INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT

TECHNIQUES
 LOW CRAWL

1. WHEN THE ROUTE YOU HAVE

SELECTED PROVIDES COVER AND
CONCEALMENT LESS THAN ONE
FOOT HIGH
2. WHEN THE TERRAIN YOU ARE
CROSSING PROVIDES GOOD ENEMY
OBSERVATION
3. WHEN SPEED IS NOT REQUIRED
 HIGH CRAWL
1. WHEN YOUR MOVEMENT ROUTE
PROVIDES GOOD COVER AND
CONCEALMENT
2. WHEN POOR VISIBILITY REDUCES THE
POSSIBILITY OF YOUR BEING SPOTTED
3. WHEN THE TERRAIN OR VEGETATION
ARE ONLY SUITABLE FOR THE LOW
CRAWL, BUT SPEED IS REQUIRED
 RUSH
1. WHEN YOU MUST CROSS OPEN
AREAS.
2. WHEN TIME IS CRITICAL.
Low Crawl
High Crawl
Rush
Wall Obstacle
Wire Obstacle
SMALL UNIT MOVEMENT
TECHNIQUES
 THE FIRE TEAM COMPONENTS

THE INFANTRYMAN:
Supervises, leads, or serves as a member of an infantry activity that
employs individual or crew served weapons in support of offensive
and defensive combat operations

Most infantry operates in "Fire Teams" of three to four men, with two or three such teams to
squad. When attacking, each man in the team has a specific job.

1) Fire team leaders control the fire of their soldiers by using standard fire commands (initial and
supplemental) containing the following elements:

Alert, Direction, Description, Range, Method of fire (manipulation and rate of fire),
and command to commence firing

2) The Automatic Rifleman (or light machine gunner) tries to pin the enemy down.

3) The Grenadier (armed, usually, with an M203 or the equivalent) does two things:
helps the automatic rifleman isolate the enemy position, and looks for an opening to shoot a
grenade at it.

4) One or two men, under cover of the Automatic Rifleman and Grenadier, attempt to close with
the enemy position and kill the enemy.
 THE FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS

• WEDGE AND FILE

• USED FOR CONTROL FLEXIBILITY AND SECURITY

• LEADERS ARE UP FRONT IN THE FORMATION WHICH

ALLOWS THEM TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
“FOLLOW ME AND DO AS I DO.”

• ALL SOLDIERS IN THE TEAM MUST BE ABLE TO SEE

THE LEADER
 WEDGE FORMATION

• IS THE BASIC FORMATION FOR THE FIRE TEAM

• THE INTERVAL BETWEEN SOLDIERS IS NORMALLY 10

METERS

• EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS DEPENDING ON TERRAIN

• WHEN ROUGH TERRAIN AND POOR VISIBILITY OR OTHER FACTORS

MAKE CONTROL OF THE WEDGE DIFFICULT

- NORMAL INTERVAL IS REDUCED SO THAT THE

TEAM LEADER CAN SEE HIS OR HER SQUAD

- THE SIDES OF THE WEDGE CAN CONTRACT TO

THE POINT WHERE THE WEDGE RESEMBLES A FILE

• WHEN MOVING IN LESS RUGGED TERRAIN WHERE CONTROL

IS EASIER, SOLDIERS EXPAND OR RESUME THEIR ORIGINAL
POSITIONS
 FIRE TEAM WEDGE

TEAM LEADER TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC GRENADIER AUTOMATIC GRENADIER

RIFLEMAN RIFLEMAN

RIFLEMAN RIFLEMAN
 FIRE TEAM FILE

TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC
RIFLEMAN

GRENADIER

RIFLEMAN

• USED WHEN THE TERRAIN PRECLUDES THE USE OF THE

WEDGE
 COMPARISON OF FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS

CHARACTERISTICS

MOVEMENT WHEN
FORMATION NORMALLY FIRE CAPABILITIES /
USED CONTROL FLEXIBILITY RESTRICTIONS SECURITY

FIRE TEAM BASIC FIRE EASY GOOD ALLOWS IMMEDIATE GOOD

WEDGE TEAM FIRES IN ALL
FORMATION DIRECTIONS

FIRE TEAM CLOSE TERRAIN EASIEST LESS ALLOWS IMMEDIATE LEAST

FILE DENSE VEGETAT- FLEXIBLE FIRES TO THE FLANKS.
IONS, LIMITED THAN THE MASK MOST FIRES TO
VISIBILITY WEDGE THE REAR
CONDITIONS
 SQUAD FORMATIONS

• SQUAD FORMATIONS DESCRIBE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN

FIRE TEAMS IN THE SQUAD.

•THEY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

•SQUAD COLUMN

•SQUAD LINE
 SQUAD COLUMN

• IS THE SQUAD’S MOST COMMON FORMATION

• IT PROVIDES GOOD DISPERSION LATERALLY AND IN DEPTH

WITHOUT SACRIFICING CONTOL, WHILE FACILITATING GOOD
MANUVERABILITY

• WHEN THE SQUAD MOVES INDEPENDENTLY OR AS THE REAR

ELEMENT OF THE PLATOON, THE RIFLEMAN IN THE TRAIL
FIRE
TEAM PROVIDES REAR SECURITY
SQUAD COLUMN WITH FIRE TEAMS IN COLUMN.

(POINT MAN)

TEAM LEADER

(COMPASS)

AUTOMATIC GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN

(PASE)

RIFLEMAN

SQUAD LEADER

TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC
GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN

RIFLEMAN
 SQUAD LINE

TEAM LEADER TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC AUTOMATIC
GRENADIER RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN GRENADIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN

SQUAD LEADER

• THE SQUAD LINE PROVIDES MAXIMUM FIREPOWER TO THE

FRONT.

• WHEN THE SQUAD IS ACTING AS THE BASE SQUAD, THE FIRE

TEAM ON THE RIGHT IS THE BASE FIRE TEAM
 SQUAD FILE

• IS USED WHEN NOT TRAVELING IN A COLUMN OR LINE

• HAS THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE FIRE TEAM FILE

• SQUAD LEADER CAN BE MOVED FROM NORMAL POSITION TO

THE FIRST OR SECOND POSITION:

- TO INCREASE CONTROL OVER THE FORMATION

- EXERT GREATER MORAL PRESENCE BY LEADING

FROM THE FRONT

- IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO MAKE KEY DECISIONS

• ADDITIONAL CONTROL OVER THE REAR OF THE FORMATION CAN

BE PROVIDED BY MOVING A TEAM LEADER TO THE LAST POSTION.
SQUAD FILE
TEAM LEADER

SQUAD LEADER (OPTIONAL)

GRENADIER

AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN

RIFLEMAN

SQUAD LEADER (NORMAL)

TEAM LEADER

GRENADIER

AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN

TEAM LEADER (OPTIONAL)

RIFLEMAN
 COMPARISON OF SQUAD FORMATIONS

WHEN CHARACTERISTICS
MOVEMENT NORMALLY
FIRE CAPABILITIES /
FORMATION USED CONTROL FLEXIBILITY SECURITY
RESTRICTIONS

SQUAD SQUAD PRIMARY GOOD FACILITATES ALLOWS LARGE ALL - ROUND

COLUMN FORMATION MANEUVER, VOLUME OF FIRE TO
GOOD THE FLANK – LIMMITED
DISPERSION VOLUME TO THE FRONT
LATERALLY
AND IN
DEPTH
FIRE TEAM WHEN MAXIMUM NOT AS LIMITED ALLOWS MAXIMUM GOOD TO
FILE FIREPOWER IS GOOD AS MANEUVER IMMEDIATE FIRE TO THE FRONT
REQUIRED TO SQUAD CAPABILITY THE FRONT LITTLE TO
THE FRONT COLUMN (BOTH FIRE THE FLANKS
TEAMS AND REAR
COMMITTED).

SQUAD CLOSE TERRAIN EASIEST MOST ALLOWS MAXIMUM LEAST

FILE VEGETATION DIFFICULT IMMEDIATE FIRE TO
LIMITED FORMATION THE FLANK MASKS
VISIBILITY FROM MOST FIRE TO THE
CONDITIONS WHICH TO FRONT AND REAR
MANEUVER
 PLATOON FORMATIONS

• PLATOON FORMATIONS CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING

- PLATOON IN COLUMN

- PLATOON LINE (SQUADS ON LINE OR IN COLUMN)

- PLATOON VEE

- PLATOON WEDGE

• THE LEADER SHOULD WEIGH THESE CAREFULLY TO SELECT THE

BEST FORMATION BASED ON HIS MISSION AND ON METT-T
(MISSION, EQUIPMENT, TERAIN, TROOPS AVAILABLE AND TIME
AVAILABLE) ANNALSIS
 PLATOON COLUMN

• IS THE SQUAD’S PLATOON’S PRIMARY MOVEMENT FORMATION

• IT PROVIDES GOOD DISPERSION BOTH LATERALLY AND IN DEPTH

AND SIMPLIFIES CONTROL.

• THE LEAD SQUAD IS THE BASE SQUAD.

NOTE: METT-T WILL DETERMINE WHERE CREW SERVED WEAPONS

WILL MOVE IN THE FORMATION. THEY NORMALLY MOVE
WITH THE PLATOON LEADER SO HE CAN QUICKLY ESTABLISH
A BASE OF FIRE
PLATOON TL

IN R
GRN AR

COLUMN SL
LEAD
TL
AR GRN
SQUAD
R
X PLT LDR

FO RATELO

FO RATELO
MG CREW
MG CREW

TL
GRN AR CENTER
LEGEND R
SQUAD
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER SL
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT GRN
SL – SQUAD LEADER TL
AR R
TL- TEAM LEADER
GRN- GRENADIER
R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
X PSG
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR AID MAIN (CLS)
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
TL

AR
TRAIL
GRN
SQUAD
R
SL

TL

GRN
AR
R
 PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – ON - LINE
• BASIC PLATOON ASSAULT FORMATION

• THIS FORMATION ALLOWS THE DELIVERY OF MAXIMUM FIRE TO

THE FRONT BUT LITTLE FIRE TO THE FLANKS.

• IS HARD TO CONTROL AND DOES NOT ALOW FOR RAPID MOVEMENT

• WHEN TWO OR MORE PLATOONS ARE ATTACKING, THE COMPANY

COMMANDER CHOOSES ONE OF THEM AS THE BASE PLATOON.

• THE BASE PLATOON’S CENTER SQUAD IS ITS BASE SQUAD.

• WHEN THE PLATOON IS NOT ACTING AS THE BASE PLATOON, ITS BASE
SQUAD IS ITS FLANK SQUAD NEAREST THE BASE PLATOON.

• THE MACHINE GUNS CAN MOVE WITH THE PLATOON, OR THEY CAN
SUPPORT BY FIRE FROM A SUPPORT POSITION.
 PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS - ON - LINE

TL TL TL TL TL TL

AR GRN GRN AR AR GRN GRN AR AR GRN GRN AR

SL SL SL

X PSG
R R X PLT LDR R R R R
AR
RATELO

AID MAIN (CLS)

FO
MG CREW

FO RATELO MG CREW

LEFT FLANK SQUAD CENTER SQUAD RIGHT FLANK SQUAD

NOTE: SQUAD LEADER (SL) POSITIONS HIMSELF WHERE HE CAN BEST CONTROL
THE SQUAD
LEGEND

PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT SL – SQUAD LEADER

TL- TEAM LEADER GRN- GRENADIER R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
 PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMN

• USED WHEN THE PLATOON LEADER DOES NOT WANT TO DEPLOY ALL
PERSONNEL ON LINT. AND WHEN HE WANTS THE SQUADS TO REACT TO
UNEXPECTED CONTACT.

• IS EASY TO CONTROL AND IS MORE CAPABLE OF RAPID MOVEMENT

THE PLATOON-LINE OR SQUADS-ON-LINE FORMATION.

• DOES NOT FACILITATE RAPID MOVEMENT AS WELL AS A PLATOON IN

COLUMN

• BASE SQUAD IS THE CENTER SQUAD

• WHEN NOT SERVING AS THE BASE PLATOON, THE FLANK NEAREST THE
BASE PLATOON IS THE BASE SQUAD
 PLATOON - LINE, SQUADS – IN - COLUMN
TL TL TL

AR GRN GRN AR AR GRN

R
R X PLT LDR X PSG
R

FO RATELO MG CREW
SL SL SL
MG CREW AID MAIN (CLS)

TL TL TL

AR GRN AR
GRN AR GRN

R FO RATELO R
R

LEFT FLANK SQUAD CENTER SQUAD RIGHT FLANK SQUAD

LEGEND

PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT SL – SQUAD LEADER

TL- TEAM LEADER GRN- GRENADIER R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
 PLATOON VEE

• HAS TWO SQUADS UP FRONT TO PROVIDE A HEAVY VOLUME OF FIRE

ON CONTACT

• ONE SQUAD SERVES AS EITHER OVERWATCH OR TRAIL FOR THE OTHER

SQUADS

• FORMATION IS HARD TO CONTROL

• MOVEMENT IS SLOW

• THE PLATOON LEADER DESIGNATES ONE OF THE FRONT SQUADS TO BE

THE PLATOONS BASE SQUAD.
 TL
TL

PLATOON VEE AR
GRN
GRN
AR
R
R SL
SL X PLT LDR
TL
RATELO
TL

FO AR GRN
GRN AR
MG CREW
FO RATELO
R
R
X PSG

AID MAIN (CLS)

LEFT FLANK SQUAD MG CREW RIGHT FLANK SQUAD
TL

AR GRN

SL R

TL
AR
GRN

LEGEND CENTER SQUAD

PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT SL – SQUAD LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER GRN- GRENADIER R – RIFLEMAN
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER
 PLATOON WEDGE

• HAS TWO SQUADS IN THE REAR THAT CAN OVERWATCH OR TRAIL THE
LEAD SQUAD

• PROVIDES A LARGE VOLUME OF FIRE TO THE FRONT OR FLANKS.

• IT ALLOWS THE PLATOON LEADER TO MAKE CONTACT WITH A SQUAD

AND STILL HAVE ONE OR TWO SQUADS FOR MANEUVER.

• THE LEAD SQUAD IS THE BASE SQUAD

 PLATOON WEDGE TL

AR GRN

R
SL

TL
LEGEND
GRN AR
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER R
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT LEAD SQUAD
SL – SQUAD LEADER
TL- TEAM LEADER X PLT LDR
GRN- GRENADIER
R – RIFLEMAN RATELO
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR FO
MG CREW
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER FO RATELO
X
PSG
MG CREW AID MAIN (CLS)
TL TL
GRN AR
GRN R
AR
SL
R
SL TL
AR
TL GRN
GRN AR R
R
RIGHT FLANK SQUAD
LEFT FLANK SQUAD
 PLATOON FILE

• SINGLE PLATOON FILE WITH A FRONT SECURITY ELEMENT (POINT) AND

FLANK SECURITY ELEMENTS.

• USED WHEN VISIBILITY IS POOR DUE TO TERRAIN, VEGITATION, OR

LIGHT CONDITIONS.

• DISTIANCE IS LESS THAN IN OTHER FORMATIONS, TO ALLOW

COMMUNICATION BY PASSING MESSAGES UP AND DOWN THE FILE.

• HAS THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE FIRE TEAM AND SQUAD

FILES
 TL
PLATOON FILE AR GRN POINT SECURITY
R TEAM
SL

X PLT LDR

FO FO RATELO
RATELO

MG CREW TL
TL
MG CREW
GRN AR
GRN TL R
AR R GRN
AR
FLANK SECURITY R
SL
FLANK SECURITY
TEAM TL TEAM
GRN
AR
LEGEND R
AID MAIN (CLS)
PLT LDR – PLATOON LEADER
PSG – PLATOON SERGEANT X PSG
SL – SQUAD LEADER TL
TL- TEAM LEADER GRN
GRN- GRENADIER AR
R – RIFLEMAN R
AR- AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN SL
RATELO – RADIO / TELEPHONE OPERATOR TL
MG CREW – MACHINE GUN CREW GRN
AID MAN – COMBAT LIFE SAVER AR
R
COMPARISON OF PLATOON FORMATIONS
 MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES
• A MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE IS THE MANNER A PLATOON USES TO TRAVERSE TERRAIN.

• THERE ARE THREE MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES:

- TRAVELING

- TRAVELING OVER - WATCH

- BOUNDING OVER – WATCH

• THE SELECTION OF A MOVEMENT TECHINIQUE IS BASED ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF ENEMY

CONTACT AND THE NEED FOR SPEED

• MOVEMENT TECHINQUES ARE NOT FIXED FORMATIONS.

• THEY REFER TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SOLDIERS, TEAMS, AND SQUADS THAT VARY BASED ON
MISSION, ENEMY, TERRAIN, VISIBILITY, AND ANY
OTHER FACTO THAT AFFECTS CONTROL.

• SOLDIERS MUST BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR FIRE TEAM LEADERS.

• PLATOON LEADER SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE HIS LEAD SQUAD LEADER

• LEADERS CONTROL MOVEMENT WITH HAND AND ARM SIGNALS. RADIOS ONLY WHEN NEEDED.

• ANY OF THE THREE MOVEMENTS CAN BE USED WITH ANY FORMATION.

 MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES AND CHARACTERISTICS

CHARACTERISTICS

MOVEMENT WHEN
FORMATION NORMALLY
USED CONTROL FLEXIBILITY SPEED SECURITY

TRAVELING CONTACT NOT MOORE LESS FASTEST LEAST

LIKELY

TRAVELING CONTACT LESS MORE SLOWER MORE

OVERWATCH POSSIBLE

BOUNDING CONTACT MOST MOST SLOWEST MOST

OVERWATCH EXPECTED

NOTE: THE PLATOON LEADER WILL DIRECT WHICH MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE THE SQUAD WILL USE
 TRAVELING

• USED WHEN CONTACT WITH ENEMY IS NOT LIKELY AND SPEED IS NEEDED

TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN

SQUAD LEADER

+ 20 METERS

TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN

RIFLEMAN
 TRAVELING OVERWATCH
• USED WHEN CONTACT WITH ENEMY IS POSSIBLE

• ATTACHED WEAPONS MOVE NEAR THE SQUAD LEADER AND UNDER THIS
CONTROL SO HE OR SHE CAN DEPLOY THEM QUICKLY.
TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN
RIFLEMAN

+ 50 METERS

SQUAD LEADER

TEAM LEADER

AUTOMATIC
GRENDIER
RIFLEMAN

RIFLEMAN
 BOUNDING OVERWATCH
• USED WHEN CONTACT WITH ENEMY EXPECTED OR A DANGER AREA MUST
BE CROSSED

• THE LEAD TEAM OVERWATCHES FIRST SOLDIERS SCAN THE AREA. SQUAD
LEADER USUALLY STAYS WITH THE OVERWATCH TEAM.

• THE TRAIL FIRE TEAM BOUNDS AND SIGNALS THE SQUAD LEADER WHEN
HIS
TEAM COMPLETES ITS BOUND AND IS PREPARED TO OVERWATCH THE
MOVEMENT OF THE OTHER TEAM

• BOTH TEAM LEADERS NEED TO KNOW:

- IF SUCCESSIVE OR ALTERNATE BOUNDS WILL BE USED AND WHERE

WHICH TEAM THE SQUAD LEADER WILL BE IN.

- ROUTE, DESTINATION, POSSIBLE ENEMY LOCATIONS, ACTIONS TO TAKE

WHEN THEY ARIVE AT THEIR DESTINATION, AND HOW HE OR SHE WILL
RECEIVE HIS OR HER INSTRUCTIONS.

• THE COVER AND CONCEALMENT ON TH BOUNDING TEAM’S ROUTE

DICTATES HOW ITS SOLDIERS WILL MOVE
EXAMPLE OF SQUAD LEADER’S ORDER TO BOUND
SQUAD SUCCESSIVE AND ALTERNATE BOUNDS
 TRAVELING (PLATOON)
• THE PLATOON LEADER DETERMINES AND DIRECTS WHICH MOVEMENT TECHNIQUE
THE PLATOON WILL USE.

• TRAVELING IS USED WHEN ENEMY CONTACT IS NOT LIKELY AND SPEED IS NEEDED

LEAD SQUAD IN TRAVELING OVERWATCH FORMATION

+ 20 METERS

PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS

+ 20 METERS

+ 20 METERS

PLATOON SERGENAT, AIDMAN, WEAPONS (OPTIONAL)

+ 20 METERS
 TRAVELING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)

• TRAVELING OVERWATCH IS USED WHEN CONTACT IS POSSIBLE BUT SPEED

IS NEEDED

• THE PLATOON LEADER MOVES WHERE HE OR SHE CAN BEST CONTROL THE
PLATOON

• THE PLATOON SERGEANT IS FREE TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE FORMATION

TO ENFORCE, NOISE AND LIGHT DISCIPLINE, AND DISTANCES BETWEEN
SQUADS

• THE LEAD SQUAD USES TRAVELING OVERWATCH AND THE TRAILING

SQUADS USE TRAVELING.
TRAVELING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)

LEAD SQUAD IN TRAVELING OVERWATCH FORMATION

+ 50 TO 100 METERS

PLATOON HQ / WEAPONS

+ 20 METERS

+ 20 METERS

PLATOON SERGENAT, AIDMAN, WEAPONS (OPTIONAL)

+ 20 METERS
 BOUNDING OVERWATCH (PLATOON)
• BOUNDING OVERWATCH IS USED WHEN CONTACT IS EXPECTED

• COMPONENTS FOR A BOUNDING OVERWATCH ARE:

- ONE SQUAD BOUNDING, THIS SQUAD BOUNDS FROWARD TO A

CHOSEN POSITION, THEN IT BECOMES THE OVERWATHCING
ELEMENT. THE BOUNDING SQUAD CAN USE EITHER TRAVELING
OVERWATCH OR BOUNDING OVERWATCH OR INDIVIDUAL
MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES (LOW AND HIGH CRAWL, AND SHORT
RUSHES BY FIRE TEAM OR PAIRS).

- ONE SQUAD OVERWATCHING. THIS SQUAD OVERWATCHES THE

BOUNDING SQUAD FROM A COVERED POSTION FROM WHICH IT
CAN SEE AND SUPPRESS LIKELY ENEMY POSITIONS. SOLDIERS
USE SCANNING TECHNIQUES TO VIEW THEIR ASSIGNED SECTOR.
NOTE: THE PLATOON LEADER REMAINS WITH THE OVERWATCHING SQUAD
NORMALLY THE PLATOONS’S MACHINE GUNS ARE LOCATED WITH
THE OVERWATCHING SQUAD ALSO

- ONE SQUAD AWAITIN ORDERS. ONE SQUAD IS UNCOMMITTED AND

READY FOR EMPLOYMENT AS DIRECTED BY THE PLATOON LEADER.
THE PLATOON SERGEANT AND THE LEADER OF THE SQUAD AWAITING
ORDERS POSITION THEMSELVES CLOSE TO THE PLATOON LEADER.
 BOUNDING OVERWATCH (PLATOON) (CONT.)
• CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO BOUNDING

- THE REQUIERMENTS OF THE MISSION

- WHERE THE ENEMY IS LIKELY TO BE
- THE ROUTES TO THE NEXT OVERWATCH POSITION
- THE ABILITY OF AN OVERWATCHING ELEMENT’S WEAPONS TO COVER
THE BOUND
- THE FIELDS OF FIRE AT THE NEXT OVERWATCH POSTION

• INSTRUCTIONS FROM PLATOON LEADER BEFORE THE BOUND

- THE DIRECTION OR LOCATION OF THE ENEMY

- THE POSITONS OF THE OVERWATCHING SQUAD
- THE NEXT OVERWATCH POSTIONS
- THE ROUTE OF THE BOUNDING SQUAD
- WHAT TO DO AFTER THE BOUNDING SQUAD REACHES THE NEXT POSITION
- WHAT SIGNAL THE BOUNDING SQUAD WILL USE TO ANOUNCE IT IS
PREPARED TO OVERWATCH
-HOW THE SQUAD WILL RECEIVE THEIR NEXT ORDERS

• MACHINE GUN PLACEMENT, THE MACHINE GUNS ARE NORMALY EMPLOYED IN ONE
OF TWO WAYS.
- ATTACH BOTH GUNS TO THE OVERWATCH SQUAD(S)
- ONE MACHINE GUN WITH THE OVERWATCH SQUAD AND THE OTHER WITH
THE BOUNDING SQUAD. THIS TECHNIQUE REQUIRES TH GUNS TO MOVE
BETWEEN THE SQUADS AS THEY LEAVE THE OVERWATCH TO JOIN THE
BOUNDING SQUAD.
EXAMPLE OF PLATOON LEADER’S ORDER FOR
BOUNDING OVERWATCH
PLATOON BOUNDING OVERWATCH
 ACTIONS AT DANGER AREAS
• A DANGER AREA IS ANY PLACE ON A ROUTE WERE THE LEADER’S ESTIMATE
PROCESS TELLS HIM OR HER THAT THE PLATOON MIGHT BE EXPOSED TO ENEMY
OBSERVATION, FIRE, OR BOTH. IF A PLATOON MUST CROSS A DANGER AREA
IT DOES SO WITH GREAT CAUTION AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

• TYPES OF DANGER AREAS:

- OPEN AREAS: CONCEAL THE PLATOON ON THE NEAR SIDE AND OBSERVE
THE AREA. POST SECURITY TO GIVE EARLY WARNING. SEND AN ELEMENT
ACROSS TO CLEAR THE FAR SIDE. WHEN CLEARED, CROSS THE REMAINDER
OF THE PLATOON AT THE FAR SIDE.
- ROADS AND TRAILS: CROSS ROADS OR TRAILS AT OR NEAR A BEND A
NARROW SPOT OR ON LOW GROUND
-VILLAGES: PASS VILLAGES ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE AND WELL AWAY
FROM THEM. AVOIDE ANIMALS, ESPECIALLY DOGS, WHICH MIGHT
REVEAL THE PRESENSE OF THE PLATOON
- ENEMY POSITIONS: PASS ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE (THE ENEMY MIGHT
HAVE SCOUT DOGS. BE ALERT FOR TRIP WIRES AND WARNING DEVICES
- MINEFIELDS: BYPASS MINEFIELDS IF AT ALL POSSIBLE EVEN IF IT
REQUIRES CHANGING THE ROUTE BY A GREAT DISTANCE. CLEAR A PATH
THROUGH MINEFIELDS ONLY IF NECESSARY.
 ACTIONS AT DANGER AREAS (CONT.)

- STREAMS: SELECT A NARROW SPOT IN THE STREAM THAT OFFERS

CONCEALMENT ON BOTH BANKS. OBSERVE THE FARSIDE CAREFULLY.
EMPLACE NEAR AND FAR-SIDE SECURITY FOR EARLY WARNING. CLEAR
THE FAR SID, THEN CROSS RAPIDLY BUT QUIETLY
- WIRE OBSTACLES: AVOIDE WIRE OBSTICALES (THE ENEMY COVERS
OBSTACLES WITH OBSERVATION AND FIRE).

• CROSSING OF DANGER AREAS: WHEN A PLATOON CROSSES A DANGER AREA IT MUST

-DESIGNATE NEAR AND FAR SIDE RALLY POINTS

-SECURE THE NEAR SIDE (RIGHT,LEFT FLANKS, AND REAR SECURITY).
-RECON. AND SECURE THE FAR SIDE
-EXECUTE CROSSING THE DANGER AREA.
CROSSING A DANGER AREA.
CROSSING A LARGE OPEN AREA.
CROSSING A SMALL OPEN AREA