MOVEMENT

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MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES AND FORMATIONS
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THE FIRE TEAM FORMATIONS

• WEDGE AND FILE
• USED FOR CONTROL FLEXIBILITY AND SECURITY
• LEADERS ARE UP FRONT IN THE FORMATION WHICH
• ALLOWS THEM TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
• FOLLOW ME AND DO AS I DO.
• ALL SOLDIERS IN THE TEAM MUST BE ABLE TO SEE
• THE LEADER

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MOVEMENT FORMATIONS

• Formations. Formations are arrangements of units
  and of soldiers in relation to each other. We use
  formations for control, security, and
  flexibility.
• Control. Every squad and soldier has a standard
  position. Soldiers can see their team leaders.
  Fire team leaders can see their squad leaders.
  Leaders control their units using arm-and-hand
  signals.
• (2) Security. Formations also provide 360-degree
  security and allow units to give the weight of
  their firepower to the flanks or front in
  anticipation of enemy contact.
• (3) Flexibility. Formations do not demand parade
  ground precision. Squads and fireteams must
  retain the flexibility needed to vary their
  formations to the situation. The use of
  formations allows soldiers to execute battle
  drills more quickly and gives them the assurance
  that their leaders and buddy team members are in
  their expected positions and performing the right
  tasks.

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Beginners NO-NOs
Vietnam was a war, not a movie. I don't doubt
that with constant rotation of personnel, and a
lot of young lieutenants, that some of the silly
things you see in Vietnam-era War movies actually
took place. Point is not a job for some green kid
because he's more expendable. Point is the most
important job in the patrol. I suppose if your
patrol is undisciplined, noisy, high on drugs,
listening to portable radios, and stumbling along
through the jungle loaded down with comic books
and all kinds of other crap there is VERY GOOD
CHANCE you are going to get ambushed. In the
movies these patrols put cherries on point
because they know they are going to get hit. This
is the stupidest, most screwed up, irresponsible
bag of shit I can think of. If you think you are
doing anyone any good by running your unit in
this manner you should be shot on sight. You go
on patrol for a lot of reasons, but you don't do
it to kill off your own people. Your job is to
give the enemy the best opportunity that you can
to die for him to die. It's not the other way
around. Other things you see in movies that
would get you slapped for trying on a patrol
Rolling your sleeves up for any reason.
Wearing camouflage paint in some silly "war
paint" design. Carrying your weapon on your
shoulder. Sauntering along like you are on a
nature hike. Not wearing camouflage at all
times. Stumbling, falling, tripping, making
noise of any kind. Dropping anything on the
ground. Talking of any kind
5
Movement
Movement refers to the shifting of forces on the
battlefield. The key to moving successfully
involves selecting the best combination of
formations and movement techniques in each
situation. Leaders consider the factors of
mission, enemy, terrain, and troops and time
available (METT-T) in selecting the best route
and the appropriate formation and movement
technique. The leader's selection must allow
moving teams to-- Maintain cohesion. Maintain
momentum. Provide maximum protection. Make
contact in a manner that allows them to
transition smoothly to offensive or defensive
action.
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Position responsibilities
Point His mission is to provide security, NOT to
navigate. The point man should not stray too far
ahead. The Team Chief must be able to control his
direction and see him at all times. The point
must be very alert for booby traps, ambushes, and
enemy patrols, positions, etc. The point man
walks in front If the point man does not keep an
eye on the patrol, and the patrol stops for any
reason, they will break contact. The point man is
the patrols primary defense against ambush. They
must be able to spot an ambush before the patrol
gets within the kill zone. They will communicate
by hand and arm signals. At night, or in dense
vegetation, or rocky terrain, the point man will
close up to the patrol. Tired men have a habit of
looking at the ground in front of them. It is
difficult to concentrate for long periods of time
in a high-pressure situation like point. The
point man should not be in place for longer than
one hour. 30 minutes is a better time period.
That way your point team will always be alert. If
your patrol is not large enough to rotate the
point, or you have other reasons, make sure that
your point team is a good one.
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Position responsibilities
Rear Security His mission is to provide security
behind the patrol. He must maintain contact with
the man in front of him by following. As a rule
every third step the man takes he will turn
around and check his rear. He is looking for a
trailing element or any enemys flanking
movement. Communication is done by hand and arm
signals.
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Fire team formations

• Team in File
• Team in Wedge

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Wedge
The wedge is the most used movement formation.
The wedge can expand or Contract depending on
terrain.
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WEDGE FORMATION

• IS THE BASIC FORMATION FOR THE FIRE TEAM
• THE INTERVAL BETWEEN SOLDIERS IS NORMALLY 10
• FEET
• EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS DEPENDING ON TERRAIN
• WHEN ROUGH TERRAIN AND POOR VISIBILITY OR OTHER
  FACTORS
• MAKE CONTROL OF THE WEDGE DIFFICULT
• - NORMAL INTERVAL IS REDUCED SO THAT THE
• TEAM LEADER CAN SEE HIS OR HER
  SQUAD
• - THE SIDES OF THE WEDGE CAN CONTRACT TO
• THE POINT WHERE THE WEDGE
  RESEMBLES A FILE
• WHEN MOVING IN LESS RUGGED TERRAIN WHERE
  CONTROL
• IS EASIER, SOLDIERS EXPAND OR RESUME THEIR
  ORIGINAL
• POSITIONS

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Wedge formations
Fire Team Wedge This movement formation is best
in less dense areas. It provides the team with
maximum firepower to the front and easiest
control. The spread is 3-5 meters (5-10ft)
between men. This formation is most common
and easiest to control.
Rifle man
Team Chief
Rifle man
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WEDGE
13
File
When the terrain prevents the use of the wedge
the team leader may use the Fire team file
formation.
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File Formations
Ranger File This movement formation is best
used in extremely dense areas. However This
does change the orientation of fires from the
front to the sides.
Rifle man (point)
Team Chief
The last man in the formation Is REAR SECURITY
Rifle man (rear Security)
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Fire team in file formation
Using this movement formation the Chief can
bring rapid fires to his flanks.
16
Scenario using the incorrect movement style
Only one man can bring effective fire On the
enemy.
17
Scenario using the incorrect movement style
This rifleman Cant even See the enemy
Only two men can bring effective fire On the
enemy.
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Squad in column
The squad in column is the most common formation.
It provides good security and still allows for
excellent control. The lead fire team is the
base Team in the formation and is the one most
likely to make contact first. This allows the
trailing fire team to maneuver on the enemy.
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Squad in columnFire teams in Wedge
A Team chief
Squad Leader
Special Weapons
Sniper
RTO
B Team Chief
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Squad in line
The squad in line allows maximum firepower to the
front! This is most often used when the enemy
location is uncertain but must be made.
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Squad in line
B Team chief
A Team Chief
Squad Leader
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Squad in File
The Squad file has the same charactistics as Fire
team File. If the Squad Leader wants to increase
control of the movement he can lead from the
point Of this formation.
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Squad in File
Squad Leader
B Team chief
A Team Chief
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Squad Movement techniques

• Traveling over watch
• Bounding over watch

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EXAMPLE OF SQUAD LEADERS ORDER TO BOUND
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TRAVELING OVERWATCH This is the extended form of
traveling the provides additional security when
speed is desirable but contact is possible. The
lead element moves continuously. The trail
element moves at various speeds and may halt
periodically to over watch movement of the lead
element.
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TRAVELINGOVERWATCH
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BOUNDING OVERWATCH Bounding over watch is used
when contact is expected. It is the most secure,
but slowest, movement technique. The purpose of
bounding over watch is to deploy prior to
contact, giving the unit the ability to protect a
bounding element by immediately suppressing an
enemy force.
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BOUNDINGOVERWATCH
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Actions at halt
Whenever you stop for any reason everyone must
form a hasty perimeter. You must never stand up
unless you are moving. The instant the patrol
stops everyone quietly moves a few feet out and
forms a defensive perimeter. This can be a simple
cigar shape. When in formation everyone has a
direction they will watch while stopped. You
don't want everyone walking off to the left and
leaving the right unguarded. It is important to
know that whenever you stop this allows several
things to happen. First everyone should take
about 2 min to just look, listen and smell for
any sign of enemy contact. Second the leaders
should pass out information as well as any
pertinent information to their men. Third dont
stop for long periods of time without setting
sectors of fire to men.
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A word about Danger Areas

• A DANGER AREA IS ANY PLACE ON A ROUTE WERE THE
  LEADER THINKS THAT THE UNIT MIGHT BE
  EXPOSED TO ENEMY OBSERVATION, FIRE, OR BOTH. IF
  A UNIT MUST CROSS A DANGER AREA IT DOES SO WITH
  GREAT CAUTION AND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
• TYPES OF DANGER AREAS
• OPEN AREAS CONCEAL THE UNIT ON THE NEAR SIDE
  AND OBSERVE
• THE AREA. POST SECURITY TO GIVE EARLY WARNING.
  SEND AN ELEMENT
• ACROSS TO CLEAR THE FAR SIDE. WHEN CLEARED,
  CROSS THE REMAINDER
• OF THE UNIT AT THE FAR SIDE.
• ROADS AND TRAILS CROSS ROADS OR TRAILS AT OR
  NEAR A BEND A
• NARROW SPOT OR ON LOW GROUND
• VILLAGES PASS VILLAGES ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE AND
  WELL AWAY
• FROM THEM. AVOIDE ANIMALS, ESPECIALLY DOGS,
  WHICH MIGHT
• REVEAL THE PRESENSE OF THE UNIT
• ENEMY POSITIONS PASS ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE. BE
  ALERT FOR TRIP WIRES AND WARNING DEVICES.

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A word about Danger Areas

• - STREAMS SELECT A NARROW SPOT IN THE STREAM
  THAT OFFERS
• CONCEALMENT ON BOTH BANKS. OBSERVE THE
  FARSIDE CAREFULLY.
• EMPLACE NEAR AND FAR-SIDE
  SECURITY FOR EARLY WARNING. CLEAR
• THE FAR SID, THEN CROSS
  RAPIDLY BUT QUIETLY
• - OBSTACLES AVOIDE OBSTICALES (THE ENEMY
  COVERS
• OBSTACLES WITH OBSERVATION AND FIRE).
• CROSSING OF DANGER AREAS WHEN A UNIT CROSSES
  A DANGER AREA IT MUST
• DESIGNATE NEAR AND FAR SIDE RALLY POINTS
• SECURE THE NEAR SIDE (RIGHT,LEFT FLANKS, AND REAR
  SECURITY).
• RECON. AND SECURE THE FAR SIDE
• EXECUTE CROSSING THE DANGER AREA.