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

2. Mounted and Dismounted
Breaking Contact
Mounted and Dismounted

3. Breaking Contact
RISK ASSESSMENT
LOW

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

5. Breaking Contact
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

6. Breaking Contact
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

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. Breaking Contact
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.

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 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