Dismounted Reconnaissance Troop - Army Electronic Publications ...

Reconnaissance Operations
Nonhostile contact. This new category covers contact with personnel or elements that do not
pose an immediate lethal threat to friendly forces. Some examples are:
Civilians (belligerent or nonhostile).
Factions.
PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
3-96. During the mission planning, leaders evaluate a number of factors to determine their impact on the
unit’s actions on contact. For example, the troop needs to consider how the likelihood of contact will affect
its choice of movement techniques and formations. Through this analysis, the leaders can begin preparing
their unit for actions on contact; for example, they may outline procedures for the transition to more secure
movement techniques or cue surveillance assets before contact is initiated.
3-97. Leaders also understand that properly executed actions on contact require time at both platoon and
troop levels. For example, to fully develop the situation, a platoon or troop may have to execute extensive
lateral movement or call for and adjust indirect fires. Each of these activities requires time. The troop must
balance the time required for subordinate elements to conduct effective actions on contact with the need for
higher elements to maintain tempo and momentum. In terms of slowing the tempo of an operation, the loss
of a platoon or team is normally much more costly to future operations than the additional time required to
allow the subordinate element to properly develop the situation.
INITIAL CONTACT
3-98. Dismounted reconnaissance troop units must be prepared to execute actions on contact during the
conduct of reconnaissance missions. Whether the platoon remains undetected or is identified by threat
forces, it must first take actions to protect itself, find out what it is up against, and decide on a COA. To
properly execute actions on contact, the platoon must take action consistent with the fundamentals of
reconnaissance:
Ensures continuous reconnaissance.
Does not keep reconnaissance assets in reserve.
Orients on the reconnaissance objective.
Reports all information rapidly and accurately.
Retains freedom of maneuver.
Gains and maintains enemy contact.
Develops the situation.
FIVE STEPS OF ACTIONS ON CONTACT
3-99. When contact is made, the unit executes actions on contact, designated by TACSOP, to maintain
freedom of maneuver and avoid becoming decisively engaged. It takes the five steps of actions on contact:
Deploys and reports.
Evaluates and develops the situation.
Chooses a COA.
Executes the COA.
Recommends a COA to the higher commander.
3-100. The steps that make up actions on contact must be thoroughly trained and rehearsed so that the unit
can react instinctively as a team whenever it encounters threat forces. These actions apply to all DRT scout
platoons, sections, and teams.
STEP 1 – DEPLOY AND REPORT
3-101. When a scout makes contact with the threat, he reacts according to the circumstances of the
contact. The unit that makes initial visual contact with the threat deploys to covered terrain that affords
16 November 2010 ATTP 3-20.97 3-25