Breaking Contact

1. B Trp 7-10 CAV 4ID Reference Material FM 3-20.98 Chapter 5 SGT Sears, Adam Breaking Contact

2. Breaking Contact Mounted and Dismounted

3. LOW Breaking Contact RISK ASSESSMENT

4. Breaking Contact • Tasks: Utilizes your units METT-TC with your OPORD and rehearsals with Battle Drills

5. Conditions: While on Dismounted or Mounted operations you are attacked by a superior force where the Team Leader is forced to with draw his team to a safer location or rally point utilizing his team and other assets on hand if available Breaking Contact

6. Standards: To train leaders and soldiers to know their role in this maneuver to help prevent further lose of soldiers and equipment by using all assets effectively Breaking Contact

7. Breaking Contact • 1 Introduction • 2 Breaking Contact (Front) • 3 Australian Peel Method (front & rear) • 4 Australian Peel Method (left and right) • 5 React to Air Attack • 6 React to Indirect Attack • 7 React to Sniper • 8 Freeze • 9 Questions

8. Breaking Contact • Introduction • Missions are usually planned for expected types of contact and the amount of assets that you’ll need. But sometimes the enemy will expect your course of action and bring more to the battle than you or your unit expects. That’s why Battle Drills incorporates Breaking contact drills.

9. Breaking Contact • BATTLE DRILLS • Well-rehearsed battle drills are critical to the success of a • dismounted team. The team is lightly armed with a limited supply of • ammunition and can expect little or no fire support. If indirect fires are • precoordinated, they should be maximized while breaking contact. An • immediate suppression fire mission on a near target from the target • overlay may support the team breaking contact; then, once in a covered • and concealed position, adjusted fire missions may be executed against • the enemy. Indirect fires should be considered whenever breaking • contact, emphasizing the need for thorough fire support planning.

10. Breaking Contact • The team breaks contact as soon as possible because it lacks the • assets to stay and fight. METT-TC determines which drill is executed.

11. Breaking Contact • Break Contact (Front) • The team executes fire and movement by two- or three-man • teams until contact with the enemy is broken. When contacted from the • front, the senior observer and another observer return fire with one full • magazine each. An observer and the team leader move to a position to • provide support for the withdrawal of the senior observer and observer.

12. Once the senior observer and observer have fired a complete magazine, team leader and observer begin firing, covering the withdrawal of the senior observer and observer to the next firing position. The process of fire and movement continues until contact is broken. RTO can place Claymore if time allows and in hand for quick set up. Breaking Contact

13. Breaking Contact • The Australian peel is a method to break contact from the front • or rear. This technique, which should be executed as a battle drill, is most • effective while the team is in a file formation, where the vegetation is • dense, or during limited visibility. The second through the sixth team • members take one or two steps to the left or right, depending on the • terrain. One member at a time passes back through the formation

14. Breaking Contact • Front Contact. When contact occurs from the front, the first • member fires a full magazine (automatic or burst). Every other member • does the same, one at a time. Each member waits until the member in • front of him is even with him or on his left or right before firing a weapon. • Individuals move straight back through the inside of the formation, • avoiding masking the fires of the members providing covering fire. The • assistant team leader or the last member throws a hand grenade • (fragmentary). During limited visibility, the battle drill may be executed • without firing weapons. In this event, the battle drill is still executed in • the same sequence. Upon completion of the first iteration, the team can • emplace a Claymore mine with a time-delay fuze to slow the enemy. The • team initiates fires only if it has been compromised. If the enemy element • breaks contact and ceases fire, the team should cease fire immediately to • prevent revealing their new position.

15. Breaking Contact • Rear Contact. If contact occurs from the rear, the Australian • peel technique is executed in the reverse sequence. The first member is • the last to throw a hand grenade (fragmentary). Once the drill is • completed, the team moves to the designated rally point.

16. Breaking Contact • Rear Contact. If contact occurs from the rear, the Australian • peel technique is executed in the reverse sequence. The first member is • the last to throw a hand grenade (fragmentary). Once the drill is • completed, the team moves to the designated rally point.

17. Breaking Contact • Break Contact (Left or Right) • If a patrol finds itself in a threat ambush, it must get out of the • kill zone or face destruction. Team members in the kill zone, without • order or signal, immediately return fire, throw smoke, and move quickly • out of the kill zone by the safest route.

18. Breaking Contact • There is no set procedure for this; each man must decide the best way for • his situation. For inferior-sized enemy force, a team may assault through • a near ambush. Soldiers not in the kill zone fire to support the • withdrawal or hasty assault of the men in the kill zone.

19. Breaking Contact • REACT TO AIR ATTACK • The first soldier who hears or sees an aircraft signals, “FREEZE.” • The first soldier who sees an attacking aircraft alerts the patrol: • “AIRCRAFT, FRONT (LEFT, RIGHT, OR REAR).” Each soldier hits the • ground, using available cover, and returns fire.

20. Breaking Contact • Between attacks, the • team should seek better cover and concealment. If the team leader wants • the team to move out of the area, he gives the clock direction and • distance.

21. Breaking Contact • REACT TO INDIRECT FIRE • Upon receiving indirect fire, the team deploys and takes cover. If • more rounds impact, the team leader gives the clock position and the • direction and distance to move. The team consolidates while moving or at • a distance given by team leader. The team may elect to move to the last • rally point or as otherwise directed by the team leader.

22. Breaking Contact • REACT TO SNIPER FIRE • 5-88. If the patrol comes under sniper fire, it immediately returns fire • in the direction of the sniper. The patrol then conducts fire and maneuver • to break contact with the sniper.

23. Breaking Contact • FREEZE • This immediate action drill is used when a patrol, not yet seen by • the threat, observes the threat and does not have time to take any other • action. All patrol members remain still until signaled to continue or take • another action as directed.

24. Summary • These lessons were from typically sceniors from FM 3-20.98. Remember different environments, man made objects and weather will all have impacts on your mission. If you take casualties will have to incorporate that in your Breaking Contact Procedures.

25. QUESTIONS