Combat Patrols: Definitions, Types, and Principles

1. PATROLLING

2. AGENDA • PATROL DEFINITION • TYPES OF PATROL • PRINCIPLES OF COMBAT PATROLS • TASK ORGANIZATION BY LEADER • INITIAL PLANNING • WARNING ORDER • PATROL SEQUENCE OF EVENTS • FRIENDLY UNIT COORDINATION • RALLY POINTS • RECONNAISSANCE PATROLS

3. PATROLS PATROLS ARE MISSIONS TO GATHER INFORMATION OR TO CONDUCT COMBAT OPERATIONS.

4. TYPES OF PATROLS TYPES: • AREA RECONNAISSANCE • ZONE RECONNAISSANCE • RAID • AMBUSH • ANTI ARMOR AMBUSH • SECURITY PATROL

5. AREA RECONNAISSANCE CONDUCTED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION CONCERNING A SPECIFIC LOCATION AND THE AREA IMMEDIATELY AROUND IT. THE LOCATION OF THE OBJECTIVE IS DESIGNATED BY EITHER GRID COORDINATES OR A MAP OVERLAY WITH A BOUNDARY LINE ENCIRCLING THE AREA.

6. ZONE RECONNAISSANCE CONDUCTED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON ALL ENEMY, TERRAIN AND ROUTES WITH IN A SPECIFIC ZONE. THE ZONE IS DEFINED BY BOUNDARIES.

7. RAID CONDUCTED BY A PATROL TO ATTACK A POSITION OR INSTALLATION TO DESTROY THE POSITION OR INSTALLATION, DESTROY OR CAPTURE TROOPS, EQUIPMENT OR LIBERATE PERSONNEL.

8. AMBUSH • A SURPRISE ATTACK FROM A CONCEALED POSITION ON A MOVING OR TEMPORARILY HALTED TARGET. • POINT AMBUSH IS ONE IN WHICH TROOPS DEPLOY TO ATTACK A SINGLE KILL ZONE. • AREA AMBUSH IS ONE IN WHICH TROOPS ARE DEPLOYED AS MULTIPLE RELATED POINT AMBUSHES. • HASTY AMBUSH IS AN IMMEDIATE ACTION DRILL. • DELIBERATE AMBUSH IS PLANNED AS A SPECIFIC ACTION AGAINST A TARGET.

9. ANTI ARMOR AMBUSH A SURPRISE ATTACK FROM A CONCEALED POSITION ON AN ARMORED FORCE.

10. SECURITY PATROL PROVIDE FRONT, FLANK AND REAR SECURITY TO PREVENT INFILTRATION AND SURPRISE ATTACKS

11. PRINCIPLES FOR COMBAT PATROLS 5 BASIC PRINCIPLES: • SECURITY • SURPRISE • COORDINATED FIRE • VIOLENCE • CONTROL

12. TASK ORGANIZATIONS BY LEADER SPECIAL TEAMS: • AID AND LITTER TEAM • ENEMY PRISONER OF WAR TEAM • COMPASS MAN • PACE MAN • SURVEILLANCE TEAM • EN ROUTE RECORDER

13. INITIAL PLANNING COORDINATION • CHANGES, UPDATES OF ENEMY SITUATION • BEST USE OF TERRAIN ROUTE • LIGHT, WEATHER DATA • CHANGES IN THE FRIENDLY SITUATION • ATTACHMENTS OF SOLDIERS WITH SPECIAL SKILLS (ENGINEERS, PAO, FO) • DEPARTURE/REENTRY OF FRIENDLY LINES • FIRE SUPPORT • REHEARSAL AREA AND TIME • SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED • TRANSPORTATION • SIGNAL PLAN

14. WARNING ORDER • SITUATION • MISSION • GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS • SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

15. PATROLLINGSEQUENCE OF EVENTS • ASSEMBLY AREA (AA) • INITIAL RALLY POINT (IRP) • FORWARD PASSAGE OF LINES • DESIGNATE RALLY POINTS ALONG ROUTE • OBJECTIVE RALLY POINT • ACTIONS ON THE OBJECTIVE • OBJECTIVE RALLY POINT (ORP) • DESIGNATE RALLY POINTS ALONG ROUTE • REENTRY RALLY POINT • REARWARD PASSAGE OF LINES (REENTRY) • ASSEMBLY AREA

16. FRIENDLY UNIT COORDINATION • PATROL LEADER • IDENTIFIES HIMSELF AND HIS UNIT • SIZE OF PATROL • TIME OF DEPARTURE AND RETURN • AREA OF PATROL’S OPERATION

17. FRIENDLY UNIT COORDINATION • FORWARD UNIT • INFORMATION ON TERRAIN • KNOWN OR SUSPECTED ENEMY POSITIONS • LIKELY ENEMY AMBUSH SITES • DETAILED INFORMATION ON FRIENDLY POSITIONS • OBSTACLE LOCATIONS • FIRE PLAN • SUPPORT THE UNIT CAN FURNISH • SIGNAL PLAN • LOCATION OF THE FOLLOWING: • DETRUCKING POINT • INITIAL RALLY POINT • DEPARTURE POINT • REENTRY POINT

18. RALLY POINTS • USED SO PATROL CAN ASSEMBLE AND REORGANIZE IF DISPERSED DURING MOVEMENT • CAN TEMPORARILY HALT TO REORGANIZE AND PREPARE PROIR TO ACTIONS ON THE OBJECTIVE • PATROL CAN TEMPORARILY HALT TO PREPARE FOR DEPARTURE AND REENTRY OF FRIENDLY LINES • RALLY POINTS SHOULD BE: • LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE PATROL TO ASSEMBLE IN • EASILY RECOGNIZED ON THE GROUND • HAVE COVER AND CONCEALMENT • DEFENSIBLE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME • AWAY FROM NORMAL ROUTES OF TROOP MOVEMENT

19. RECONNAISSANCE PATROLS • AREA RECON • SURVEILLANCE/VANTAGE POINT METHOD • ZONE RECON • FAN METHOD • CONVERGING ROUTE METHOD • SUCCESSIVE SECTOR METHOD