Fundamentals of Security

M) Maintain Enemy Contact – provide early warning for the force being secured, don’t seek EN
contact. If you never make EN contact that’s a good thing (flank screen).
O) Orient on the Force being protected – You are oriented off of the FR force, Recon is based off
of the EN. Also, based off of security guidance, graphics/control measures, whether the friendly
force is moving etc. (Stationary vs Moving screen)
P) Provide reaction time and maneuver space -gives time to the BCT commander to protect his
force from EN influence.
P) Perform Continuous Recon – fighting for information.
P) Provide Early and Accurate Warning – you don’t have to wait to develop the entire situation,
if you see EN report it and allow the BCT commander to evaluate if it is a threat.

Forms of Security
Screen- Provide early warning
Guard-Protects main body against direct fires
Cover-BDE sized element to protect against indirect fires
Area- large area, in 64 you can protect the area around the FARP.
Local- small localized area, FARP analogy (M4 on the ground, you can provide FARP security)

Recon/Security Guidance
Focus- For example, threat‐focused reconnaissance involves more risk to the scout than a terrain‐
focused reconnaissance mission. Tells the scouts what they are looking for.
Tempo- rapid or deliberate, and stealthy or forceful
Displacement- are the event or time trigger for when a scout should move from one
reconnaissance objective to another reconnaissance objective to continue the mission
Engagement/Disengagement- keeps the scout from being decisively engaged. What turns fires on
and what turns fires off.

Differences in security guidance

Focus- F, E, T, C
Tempo- duration long vs short >12H or <12H.

Fundamentals of Reconnaissance

G) Gain and maintain enemy contact – Fight to find the EN, fight for information. Once they are
discovered maintain contact so you are not ambushed, flanked etc.
O) Orient on the OBJ – OPs based off of NAIs is how you orient yourself.
R) Report rapidly and accurately – provide rapid information flow, don’t wait for the entire
information picture before reporting. If you’re shot down you may not be able to provide the
friendly commander with the information he needs.
R) Retain the freedom of maneuver – don’t become decisively engaged (meaning you have no
choice but to fight your way out).
D) Develop the situation rapidly – develop subsequent OPs and BPs.
E) Don’t keep recon forces in reserve – doesn’t mean you have to deploy all of your forces at
once. If its small area that doesn’t facilitate an entire SQDN deploying then use fewer elements.
If theres a potential follow on mission and you can accomplish the mission with a smaller force
then do that.
E) Ensure continuous reconnaissance – continuously fight for information to provide the BCT
commander with the information they need.

Recon Management
Cueing Assets- conducting an RHO with a different asset with more suitable capabilities, longer
station time, synthetic aperture radar, etc. Either provides better information or is a better use of
resources (money, FARP turns, etc).
Mixing Assets- Using different assets to look at the same RECON OBJ. Gray Eagle vs. AH-64.
Provides well rounded information collection from different vantage points. Wide vs. close.
Redundancy- Two like platforms looking at the same RECON OBJ, 2xAH64s making a hot/cold
call on an HLZ.

Recon Techniques
Push - BCT commander has a good understanding of the AO, EN, terrain, etc.
Pull – BCT commander does not have a good understanding of the AO, EN, terrain, etc.

Forms of Recon - RAZR

Zone- all routes, infrastructure, terrain, enemy.
Area- Permissive, terrain, EN activity, etc.
Route- air corridors, rivers, highways.
RIF- using fires to test EN strengths and weaknesses.

SALT-W, SALUTE - Reports