BATTLE DRILLS SQUAD ATTACK REACT TO CONTACT BREAK CONTACT REACT TO AMBUSH
SECURITY
RANGE CARDS
SECTOR SCETCHES
PERSONNEL SERVICE SUPPORT (reports)
EVACUATION OF WOUNDED
REFERENCE GUIDE (weapons capabilities)
9-LINE MEDEVAC
9-LINE IED/UXO REPORT
TROOP-LEADING PROCEDURES
Troop leading is the process a leader goes through to prepare his unit to accomplish a tactical mission. It begins when he is alerted for a mission. It starts again when he receives a change or a new mission. The troop-leading procedure comprises the steps listed below. Steps 3 through 8 may not follow a rigid sequence. Many of them may be accomplished concurrently. In combat, rarely will leaders have enough time to go through each step in detail. Leaders must use the procedure as outlined, if only in abbreviated form, to ensure that nothing is left out of planning and preparation, and that their soldiers understand the platoon’s and squad’s mission and prepare adequately. They continuously update their estimates throughout the preparation phase and adjust their plans as appropriate.
STEP 1 Receive the mission.
STEP 2 Issue a warning order.
STEP 3 Make a tentative plan.
STEP 4 Start necessary movement.
STEP 5 Reconnoiter.
STEP 6 Complete the plan.
STEP 7 Issue the complete order.
STEP 8 Supervise.
FM 7-8
a. STEP 1. Receive the Mission. The leader may receive the mission in a warning order, an operation order (OPORD), or a fragmentary order (FRAGO). He immediately begins to analyze it using the factors of METT-T
• What is the MISSION?
• What is known about the ENEMY?
Ž How will TERRAIN and weather affect the operation?
• What TROOPS are available?
• How much TIME is available?
(1) The leader should use no more than one third of the available time for his own planning and for issuing his operation order. The remaining two thirds is for subordinates to plan and prepare for the operation. Leaders should also consider other factors such as available daylight and travel time to and from orders and rehearsals. In the offense, the leader has one third of the time from his receipt of the mission to the unit’s LD time. In the defense, he has one third of the time from mission receipt to the time the squad or platoon must be prepared to defend.
(2) In scheduling preparation activities, the leader should work back-wards from the LD or defend time. This is reverse planning. He must allow enough time for the completion of each task.
b. STEP 2. Issue a Warning Order. The leader provides initial instructions in a warning order. The warning order contains enough information to begin preparation as soon as possible. Platoon SOPs should prescribe who will attend all warning orders and the actions they must take upon receipt: for example, drawing ammunition, rations and water, and checking communications equipment. The warning order has no specific format. One technique is to use the five-paragraph OPORD format. The leader issues the warning order with all the information he has available at the time. He provides updates as often as necessary. The leader never waits for information to fill a format. If available, the following information may be included in a warning order.
• The mission or nature of the operation.
• Who is participating in the operation.
• Time of the operation.
Ž Time and place for issuance of the operation order.
c. STEP 3. Make a Tentative Plan. The leader develops an estimate of the situation to use as the basis for his tentative plan. The estimate is the military decision making process. It consists of five steps: detailed mission analysis, situation analysis and course of action development, analysis of each course of action, comparison of each course of action, and decision. The decision represents the tentative plan. The leader updates the estimate continuously and refines his plan accordingly. He uses this plan as the start point
