Tactics
One type is employed in an ambush, where a friendly unit performs a surprise attack from a concealed position. Other units may be hidden to the sides of the ambush site to surround the enemy, but care must be taken in setting up fields of fire to avoid friendly fire.
Another type is used in the attack, where a unit encounters an enemy defensive position. Upon receiving fire from the enemy, the unit commander may decide to order a flank attack. A part of the attacking unit “fixes” the enemy with suppressive fire, preventing them from returning fire, retreating or changing position to meet the flank attack. The flanking force then advances to the enemy flank and attacks them at close range. Coordination to avoid friendly fire is also important in this situation.
PROTECTION
Protection means preserving the fighting potential of your unit so that you can deploy it at a decisive time and place. Your Soldiers must take both active and passive measures to protect themselves from surprise, observation, detection, interference, espionage, sabotage,and annoyance. Protection has two basic considerations: sustainment (care of your Soldiers and their equipment) and security (action to counter enemy combat power).
Sustainment uses techniques necessary to maintain your platoon and squads as an
effective fighting force. You train your Soldiers to keep healthy so they can maintain fighting morale through personal hygiene, physical conditioning, and proper rest. You ensure that they keep their equipment in good condition and protect supplies. You instruct them on how to manage their loads so that they carry only essential combat gear.
refers to dispersion, cover, camouflage, deception, and suppression of enemy firepower. Ideally, your Soldiers should remain undetected. But once discovered by the enemy, Soldiers are vulnerable to enemy fire. They must either fight to break contact or destroy the enemy. As an infantry leader, you always want to set the time and place of battle, and you
train your unit to protect itself, maintain combat power, and retain the element of surprise.
MOVEMENT AROUND CORNERS
The area around a corner must be observed before the soldier moves. The most common mistake a soldier makes at a corner is allowing his weapon to extend beyond the corner exposing his position (this mistake is known as flagging your weapon). He should show his head below the height an enemy soldier would expect to see it. The soldier lies flat on the ground and does not extend his weapon beyond the corner of the building. He wears his Kevlar helmet and only exposes his head (at ground level) enough to permit observation. Another corner clearing technique that is used when speed is required is the pie-ing method. This procedure is done by aiming the weapon beyond the corner into the direction of travel (without flagging) and side-stepping around the corner in a circular fashion with the muzzle as the pivot point
MOVEMENT PAST WINDOWS
Windows present another hazard to the soldier. The most common mistakes are exposing the head in a first-floor window and not being aware of basement windows.
When using the correct technique for passing a first-floor window, the soldier stays below the window level and near the side of the building (Figure 3-3). He makes sure he does not silhouette himself in the window. An enemy gunner inside the building would have to expose himself to covering fires if he tried to engage the soldier.
The same techniques used in passing first-floor windows are used when passing basement windows. A soldier should not walk or run past a basement window, since he presents a good target to an enemy gunner inside the building. The soldier should stay close to the wall of the building and step or jump past the window without exposing his legs.
MOVEMENT PARALLEL TO BUILDINGS
Soldiers and small units may not always be able to use the inside of buildings as routes of advance and must move on the outside of the buildings (Figure 3-1). Smoke, suppressive fires, and cover and concealment should be used to hide movement. The soldier moves parallel to the side of the building (maintaining at least 12 inches of separation between himself and the wall to avoid rabbit rounds, ricochets and rubbing or bumping the wall), stays in the shadow, presents a low silhouette, and moves rapidly to his next position . If an enemy gunner inside the building fires on a soldier, he exposes himself to fire from other squad members providing overwatch. An enemy gunner farther down the street would have difficulty detecting and engaging the soldier.
