Fire Team (s)

[JohnyMac]

I would like to get a discussion started on Fire Teams. Below is currently what the US Military is doing in this regards.

United States
Army

The United States Army particularly emphasizes the fireteam concept.[2]

According to US Army Field Manual 3-21.8 (Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad, formerly FM 7-8[3]) a typical United States Army fireteam consists of four soldiers:

    Team Leader (TL): The NCO holds the rank of Sergeant or Corporal (although occasionally a team is led by a Specialist or Private First Class). Provides tactical leadership for the team at all times with a "Do As I Do" attitude; standard equipped with backpack GPS/radio set, and either an M16 rifle or M4 carbine. A Squad Leader or Assistant Squad Leader may replace the team leader at the squad or section level.
    Rifleman (R): Is 'the baseline standard for all Infantrymen'. They are equipped with the M16 rifle or M4 carbine. The rifleman is usually assigned with the grenadier to help balance the firepower capabilities of the automatic rifleman.
    Grenadier Rifleman (GR): Provides limited high-angle fire over 'Dead zones'. A grenadier is equipped with an M4/M16 with the M203 grenade launcher (or newer M320 grenade launcher) mounted to the weapon.
    Automatic Rifleman (AR): Second-in-command next to Team Leader: provides overwatch and suppressive fire through force multiplication. The most casualty producing person in a fireteam, in terms of firepower and maneuverability when compared to the standard nine-man rifle squad. An automatic rifleman is equipped with a M249 light machine gun. The automatic rifleman is usually assigned with the team leader to maximize directed fields of fire and to help balance the firepower capabilities of the grenadier.

In the context of a Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT)'s Infantry Rifle Companies,[4] one man from each fireteam in a rifle squad is either the Squad Leader (SL),[5] Assistant Squad Leader (ASL), the squad machine gunner (MG), the squad assistant gunner (AG), the squad radiotelephone operator (RTO), the squad rifleman/compassman (R/CM), the Squad Anti-armor Specialist (RMAT), armed with the FGM-148 Javelin, or the Squad Designated Marksman (DM), who carries the M4 carbine and M14 rifle. In all cases these specialized function replaces the basic rifleman position in the fireteam.[6]
Marine Corps
US Marines on patrol in Afghanistan, 2009.

The United States Marine Corps summarizes its fireteam organization with the mnemonic "ready-team-fire-assist", the following being the arrangement of the fireteam when in a column:

    Rifleman: acts as a scout for the fireteam; "Ready".
    Team Leader: uses the M203 and works as the designated grenadier; "Team".
    Designated Automatic Rifleman: uses the M249 light machine gun or M27 IAR and serves as second in command for the fireteam; "Fire".
    Assistant Automatic Rifleman: carries extra ammunition for the team; "Assist".

Other

Many other armed forces see the squad as the smallest military unit; some countries' armies have a pair consisting of two soldiers as the smallest military unit. In others a fireteam is composed of two pairs of soldiers (fire and maneuver team) forming a fireteam. Chinese military forces traditionally use a three-man 'cell' (equivalent to fireteam) as the smallest military formation.[7]

Whether you have attended training at Max Velocity Tactical,  Mountain Guerrilla or another fine training facility, the training revolves around a Fire Team.

For the forum members that are just getting on the prepping band wagon, one thing many preppers leave off their "to do list" is defense. Defense in the simple sense of keeping the bad guys away from your AO.

So many preppers think that if they buy a firearm they will be able to defend their home. This is not true in that if I wanted your home and what you have in it I would just sit outside and pick you and your family off with the scoped 30/06 rifle I use for deer hunting. No, you will have to run patrols around your AO to intercept any threats on your, not their terms. This is where a team of 3-4 people (fire team from here out) will be needed.

So lets start an open discussion about fire teams. Some questions that come mind are:

> Do you think a fire team will be needed in a minor collapse, SHTF, or TEOTWAWKI scenario?
> How did you recruit your fire team?
> What is your plan for your fire team?
> If you have set up a fire team, how are the duties broken up or assigned?
> How often do you train?
> Have you attended one of the aforementioned training facilities? How was it?
> Other?

O-Kay folks let 'er rip.

[Kentactic]

I don't think a patrol by a fire team can do much against a sniper. Unless you can call in artillery to a vague location that a shot came from, you'll all fall in hours or days, one by one. Counter snipers is all that can be done. Hidden eyes in the brush waiting for the sniper to move and become visible.

[JohnyMac]

Ken, the point is to intercept the threat (s) before they reach your AO. Observe, capture or neutralize as necessary.

We run patrols around our AO at the cabin about 1-2 miles out when ever we can. Typically it is a patrol of one human (Me) and one Dutch Shepherd (Dorothy). When family or friends come to visit they run the patrol with Dorothy and me too.

Dorothy has gotten real good at it. She typically matches my pace about 10-15 yards in front of me. A low whistle she stops and looks back at me and I guide her as to the direction we should travel with arm movements. She see's and smells things I do not. 

[CJS06]

Johny

That is a ton to absorb/get into.  I would not focus on the Fire Team as employed by the US Army or Marines. They are based upon support from bigger elements and heavier weapons from team, squad, platoon......including artillery and air support. I do agree with your concept of patrol by team. The team can be duties can be distributed/determined by capabilities (experience, health, gear, etc).

 In the small unit training I have been involved in we focused less on a firm organizational structure and more on good communication and support.  The problem with a strict structure is that even in training things go to pot quick and if you are not fluid enough within your team effectiveness goes away quickly.  Without access to a belt-fed or a grenade launcher (one can dream) we employed multiple riflemen and one who was in more of a DM role.  In addition we employed a precision shooter as an overwatch/ support for directed focus points. The key was good communications. It allowed the team to operate independently, in pairs or as a 4 man unit. This allowed us to operate as individuals in observation, as a patrol unit, support each other or as an assault unit, and where applicable with support of the marksman.  We all train to fulfill any of the roles based upon varied situation including the overwatch/precision role. At least once per year we try to train with another team or 2.  This year I believe we have 2 of those dates planned.  12 man movements in 4 man teams can get interesting so you need competent people with good communication, particularly at night.

Unfortunately the guys I train with and have developed the most effective team with are not at all close to one another. We train together 3 to 4 times per year with a different focus on training for each session. If we can at all manage to get together when things start going bad then that is the plan, assuming it is unlikely. We also try to take what we have been working on back to a home group if possible.  Unfortunately even my home group is somewhat spread around N.E. but we do get together a few times a year.  We try to implement the similar training and concepts but some have comms, some dont and skill level/capabilities need to be considered more. Within my immediate are there is maybe one other person that I feel comfortable "working" with.  There are plenty of big talkers but none I would feel safe with and definitely would not be very effective.

I have not had the pleasure of attending either of the training facilities that you mentioned, though Max is very much up on my list of training that I want to attend.  We train in a variety of locals including NH, Wyoming, Utah, FL, Arizona and in different types of ranges all to try to vary the terrain/situations including mountain, deep forest, desert, urban and vehicle in both day and night.

BTW Ken is right if you have a sniper the best you can hope to do is maneuver away from his area and utilize your precision support as counter sniper......unless of course you get some access to Indirect Fire 
 
Chris

[gadget99]

I will chime in a bit.

The Infantry Fireteam is a small unit and it's composition is quite important.

Although the Infantry Squad is the smallest operationally capable unit in the Army.

Yes Fireteams can be used at time for things, yet the Squad composed of two Fireteams is the backbone of the Infantry.

A lone Fireteam that meets contact alone is in deep crap. The reason for the Fireteam is that it is the smallest cohesive maneuver element in Infantry tactics. The squad containing two Fireteams thus has two elements of Maneuver. Even if the Fireteams are understrength you have two elements for maneuver.

Take the common patrol as the example of this. Typically the lead Fireteam is the first to make contact with the enemy. At that point thier job is to lay down a base of fire. The trail Fireteam will then depending upon what the Squad Leader decides. They take up a supporting position and lay down fire so that the lead team can maneuver back to break contact. If the Squad Leader decides to attack, then the trail eam will maneuver to flank the enemy.

In a nutshell. Forming one Fireteam has little or no use. At a bear minimum you have to have two have a squad consisting of two fireteams. even if the teams are understrength. If you want to use modern U.S. Army Infantry tactics you need a Squad.

Here is the manual.

http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/DR_pubs/dr_a/pdf/fm3_21x8.pdf

Cheers

[JohnyMac]

Good stuff Chris and Gadget.

So here are some issues that I read:

> Is one fireteam enough to do patrols around a AO? More is always better 
> Based on available armament to civilians, e.g. M203 grenade launcher, M249 SAW, air support, etc. A different strategy has to be
   employed. One example might be to replace the SAW with a sniper. 
> Finding a fireteam to train with more than 3-4 times a year. The best would be able to train with multiple fireteams to experience
   squad and platoon maneuvers.
> A place to train that live fire can be used during a training period.
> Commit to profe$$ional training as a fireteam several times a year. 

So some questions come to mind:
1) How do you recruit or better, attract someone to your fledgling team? Attract people (Men and women) to commit to, a) fireteam
    training 9-12 times a year, b) and continued individual training, e.g. range time, PT, etc.
2) Other questions?

Some great input gentlemen     

[gadget99]

Good stuff Chris and Gadget.

So here are some issues that I read:

> Is one fireteam enough to do patrols around a AO? More is always better  Would not use a team only for this. Two teams of three personel in a patrol would be as low as I would be comfortable with. In a pinch two teams of 2.
> Based on available armament to civilians, e.g. M203 grenade launcher, M249 SAW, air support, etc. A different strategy has to be
   employed. One example might be to replace the SAW with a sniper.  For a prepper situation I would not get hung up on the weapon types and such. What is needed is bodies that can place aimed fire on the threat.
> Finding a fireteam to train with more than 3-4 times a year. The best would be able to train with multiple fireteams to experience
   squad and platoon maneuvers. I would concentrate on making sure that first of all. Having all potential members read the manual. Then training whenever possible. Make sure that in training the positions are rotated. Train everyone up to squad leader level. That way you can form sctratch units anytime you need them. Just remember. Once formed. Wether for one patrol or for longer. Everyone has to respect the chain of command and follow the Squad Leaders Orders.
> A place to train that live fire can be used during a training period. If possible live fire training is good. Yet walk through and run through training is what you need. Start with no gear in an open area to get it ingrained in the memory.
> Commit to profe$$ional training as a fireteam several times a year.  If possible it might be a good thing. Yet it is more important to just get in some training time.

So some questions come to mind:
1) How do you recruit or better, attract someone to your fledgling team? Attract people (Men and women) to commit to, a) fireteam
    training 9-12 times a year, b) and continued individual training, e.g. range time, PT, etc. To be honest this is the hardest part of the equation. I suggest that the first thing to do is form a small cadre of your group that has this stuff down pat. Then after SHTF you enter into an intensive train-up period using the cadre for trainers and leaders. The physical fitness and stamina will come along as you train and begin patroling. Just tailor the mission to current capability. As people get more fit and resilient you increase the time and intensity of the activity.
2) Other questions?

Some great input gentlemen     

Just added some thoughts in bold.....

Cheers

[JohnyMac]

Thanks Gadget.

[Currahee]

Critical to the concept of the fire team is the idea of fire and maneuver.  I prefer the term "maneuver element" because it refers to any size element that moves independent of other elements.  It can be a vehicle, a three man fire team or a battalion of mech infantry depending on resources area of operation and scope of the battlefield.

Fire and maneuver is the underlying principle of all military tactics since WWI.  Roughly when one group provides supporting fire while the other maneuvers.  It doesn't matter if it's a hasty attack, and ambush or a deliberate assault on a prepared objective, the idea is the same.

If you have friends that you train with, expect to be fighting with, I would suggest discussing this and figuring out a way to train for it. Two people that know how to fire and maneuver are much more deadly than two guys huddled together trying to figure out what to do. Of course if you can produce a couple of real fire teams, more the better... let me borrow a grenade launcher.

When you practice it is important to work out details of communication, direction of fire and trust.

The ECAS website is back up and running click here. Follow the tactics link, there are about 3 pages directly on small teams and 3-5 more on tangential stuff.  It is basically the military FM re-written for the civilian without much reference to to support and heavy weapons.

We also have a video or two up that references ways to training fire and maneuver.

JMC: Fixed Currahee's link to Every Citizen A Soldier

[special-k]

  @ Currahee

[JohnyMac]

Good to see that your site is back up and running Currahee 

All good stuff folks. My next question is: How do you find a group of men & women to train with - Craigs List?

Looking for a few good men & women wanting to train for the end of all days and the rape and pillage to follow. Applicants should have a minimum of: A semi automatic rifle that has detachable magazines, 10,000 rounds of ammunition to support that rifle, a secondary firearm (handgun) shooting 9mm ammunition, 3 day assault pack, VHF/UHF hand held radio, and a fixed blade knife. M203 grenade launcher, ceramic body armor, night vision not needed to play but an extra bonus.

 

[JohnyMac]

I ran across this site authored by Danmoran76, who is posting some good stuff. I want to highlight his Patrol series. I will C&P The Patrol-Chapter 1 below. To move onto the next one (He has 9 chapters) and other great stuff scroll down to the bottom of his page and click the previous/next arrows.

Enjoy.

The Patrol - Chapter 1
by DANMORAN76

Our RON (Remain-Over-Night) is hidden well up the mountain in a draw, deep in the tangled nightmare of a laurel thicket, known to the locals as an “Ivy Hell”. The name speaks for itself.

Andy spotted the potential location as we patrolled slowly following the spur northwest, first in a diamond formation then later, as the trees and vegetation thickened, into a Ranger file formation, down from the ridge line of the mountain behind us.

Andy was walking point and, doing double duty as the compass man, reading the terrain and keeping us on course. Al, the second man in the patrol, was keeping the pace count. Andy noted, as he frequently looked back, that Al was maintaining a good interval, just far enough back to be barely visible to Andy.

He stopped after passing the large laurel thicket about 500 meters down into the draw, turned to Al, and made eye contact with him. Andy slowly raised his support hand to a point just below his shoulder, palm open, fingers pointed up, and moved them slowly in a tight circular motion, then pointed to the thicket. Rally point. Al nodded and when he passed the same point, he sent the signal back to the next man in the file, Jim.  When Jim passed the same point, he sent the signal to me, the last man in the patrol. By designating this new rally point, the previous designated RP at the top of the mountain behind us, now became the active point. Per our SOP, we would meet there if we were separated.

As I passed the thicket, I knew what Andy had in mind. We needed to find a place to RON soon. It was very early spring in the Southern Appalachians where night comes on quickly in the deep, narrow valleys.

We continued on the same azimuth further down into the draw about one hundred meters, turned north, to the right, continued another fifty meters, then turned west on our back azimuth until we passed the thicket once more, about 150 meters or so.  The J-hook put us into position to watch our back trail as per our SOP. Again, making sure Al saw him, he held his hand up just below shoulder level, same as with the rally point but motionless this time, just his hand in the air. Then he touched his ear with the hand. A listening halt.

The signal was passed back. We all slowly dropped to the prone, each selecting a nearby position which would provide some cover and concealment, such as a large rock, tree trunk, slight depression or mound of earth. Then, when in the prone, each of us slipped one arm out of a shoulder strap of our ruck and grounded it at our front to provide additional concealment, weapons support and maybe a little cover from small arms fire. Team patrolling Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)  required each of us to keep one arm in the other strap in the event we needed to get them back on quickly. This technique worked especially well at night when you couldn’t see to find the ruck straps. Each man scanned his sector. First man in the direction of travel, second man to the right, third man to the left and last man to the rear.

We silently monitored our back trail for about fifteen minutes listening to the sounds of the forest for anything unusual: cracking twigs, rustling leaves, voices. Looking for anything out of the ordinary such as movement, unusual colors, familiar shapes, such as the human form and straight lines like a rifle.  Sniffing at the damp, earthy smells in the air in order to detect unusual odors associated with humans: smoke, cooking food, bug spray, body wastes.

Satisfied the area was safe and we weren’t being trailed, Andy looked toward Al for just a moment and touched two fingers to his forehead just above the brim of his boonie cap. The signal was passed back to me. I, being the Patrol Leader (PL) for this mission, was wanted forward. Rising slowly, I slipped my ruck on and moved quietly past Jim, who, in noting my passing, now turned slightly and began scanning my old sector to the rear, as well as his to the left, keeping our patrol’s 360 degree security intact.

We had intentionally spread so far apart, barely able to make out the outline of the man to the front and back, that I couldn’t make out Al’s location. Jim noticed I had stopped, crouched, and was scanning for him. Jim motioned with a slight tilt of his head toward Al’s location. Al was lying prone in the long afternoon shadows of a large poplar tree among some smaller saplings.  He was wearing our groups standard winter patrol uniform: Realtree shirt and pants, Multicam boonie with a little jute and burlap tied through the hat-loops to help break up the shape of the head, coyote Mechanixs gloves and Marine Corps RAT boots. With camo face paint covering his face, neck, and ears, front and back, and an AR-15 painted Duracoat green and brown, he was nearly invisible to the unaided eye. I was still scanning when I suddenly saw the motion of his head turning to look in my direction. He grinned at me, white teeth shining. As I moved past him, he was still smirking, so I gave him a “gentle” love tap with my foot into his outstretched leg to show my appreciation for his camouflage skills.

Soon I was laying next to Andy who pointed to the laurel thicket and said quietly “RON site?” I glanced toward the thick mess. These men had been trained to choose a RON location that a hunter, hiker or OPFOR wouldn’t inadvertently stumble upon. It wasn’t along a natural line of drift. Hell, no one in their right mind would think to look, much less venture into the jumbled-up mess, for the four men who were resting there while planning and preparing for the next phase of their mission.

Looking back at Andy, I whispered “I’ll check it out, you and the fellows stay tight and provide security. Andy nodded as he continued to scan. Looking around toward Al, I waited until he was looking in my direction during his sector scan. I caught his eye and touched the fingers of my support hand under my chin to indicate “me”. Then pointed toward the thicket. I then repeated the sign but then swept the same hand forward and pointed to him. You. I then formed the index and middle fingers into a “V”, and touched the cheeks below my eyes.  Al nodded. I had told him I would check out the potential RON site, he would stay and provide security. It was Al’s job to pass the message down the line to the next in line, in this case, Jim.

After occupying the RON, we will normally send out a small two-man Reconnaissance & Surveillance (R&S) patrol into the area surrounding our perimeter, probably over both spurs surrounding our site. So, while Andy continued to scan his sector, I moved to a large nearby oak tree, stood up next to it and looked over the surrounding area. The draw was still wide and steep, about 800 meters across, heavily wooded and littered with small moss-covered boulders and large rocks that were found mostly along the quiet stream.  The stream meandered down the middle and bisected the laurel thicket on its way down the mountain to become Burningtown Creek. Wouldn’t have to go far for water. No major game trails or human footpaths could be seen and the surrounding foliage was just starting thicken, so we should be able to hear and see someone approaching from a distance. The natural lines-of-drift wouldn’t lead someone into our site. Nothing left to do now but investigate the thicket. Even though we understood this wasn’t considered a patrol base, the requirements for a RON would be similar.

I left the concealment of the tree, and moved toward the darkness of the thicket. This would be a one man recon-by-force. Not exactly SOP. If there were bad guys waiting, hidden in the laurel, I was a dead man. The terrain was so thick that Andy, the other man on my fire team, would not be able to offer much in the way of support anyway, so I had him remain in place outside the thicket providing security. After finding a small opening near the ground, I got on my hands and knees and began slowly crawling, rucksack still on my back, and AR still in my weapons hand, into the thicket. Pushing aside the occasional briar vine with a gloved hand, I continued to make my way until I came into a fairly large opening that had been caused by the uprooted trunk of a large fallen tree. The rotting trunk had left a small path out of the uphill side of the thicket. It would work as an alternate egress path. The small, depressed stream bed running downhill would be another.

The Mountain Laurel doesn’t lose its leaves along its canopy top and sides, even in the dead of winter. The leaves just droop somewhat until the day warms. But under the canopy of a large thicket, the laurel is a network of interwoven limbs that are usually bare from lack of sun on the inside with a layer of green leaves along the outside. It appears you are in a large room complete with a very thick layer of dead brown laurel lives covering the ground much like carpet. Older, undisturbed thickets can be thirty feet tall and hundreds of feet wide. So, we would have plenty of overhead concealment to help break up our heat signature tonight from the prying eyes of any aerial platform equipped with thermal imaging equipment that might over fly our area, as well as thick concealment on the sides to thwart handheld thermal devices from ground forces. There were a few small boulders that would provide some cover for a short period of time.

A four-man reconnaissance element shouldn’t be expected to wage a protracted fight. It relies on stealth and camouflage and therefore travels very light. Or if it is compromised, it relies on speed to un-ass the Area-of-Operations (AO) quickly. Stealth and speed requires proper training, specialized equipment, good fitness and a plan.

Having checked out the thicket to my satisfaction and noting that it met all the criteria for a RON, I rolled out of my rucksack and pushed it under some dead fall to hide it.  Retracing my way back out of the thicket to the patrol, I caught Andy’s attention and called them in by making the rally hand signal and then placed my hand on top of my boonie. Rally on me.

Up next, establishing the RON.

[Erick]

I don't think a patrol by a fire team can do much against a sniper. Unless you can call in artillery to a vague location that a shot came from, you'll all fall in hours or days, one by one. Counter snipers is all that can be done. Hidden eyes in the brush waiting for the sniper to move and become visible.

I respectfully disagree.

Why?
Becaus we are not tlaking about a military environment and a military operational concept.

Planning for the most likely threat thats not  amilitary sniper but just some dude with a rifle ( or two)

The old agade "if yu dont patrol it you dont own it" fully applies in this environment ( as it does in all others).

Even a trained buddy team will field MUCH more combat power than an untrained 3 man team.

If you can even field a trained 4 man team you will be much better prepared for dicey situations than 6 dudes with rifles.

[JohnyMac]

I totally agree with Erick however I like this expression a bit better, "If you patrol it you own it." 

I know Ken you are in a different situation/environment ala... Urban... S.Cal.

[Kentactic]

I totally agree with Erick however I like this expression a bit better, "If you patrol it you own it." 

I know Ken you are in a different situation/environment ala... Urban... S.Cal.

Yeah, I just put myself in the attackers shoes. I simply sit and wait for however many hours, pull the trigger a few times and then go collect my new gear. I remember hearing on a secret service documentary once "Anyone can kill the president if they're willing to give up their own life". In this case we ain't the secret service. We're more like cops at best. Anyone who wants to dial 911 and take shots at the responders will get kills. The most important thing the patrol can do is not be predictable. Leave base hauling ass in a vehicle one day, under the cover of darkness on foot the next. Turn left at the trail fork one day, then right on the next patrol. If they know when and where you'll be you're toast if they want toast.

[CJS06]

An important part of patrolling is familiarity with your AO.  If you are at a fixed position that you will be in for long time or chose to defend (aka Johnys redoubt) then consistent patrolling is important. It gives you an advantage of being able to notice when thing are not right or out of place. It gives you the advantage if you need to respond to a threat of understanding where positions of advantage are, both for observation and response.  As ken pointed out if someone is willing to wait then they can gain a significant advantage particularly if you follow set patterns both in route and times. Change it up constantly.