Conduct Recon Patrol: VMI Military Skills Club LTC Todd Pegg

Conduct Recon Patrol
VMI Military Skills Club

LTC Todd Pegg
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Agenda
Recon Patrol Introduction
Area Recon
Zone Recon
Route Recon
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Recon Patrol Introduction
Purpose:
 Provide timely and accurate information on the enemy and
terrain
 Confirm the leader's plan before it is executed
Three primary types

 Area
 Zone
 Route
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Patrol Organization:
 Standard structure and special teams, with the additional

designation of:
 Recon Teams
or
 Recon and Security Teams
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Patrol Organization:
 Recon Teams
Recon the objective area once the security teams are in position
Normally two-man teams to reduce the risk of detection
 Recon and Security Teams

Normally used in a zone reconnaissance
May be useful in any situation when it is impractical to separate
the responsibilities for recon and security
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Area Recon Patrol
Conducted to obtain information about a specified
location and the area around it
Basic steps
 Patrol leader halts and conceals the patrol near the objective,
at the ORP.
 Patrol leader conducts his leader's recon to pinpoint the
objective and confirm his plan for positioning the security
teams and employing units assigned the recon mission.
 Patrol Leader returns to the patrol and positions the security
teams.
Focus on likely enemy avenues of approach into the objective area
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Area Recon Patrol
Basic steps (continued)
 The recon teams move to and recon the objective.
May move on one route, posting individual teams as they move, or
may move on separate routes to their assigned team
locations
The recon teams may each move to several positions, perhaps
making a circle around the objective, in order to conduct a
thorough recon.
The recon teams may each have one assigned position instead,
minimizing repeat movements around the objective.
 After observing the objective for a specified time, all
elements return to the ORP and report their observations
to the leader or the recorder.
 Once all information is collected, it is disseminated to every
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soldier
Area Recon Patrol
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Zone Recon Patrol
Conducted to obtain information on enemy, terrain, and
routes within a specified zone.
Zone reconnaissance techniques include the use of:

 moving elements, or
 stationary teams, or
 a series of area reconnaissance actions
Basic steps are the same, but might use combined R&S
teams instead of dedicated security elements
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Zone Recon Patrol
Most common movement techniques
 Fan Method
The leader first selects a series of ORPs throughout the zone.
Unit establishes security at the first ORP. Each R&S team then
moves from the ORP along a different fan-shaped route that
overlaps with others to ensure reconnaissance of the entire
area.
The leader maintains a reserve at the ORP.
When all R&S teams have returned to the ORP, the unit collects
and disseminates all info before moving to the next ORP
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Zone Recon Patrol
 Box Method
The leader sends his R&S teams from the ORP along routes that
form a boxed-in area.
He sends other teams along routes through the area within the
box. All teams meet at a link-up point at the far side of the box
from the ORP.
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Zone Recon Patrol
 Converging Routes Method
The leader selects routes from the ORP through the zone to a link-
up point at the far side of the zone from the ORP.
Each R&S team moves along a specified route and uses the fan
method to reconnoiter the area between routes.
The leader designates a time for all teams to link-up
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Zone Recon Patrol
 Successive Sector Method
The leader may divide the zone into a series of sectors.
Within each sector, the unit uses the converging routes method to
reconnoiter to an intermediate link-up point where it
collects and disseminates the information gathered to that point
before reconnoitering the next sector
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Route Recon Patrol
Conducted to obtain detailed information about one route
and all the adjacent terrain or to locate sites for
emplacing obstacles.
A route reconnaissance is oriented on a road; a narrow axis,

such as an infiltration lane; or a general direction of
attack.
A route reconnaissance results in detailed information

about trafficability, enemy activity, NBC contamination,
and aspects of adjacent terrain from both the enemy and
friendly viewpoint. 15
Route Recon Patrol
The preferred method for conducting a route recon is the
fan method
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Area Recon Patrol
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VMI Military Skills Club

LTC Todd Pegg
18

Conduct Recon Patrol: VMI Military Skills Club LTC Todd Pegg

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Conduct Recon Patrol: VMI Military Skills Club LTC Todd Pegg

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Conduct Recon Patrol

VMI Military Skills Club

Recon Patrol Introduction

Three primary types

 Standard structure and special teams, with the additional

 Recon and Security Teams

Zone reconnaissance techniques include the use of:

A route reconnaissance is oriented on a road; a narrow axis,

A route reconnaissance results in detailed information

VMI Military Skills Club

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