1. Planning Considerations1
Patrolling
Patrols are missions to gather information or to conduct combat operations.
Infantry platoons and squads conduct three type of patrols: Reconnaissance, Combat, and Tracking.
This section describes the planning considerations used in preparation for patrols, conduct of patrols, and establishment of and actions taken in a patrol base.
Planning Considerations
This paragraph provides the planning considerations common to most patrols. It discusses the required tasks that guide the platoon and squad leader in organizing patrols, the initial planning and coordination requirements, and the coordination requirements for the departure and reentry of friendly lines.
a. Organizing for a patrol mission. This paragraph discusses the different tasks that may be required of a unit for a reconnaissance, combat, or tracking patrol. A patrol is a mission, not an organization.

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To accomplish the patrolling mission, a platoon or squad must perform specific tasks; for example, secure itself, danger area crossings, or rally points; reconnoiter the patrol objective; demolish, breach, support, or assault. As with other missions, the leader tasks elements of his unit in accordance with his estimate of the situation.
He identifies those tasks his unit must perform and decides which elements of his unit will perform which tasks. Where possible, in assigning tasks, the leader should maintain squad and fire team integrity.
The chain of command continues to lead its elements habitually during a patrol. In the discussion that follows, the term “element” and “team” refer to the squads, fire teams, or buddy teams that performed the tasks as described. Squads and fire teams may perform the tasks as described. Squads and fire teams may perform more than one task in an assigned sequence; others may perform only one task. The leader must plan carefully to ensure that he has identified and assigned all required tasks in the most efficient way. Elements and teams for platoons conducting patrols include the following:

3. Patrolling (1) Elements common to all patrols.3
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(1) Elements common to all patrols.
(a) Headquarters element. The headquarters consists of the platoon leader, RATELO, platoon sergeant, FO and FO RATELO. It may consist of any attachments that the platoon leader decides that he or the platoon sergeant must control directly.
(b) Aid and litter team. Aid and litter teams are responsible for treating and evacuating casualties.
(c) Enemy prisoner of war team. EPW teams are responsible for controlling enemy prisoners IAW the five S’s and the leader’s guidance.
(d) Surveillance team. The surveillance team keeps watch on the objective from the time that the leader’s reconnaissance ends until the unit deploys for actions on the objective. They then join their element.
(e) En route recorder. The en route recorder records all information collected during the mission.
(f) Compass man. The compass man assists in navigation by ensuring the lead fire team leader remains on course at all times. Instructions to the compass man must include an initial azimuth with subsequent azimuths provided as necessary.

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The compass man should preset his compass on the initial azimuth before the unit moves out, especially if the move will be during limited visibility conditions. The platoon or squad leader should also designate an alternate compass man.
(2) Combat Patrols.
(a) Assault element. The assault element seizes and secures the objective and protects the special teams as they complete their assigned actions on the objective.
(b) Security element. The security element provides security at danger areas, secures the ORP, isolates the objective, and supports the withdrawal of the rest of the platoon once it completes its assigned actions on the objective.The security element may have separate security teams, each with an assigned task or sequence of tasks.
(c) Support element. The security element provides direct and indirect fire support for the unit.
(d) Demolition team. Demolition teams are responsible for preparing and exploding the charges to destroy equipment, or facilities on the objective.

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(e) Search team. The assault element may comprise two-man (buddy teams) or four-man (fire team) search teams to search bunkers, buildings, or tunnels on the objective. These teams will search the objective or kill zone for casualties, documents, or equipment.
(3) Reconnaissance patrol.
(a) Reconnaissance team. Reconnaissance teams reconnoiter the objective area once the security teams are in position. Normally these are two-man teams (buddy teams) to reduce the possibility of detection.
(b) Reconnaissance and security teams. R&S teams are normally used in a zone reconnaissance, but may be useful in any situation when it is impractical to separate the responsibilities for reconnaissance and security.
b. Initial planning and coordination. Leaders plan and prepare for patrols using the troop leading procedure and the estimate of the situation. Leaders identify required actions on the objective, then plan backward to the departure from friendly lines and forward to the reentry of friendly lines. They normally receive the OPORD in the battalion or company CP where communications are

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Good and key personnel are available. Because patrolling units act independently, move beyond the direct-fire support of the parent unit, and operate forward of friendly units, coordination must be thorough and detailed. They coordinate continuously throughout the planning preparation phases. They use checklists to preclude omitting any items vital to the accomplishment of the mission.
(1) Items coordinated between the leader and the battalion staff or company include--
- Changes or updates in the enemy situation.
- Best use of terrain for routes, rally points, and patrol bases.
- Light and weather data.
- Changes in the friendly situation.
- The attachment of soldiers with special skills or equipment; for example, engineers, sniper teams, scout dog teams, FOs, or interpreters.
- Use and location of landing zones.
- Departure and reentry of friendly lines.
- Fire support on the objective and along the planned routes, including alternate routes.

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- Rehearsal areas and times. The terrain for rehearsal should be similar to that at the objective, to include buildings and fortifications if necessary. Coordination for rehearsals include security of the area, use of blanks, pyrotechnics, and live fire ammunition.
- Special equipment requirements.
- Transportation support, including transportation to and from the rehearsal site.
- Signal plan--call signs, frequencies, code words, pyrotechnics, and challenge and password.
(2) The leader coordinates with the unit through which his platoon or squad will conduct its forward and rearward passage of lines. The specific items for coordination are discussed later.
(3) The leader also coordinates his unit’s patrol activities with the leaders of other units that will be patrolling in adjacent areas at the same time.
c. Completion of the plan. As the platoon leader completes his plan he considers the following:
(1) Essential and supporting tasks. The leader ensures that he has assigned all essential tasks to be performed on the objective, at rally points, at danger areas, at security and surveillance locations, along the

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route (s), and at passage lanes to a squad or fire team as appropriate.
(2) Key travel and execution times. The leader estimates time requirements for movement to the objective, leaders reconnaissance of the objective, establishment of security and surveillance, completion of all assigned tasks on the objective, movement to an objective rally point to debrief the unit, and return to and through friendly lines.
(3) Primary and alternate routes. The leader selects primary and alternate routes to and from the objective. The return routes should differ from the routes to the objective.
(4) Signals. The leader should consider the use of special signals. These include hand-and-arm signals, flares, voice, whistles, radios, and infrared equipment. All signals must be rehearsed so that all soldiers know what they mean.
(5) Challenge and password forward of friendly lines. The challenge and password from the unit’s SOI must not be used beyond the FEBA.
(a) The unit can use the odd-number system. The leader specifies an odd number. The challenge can be any number less than the specified number. The password will be the number that must be

9. On a raid, he normally controls the support element.1
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added to it to equal the specified number.
(b) The unit can also designate a running password. This code word alerts a unit that friendly soldiers are approaching in a less than organized manner and possibly under pressure. This may be used to get soldiers quickly through a compromised passage of friendly lines. The running password is followed by the number of soldiers approaching (“Moosebreath Five”). This prevents the enemy from joining a group in an attempt to penetrate a friendly unit.
(6) Location of leaders. The leader considers where he and the platoon sergeant and other key leaders should be located for each phase of the patrol mission. The platoon sergeant is normally with the following elements for each type of patrol:
On a raid, he normally controls the support element.
On an area reconnaissance, he normally stays in the ORP.
On a zone reconnaissance, he normally moves with the reconnaissance element that sets up the link-up point.

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(7) Actions on enemy contact. Unless required by the mission, the unit avoids enemy contact. The leader’s plan must address actions on chance contact at each phase of the patrol mission. The unit’s ability to continue will depends on how early contact is made, whether the platoon is able to break contact successfully (so that its subsequent direction of movement is undetected), and whether the unit receives any casualties as a result of the contact.
(a) The plan must address the handling of seriously wounded soldiers and KIAs.
(b) The plan must address the handling of prisoners who are captured as a chance contact and are not part of the planned mission.
(8) Contingency plans. The leader leaves his unit for any reason throughout the planning, coordination, preparation, and execution of his patrol mission. Each time the leader departs without radio or wire communications, he must issue a five-point contingency plan to the leader left in charge of the unit.

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d. Departure from Friendly Lines. The departure from friendly lines must be thoroughly planned and coordinated.
(1) Coordination with commander of the friendly unit include:
Items the platoon leader will provide the unit; for example, unit identification, size of the patrol, departure and return times, and the area of the patrolling unit’s operation.
Items that will be provided by the forward unit to the platoon leader:
Additional information on terrain.
Known or suspected enemy positions.
Likely enemy ambush sites.
Likely enemy activity.
Detailed information on friendly positions and obstacle locations. This includes the locations of Ops.
Friendly unit fire plan.
Support that the unit can provide; for example, fire support, litter teams, guides, communications, and reaction force.

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SOI information, signal plan, running password, and procedures for departure and reentry of lines.
Location of dismount point, initial rally point, and departure and reentry points.
(2) The platoon leader coordinates with the leaders of other units that will be patrolling in the same or adjacent areas.
Identification of patrolling units.
Missions of patrolling units.
Routes.
Fire plan.
Signal plan.
Times and points of departure and reentry.
Any information about the enemy.
(3) In his plan for departure of friendly lines, the leader should consider the following sequence of actions:
Making contact with friendly guides at the contact point.
Movement to the coordinated initial rally point.
Completion of final coordination with the friendly unit.

13. Patrolling Final preparations at the initial rally point.1
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Final preparations at the initial rally point.
Movement to and through the passage point. The platoon should remain in single file. The platoon sergeant follows directly behind the guide so that he can count each soldier that passes through the unit’s obstacle system. He gives the count to the guide, tells him how long to wait at the passage point (or when to return), and confirms the running password.
Note: If the platoon makes contact after it is past the departure point, it fights through. Soldiers return to the departure point only if the unit becomes disorganized. They then reoccupy the initial rally point and the leader reports to higher headquarters.
Establish a security-listening halt beyond the friendly unit’s final protective fires.
e. Rally points. The leader considers the use and locations of rally points. A rally point is a place designated by the leader where the unit moves to reassemble and reorganize if it becomes dispersed.
(1) Selection of rally points. The leader physically reconnoiters routes to select rally points whenever possible. He selects tentative points if he can only

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conduct a map reconnaissance. He confirms them by actual inspection as his unit moves through them. Rally points must:
Be easy to find.
Have cover and concealment.
Be away from natural lines of drift.
Be defendable for short periods.
(2) Types of rally points. The most common types of rally points are initial, enroute, objective, reentry, and near-and-far-side rally points. Soldiers must know which rally point to move to at each phase of the patrol mission should they become separated from the unit. They should know what actions are required there and how long they are to wait at each rally point before moving to another.
(a) Initial rally point. An initial rally point is a place inside of friendly lines where a unit may assemble and reorganize if it makes enemy contact during the departure of friendly lines or before reaching the first enroute rally point. It is normally selected by the commander of the friendly unit.

15. Reconnoiter the objective.
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(b) Enroute rally point. The leader designates enroute rally points every 100 to 400 meters (based on the terrain, vegetation, and visibility). When the leader designates a new enroute rally point, the previously designated one goes into effect. This precludes uncertainty which one soldiers should move to if the unit makes contact immediately after the leader designates a new rally point. There are three ways to designate a rally point:
Physically occupy them for a short period. This is the preferred method.
Pass by at a distance and designate using hand-and-arm signals.
Walk through and designate using hand-and-arm signals.
(c) Objective rally point. The objective rally point (ORP) is a point out of sight, sound, and small-arms range of the objective area. It is normally located in the direction that the unit plans to move after completing its actions on the objective. The ORP is tentative until the objective is pinpointed. Actions at or from the ORP include:
Reconnoiter the objective.
Issue a FRAGO, if needed.

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Disseminate information from reconnaissance, if contact was not made.
Making final preparations before continuing operations; for example, recamouflage, preparing demolitions, lining up rucksacks for quick recovery, preparing EPW bindings, first aid kits and litters, and inspecting weapons.
Accounting for soldiers and equipment after actions at the objective are complete.
Reestablish the chain of command after actions at the objective are complete.
(d) Leader’s Reconnaissance of the Objective. The plan must include a leader’s reconnaissance of the objective once the platoon or squad establishes the ORP. Before departing the leader must issue a five-point contingency plan.
This contingency plan is on what his actions are going to be, what actions his unit is to take in the event of enemy action, and what is to be accomplished in his absence.

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These instructions include: where he is Going, Others he is taking with him, Time he will be gone,What happens if he does not return, and Actions to be taken if the unit makes contact and if the platoon / squad leader makes contact.
Each type of patrol requires different tasks during the leader’s reconnaissance. The platoon leader will bring different elements with him. (These are discussed separately under each type of patrol).
An acronym can be used to commit the five-point contingency plan to memory:

18. Patrolling “GO TWA you and me”
1. G - Going, where the platoon / squad leader is going.
2. O - Others, who is the PL/SL taking with him.
3. T -Time, time he will be gone.
4. W - What, what to do if he does not return in time.
5. A - Actions, actions on enemy contact, you and me:
a. If the PL/SL have enemy contact:
1. The PL/SL will ______.
2. The unit (-) will ______.
b. If the unit (-) has enemy contact:
1. The PL/SL will _____.
2. The unit (-) will _____.

19. Patrolling (1) During his reconnaissance, the leader:
Pinpoints the objective.
Selects security, support, and assault positions for his squads and fire teams.
Adjusts his plan based on his observation of the objective.
(2) Each type of patrol requires different tasks during the leader’s reconnaissance. The platoon leader will bring different elements with him. (These are discussed separately under each type of patrol).
(3) The leader must plan time to return to the ORP, complete his plan, and disseminate information, issue orders and instructions, and allow his squad to make any additional preparations.
f. Actions on the Objective. Each type of patrol requires different actions on the objective. (They are discussed separately under each type of patrol).

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