part of the proposed route is a road, the

leader must treat the road as a danger area. The
platoon moves parallel to the road using a
covered and concealed route.

d. The leader should submit the patrol report in an

overlay format.

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Route Recon using Fan method

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Route Recon Overlay

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 Combat patrols are conducted to destroy or
capture enemy soldiers or equipment;
destroy installations, facilities, or key points;
or harass enemy forces.

The two types of combat patrol missions are

1) Ambush
2) Raid

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 COMBAT PATROL
ORGANIZATION

1. Assault Element - seizes and secures the

objective and protects special teams as they
complete their assigned actions on the objective.
2. Security Element - provides security at danger
areas, secures the ORP, isolates the objective
and supports the withdrawal of the rest of the
platoon once it completes its assigned actions
on the objective. The security element may have
separate security teams, each with an assigned
task or sequence of tasks.
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 COMBAT PATROL
3. Support Element - provides direct fire support and may
control indirect fires for the platoon.
4. Breach Element - breaches the enemy’s obstacles
when required.
5. Demolition Team - responsible for preparing and
exploding the charges to destroy equipment, vehicles or
facilities on the objective.
6. Search Team - the assault element may comprise two-
man (buddy teams) or four-man (fire team) search teams
to search bunkers, buildings or tunnels on the objective.
These teams may search the objective or kill zone for
casualties, documents or equipment.

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 COMBAT PATROL
TYPES OF COMBAT PATROL MISSION

1. Ambush - a surprise attack from a concealed

position on a moving or temporarily halted
target.

Categories:
-hasty or deliberate type
-point or area and formation
-linear or L-shaped

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 CATEGORIES
Hasty Ambush. A platoon or squad conducts a hasty
ambush when it makes visual contact with an enemy force
and has time to establish an ambush without being detected

Deliberate Ambush. A deliberate ambush is conducted

against a specific target at a predetermined location

TYPES
Point Ambush. In a point ambush, soldiers deploy to
attack an enemy in a single kill zone.
Area Ambush. In an area ambush, soldiers deploy in two
or more related point ambushes.

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Ref:
 Figure 6.15 Linear ambush formation.

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Ref:
 Figure 6.16 L –Shape ambush formation.

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Ref:
 Figure 6.17 Squad hasty ambush.

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Ref:
 Figure 6.18 Platoon hasty ambush.

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Ref:
 A RAID IS AN ATTACK CONDUCTED TO
SECURE INFORMATION, HARASS THE ENEMY,
DESTROY ENEMY POSITIONS OR
INSTALLATIONS, DESTROY OR CAPTURE
TROOPS, EQUIPMENT, OR LIBERATE
PERSONNEL.

Categories:
-hasty or deliberate type

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 TRACKING PATROL
A platoon or squad may receive the mission to
follow the trail of a specific enemy unit. Soldiers
look for signs left by the enemy. They gather
information about the enemy unit, the route and
the surrounding terrain as they track.

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 TRACKING PATROL

ORGANIZATION.

1. Security Team - provide security for the squad

leader, RATELO and pace man and also provide
rear and flank security.

2. Tracking Team - reads signs and follows the

track of a specific enemy unit.

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 TRACKING PATROL

INTELLIGENCE

Specific intelligence about enemy habits, equipment,

garment, footwear, diet or tactics is important.

TRAINING
Training is essential to develop and maintain
the necessary tracking skills.

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 TRACKING PATROL

TRAINING
Training is essential to develop and maintain the
necessary tracking skills.

Once deployed into an area of operation,

training continues so the platoon can learn about
local soil, climate, vegetation, animals, vehicles,
footwear and other factors.

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 TRACKING PATROL

TRAIL SIGNS
1. Finding the Trail. Finding the trail is the first
task of the tracking team. The tracking team can
reconnoiter around a known location of enemy
activity when the trail cannot be found in the
immediate area.

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 TRACKING PATROL

2. Trail and Sign Analysis.

Once the first sign is discovered, it must not be
disturbed or covered. It is analyzed carefully
before following the enemy
The tracker determines as much as possible about
the enemy before following them.
As the platoon goes on, this process does also,
and the tracker’s knowledge of the enemy grows

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 TRACKING PATROL

2. Trail and Sign Analysis.

Once the first sign is discovered, it must not be
disturbed or covered. It is analyzed carefully
before following the enemy
The tracker determines as much as possible
about the enemy before following them.
As the platoon goes on, this process does also,
and the tracker’s knowledge of the enemy grows

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 PATROL BASES
A patrol base is a position set up when a squad
or platoon conducting a patrol halts for an
extended period.

• Patrol bases should be occupied no longer

than 24 hours, except in an emergency.

• Never uses the same patrol base twice.

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 PATROL BASES
Platoons and squads use patrol bases:

-To stop all movement to avoid detection.

-To hide during a long, detailed reconnaissance of
an objective.
-To eat, clean weapons and equipment and rest.
-To plan and issue orders.
-To reorganize after infiltrating an enemy area.
-To have a base from which to conduct several
consecutive or concurrent operations such as
ambush, raid, reconnaissance or security.
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 PATROL BASES
SITE SELECTION

-Select the tentative site from a map or by aerial

reconnaissance.
-The site’s suitability must be confirmed
-It must be secured before occupation.
-Plans for alternate patrol base site.
-The alternate site is used if the first site is
unsuitable or if the patrol must unexpectedly
evacuate the first patrol base.

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 PATROL BASES
PATROL BASE ACTIVITIES

1. Security.
- Only one point of entry and exit is used.
- Noise and light discipline are maintained at all times.
- Everyone is challenged.
- Squad leaders supervise the placement of aiming stakes
and ensure Claymores are put out.
- Each squad establishes an OP and may quietly dig hasty
fighting positions.
- Squad leaders prepare and turn in sector sketches to
include range cards.

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 PATROL BASES
PATROL BASE ACTIVITIES

2. Alert Plan
-The platoon leader states the alert posture (for
example, 50 percent or 33 percent) and the
stand-to time for the day and night.
-He sets up the plan to ensure positions are
checked periodically
-OP’s are relieved periodically and ensure that at
least one leader is up at all times.

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 PATROL BASES
3. Withdrawal Plan
-Platoon leader designates which signal to use if
contact is made
-The order of withdrawal if forced out (for example,
squads not in contact will move first)
-Rendezvous point for the platoon (if the platoon is
not to link up at an alternate patrol base).

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 PATROL BASES

4. Maintenance Plan
-Ensure that machine guns, other weapon
systems, communication equipment, NVDs are
not broken down at the same time for
maintenance.
-Redistribute ammunition.

NOTE: WEAPONS ARE NOT DISASSEMBLED

AT NIGHT.

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 PATROL BASES
5. Sanitation and Personal Hygiene Plan

- The platoon sergeant ensures the platoon slit

trench is dug and marked at night with a
chemical light inside the trench.
- Squad leaders designate squad urine areas.
- All soldiers accomplish the following daily: shave;
brush teeth; wash face, hands, armpits, groin
and feet; and darken (polish) boots.
- Soldiers ensure that no trash is left behind.

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 PATROL BASES
6. Mess Plan.
- No more than half of the platoon eats at one time.
- Water Resupply.

---- The patrol base must be sterilized upon

departure.

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 Figure 6.21 Occupation of the patrol base .
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Ref:
 SUMMARY

Define patrolling
Planning considerations
Three types of patrol
Patrol base operations

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Ref: