Christopher E. Larsen
Finally! Step-by-step tactics for teams of three to 30 members.
Tired of collecting a library of military manuals just to teach light infantry patrolling tactics? Military manuals are notoriously confusing and boring! More often than not, they are written for company and battalion commanders. This book is written for truly small unit leaders – at the fireteam, squad, and platoon level.
This book includes several other advantages over military manuals:
- Common sense explanations of each tactical battle drill.
- Simple to understand schema and illustrations
- ‘Lessons Learned’ comments that offer experienced insight.
- A glossary to get everyone speaking in the same terminology.
With a ‘no non-sense’ approach, every skill and tactical battle drill in this book is specifically focused on light infantry patrolling tactics. For the experienced military professional, this book will be valued reference. For every other small unit leader – whether military, modern military re-enactors, or paintball and air soft competitors this book is sure to become your ‘field bible’.
At the time of publication for this book, Christopher Larsen was serving in Iraq, contracted by the U.S. Department of Defense to train the New Iraqi Army’s NCO School in leadership, weapons and tactics. Since 1981, he has also been affiliated with One Shepherd, a leadership development organization that employs live tactical gaming simulation as a vehicle to facilitate leadership and teamwork among young adults. It is through his work with One Shepherd that this manual was inspired.
Christopher served in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 1994 as a non-commissioned officer in light infantry, air assault, and mechanized infantry capacities. Those units included the 101st Air Assault Division, the 2nd Infantry Division, and the 157th Separate Infantry Brigade. The Republic of Korea awarded Christopher the ‘Im-jin Scout’ designator for 90 days of combat patrols inside the 38th Parallel D.M.Z. He was also awarded the U.S. Army’s Expert Infantry Badge. In 1988, as part of the 101st Division’s support to the U.S.M.A. at West Point, Christopher worked with the 10th Special Forces Group teaching basic infantry tactics.
Christopher has a profound love of all things military—especially tactics. He doesn’t have any short answers. Yep. He’s one of ‘those people’. Christopher holds a Master of Education in instructional systems design from the University of Missouri, and currently designs interactive learning environments at the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.
Bound by Fire-team
When a squad moves across an objective while under fire, it will deploy its fire-teams in much the same way as the buddy team. One fire-team sets a base of fire to suppress the enemy positions with sustained, aimed fire. The other fire-team moves forward using the appropriate IMT and the most concealed route available. Once the bounding fire-team reaches a position that allows the team members to place effective suppressing fires, this fire-team becomes the base of fire and the rear fire-team begins to bound forward.
This leapfrog procession continues until the squad has successfully crossed and secured the far side of the objective…or until the squad is so near to the enemy fighting positions that a mad charge into the enemy line is coordinated and ordered by the squad leader. There are three dangerous tendencies that troops fall into while conducting this task:
• Muzzle creep.
• Funneling.
• Glancing back.
Muzzle creep means that as the troops IMT forward—whether in buddy teams or as a fire-team—they become slipshod as to where their weapons are pointing. The intensity of actions on the objective, and in particular a ‘hot’ objective with outgoing and incoming fire requires a great deal of discipline in muzzle control. It is the individual’s responsibility to be certain that his weapon is always pointing in the suspected direction of the enemy!
Funneling is a term that refers to the phenomenon of troops massing together in middle of the objective. Troops aren’t stupid. They can see who the bad guys are and have a clear understanding of the threat to themselves and their buddies. When crossing an objective, the troops will mass together at the points of interest on the objective. They do this to be certain that the threat is eliminated and to get information from their buddies. However, this means other areas just to the sides and rear of the objective are not secured. And that’s dangerous. So, it is the responsibility of the fire-team leader to assign each member of the team a sector to move across the objective, and to enforce this practice. Remember that each troop should be assigned a position in the online sweep as a matter of SOP. That way he always knows who will be on his right, and who will be on his left.
Glancing back refers to the habit of troops looking back over their shoulder at the team bounding up behind them. It is generally a healthy habit for a troop to glance back over his shoulder while patrolling. This ensures that information can be passed up the column as well as down the column.
However, when setting a base of fire, the bounding element is relying solely on the over-watch element to suppress the enemy. This cannot be done effectively if the members of the over-watch element are looking back over their shoulders to see how the bounding element is doing and to see what’s taking them so long. This habit must be broken by a combined effort of the fire-team leaders and squad leader to ensure effective, suppressive fires are placed on the objective.
Summary
Other than for demonstrative purposes or practice, IMTs should not be utilized with strict regard to form. IMTs should suit your needs as you maneuver around in a particularly hostile situation. The goal is not to exhaust you, contrary to the numerous drill sergeants who employ these techniques as a form of punitive exercise. Instead, you should be ready to mix and match these techniques as you and your buddy team, fireteam, or squad move toward and away from enemy fires in the least exhausting, yet safest method. Don’t get lazy! That could prove fatal.
