FM 17-98 SCOUT PLATOON

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CHAPTER 2 Battle Command Battle command is the process that leaders use to assimilate thousands of bits of information and then to visualize the battlefield, assess the situation, and direct military action required to achieve victory. Thinking and acting are simultaneous activities for leaders in battle. The actions inherent in the command and control of combat elements on the modern battlefield are the biggest challenges faced by combat leaders. Command involves directing elements; control entails the steps taken to ensure that the directions are carried out. The greatest tactician in the world would be ineffective if he did not properly use the methods available to direct and control his combat elements. Command and control must be kept extremely simple to be effective. The scout platoon leader leads his platoon and is assisted by the PSG. He uses a variety of techniques to plan operations, issue orders, employ the platoon, and communicate. At platoon level, effective use of command and control is a function of several critical factors: leadership, training, a sound and thoroughly understood standing operating procedure (SOP), and the tactically sound employment of control measures and communications equipment and techniques. As noted, the scout platoon’s primary functions are to gather information (reconnaissance) and perform limited security missions. Except when it is operating as a part of a larger force, the platoon is not organized and equipped to undertake operations that entail a significant offensive component, such as counterreconnaissance, armed reconnaissance, reconnaissance by fire, reconnaissance in force, or target acquisition. The unique informationgathering capabilities of the scout platoon at the task force level should be preserved by limiting direct contact with the enemy force to that necessary for self-defense. Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 CONTENTS Command Relationships Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield Troop-Leading Procedures Situational Awareness Navigation Communications SECTION 1 — COMMAND RELATIONSHIPS BATTALION SCOUT PLATOON In an armor or mechanized infantry battalion, the scout platoon performs several critical tasks in support of the battalion commander’s concept of the operation. The success or failure of the scout platoon often has a direct impact on the success or failure of the main force. As the eyes and ears of the battalion, the scout platoon leader must stay in communication with the battalion tactical operations center (TOC). This is necessary to keep the platoon informed of the battalion and brigade situation as well as the current enemy situation and to ensure information gained by the platoon is transmitted to the battalion in a timely manner. The battalion commander must make his intent clear to the scout platoon leader. The commander must ensure that his initial operation order (OPORD) and any following fragmentary orders (FRAGO) focus the scout platoon on its mission by telling the platoon leader what is expected of the reconnaissance or security effort in each phase of the operation. The intent includes the commander’s criteria for recovering the scouts. He must make it clear whether he intends for the scouts to conduct stay-behind operations after the enemy main body has passed their locations or to pass through friendly lines before the arrival of the enemy main body. The commander also specifies priority intelligence requirements (PIR), covering the information for which he has an anticipated and stated priority in his task of planning and decision-making. Often stated in question form, PIR are the
tactical and operational considerations that are the foundation for development of the battalion reconnaissance and surveillance (R&S) plan. In turn, the scout platoon leader needs to understand how he and his platoon fit into the R&S intelligence collection process. He works closely with the S2, who is a key player in the development of the R&S plan and the intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) process. The S2’s planning for R&S and IPB is further enhanced through an integrated staff effort to ensure that all R&S assets, including the scout platoon, receive adequate support to accomplish their missions. (NOTE: Refer to Section 2 of this chapter for a discussion of the IPB process, including the role of PIR.) The battalion executive officer (XO) and S4, as well as the headquarters company commander and XO, must monitor the maintenance and logistical status of the scout platoon. To help sustain the platoon’s operational capability, they should ensure that the scouts receive top priority for repair and resupply. They should specifically address medical evacuation and vehicle recovery. They must ensure that the battalion has a detailed and workable plan to support the platoon’s requirements in Classes I, III, and V during the conduct of its mission. CAVALRY TROOP SCOUT PLATOON The command relationship of the scout platoon in a cavalry troop is similar to that of other platoons in a company-size organization. The scout platoon responds to its platoon leader, who receives guidance from the troop commander rather than from a battalion staff. The primary difference in cavalry troop operations is the role of the troop XO. Unlike the "fighting XO" in the tank company, the troop XO is a battlefield manager for the troop commander. He operates from an M577 command post; this vehicle gives him the communications capability and facilities to receive, collate, and pass to higher headquarters the routine reconnaissance information processed by the troop’s scout platoons. In this system, most of the routine reports are sent to the troop XO rather than to the troop commander. The troop commander’s role is to monitor the routine actions, receive high-priority information to transmit on command nets, and fight the troop once contact is gained. SECTION 2 — INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION OF THE BATTLEFIELD IPB is a systematic, continuous process of analyzing the effects of the threat and the environment on the unit. It is a dynamic staff process, driven by the commander, that continually integrates new information into the unit’s operational framework. WHAT IPB ACCOMPLISHES IPB identifies facts and clarifies assumptions about the enemy and the battlefield environment. The commander and his staff use the IPB process to analyze the enemy, weather, and terrain to determine and evaluate the enemy’s capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable courses of action (COA). The resulting information serves the following purposes: • It facilitates staff planning and development of potential friendly COAs for the operation. • It provides the basis for directing and synchronizing the R&S effort that supports the commander’s chosen COA. • It contributes to thorough staff synchronization and successful completion of several staff processes. • In turn, it helps the commander to selectively apply and maximize his combat power at critical points in time and space on the battlefield. The most critical mission of the scout platoon is to gather information on enemy forces that the S2 then uses to assess enemy disposition and intentions. IPB is a disciplined staff procedure that provides the scout platoon leader with formal guidance in the form of reconnaissance objectives and PIR, as contained in the R&S plan; the platoon leader then applies this information in accomplishing the platoon’s assigned reconnaissance tasks. Figure 2-1 illustrates the various phases and components of the information-gathering process, including IPB.
Page 1 and 2: FIELD MANUAL No. 17-98 *FM 17-98 He
Page 3 and 4: Preface On the ever-changing landsc
Page 5 and 6: Figure 1-2. HMMWV scout platoon. VE
Page 7 and 8: Figure 1-4. CFV scout platoon two-s
Page 9 and 10: Eight-squad organization Figure 1-8
Page 11 and 12: general have capabilities and limit
Page 13: Figure 1-11. HMMWV characteristics.
Page 17 and 18: • Models that depict the enemy’
Page 19 and 20: Figure 2-4. Example decision suppor
Page 21 and 22: Figure 2-6. Example R&S tasking mat
Page 23 and 24: The military decision-making proces
Page 25 and 26: Step 1 - Receive and analyze the mi
Page 27 and 28: • Where is the key terrain • Ho
Page 29 and 30: After the platoon leader has analyz
Page 31 and 32: leaders have issued their orders, t
Page 33 and 34: different colors for friendly and e
Page 35 and 36: Figure 2-11A. Optimizing battle spa
Page 37 and 38: Figure 2-12. Route chart for compas
Page 39 and 40: these means of communication must b
Page 41 and 42: Administrative/logistics. The scout
Page 43 and 44: • Use a brevity code that reduces
Page 45 and 46: The scout platoon’s scheme of man
Page 47 and 48: Figure 3-1. Area reconnaissance usi
Page 49 and 50: Converging routes method. The patro
Page 51 and 52: signatures of the vehicle and the l
Page 53 and 54: In each type of organization, the g
Page 55 and 56: EXAMPLE OF A ROUTE RECONNAISSANCE F
Page 57 and 58: Figure 3-8D. Route reconnaissance (
Page 59 and 60: Figure 3-8H. Route reconnaissance (
Page 61 and 62: oundaries, an LD, and an LOA or obj
Page 63 and 64: Figure 3-9D. Zone reconnaissance (c
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Figure 3-9H. Zone reconnaissance (c
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leader feels there may be enemy for
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Figure 3-10D. Area reconnaissance (
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Figure 3-10H. Area reconnaissance (
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troop-leading process (normally a m
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Recommending/executing a course of
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Figure 3-11D. Reconnaissance of a r
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Figure 3-12B. Reconnaissance of an
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Figure 3-12F. Reconnaissance of an
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Figure 3-13A. Infiltration scheme o
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Planning and coordination Figure 3-
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defensive operations, forcing it to
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CHAPTER 4 Security Operations In se
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Scouts maintain surveillance from a
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Redundancy. The platoon leader may
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most appropriate role for the scout
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ecause the scouts must move to the
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Figure 4-9b. Repositioning OPs in d
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Figure 4-10. Scout and tank team co
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With his troop commander’s guidan
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eposition to BP A5. The tank platoo
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A. OP J maintains contact with the
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Figure 4-21. Cavalry scout platoon
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Figure 4-24A. Convoy escort actioni
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Figure 4-25C. Escort breaking conta
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The following actions should be tak
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CHAPTER 5 Other Tactical Operations
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ACTIONS IN THE ASSEMBLY AREA As soo
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Checkpoints on a route are used for
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SECTION 3 — BATTLE HANDOVER AND P
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movement, movement formation, and e
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stationary unit is responsible for
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CHAPTER 6 Combat Support The scout
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• Scatterable mines. These includ
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Figure 6-2. Scouts requesting fire
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The scout platoon leader must be pr
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Figure 6-8. Attack helicopter batta
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movement. In addition, the air cava
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The first action in the handoff pro
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SECTION 3 — COMBAT ENGINEERS Brig
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Although passive measures are the f
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Figure 6-17. Stinger air defense sy
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sight range of 10,000 meters agains
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Whatever support the scout platoon
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should conduct resupply during miss
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of inspecting, testing, servicing,
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When a vehicle must be evacuated, t
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SECTION 5 — PRISONERS EPWs are ex
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CHAPTER 8 Basic Scout Skills Scouts
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This type of local security task is
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• Unobstructed observation of the
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is located with his vehicle in the
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Figure 8-7. Sample format and infor
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In this position, the vehicle comma
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Figure 8-13. Platoon column formati
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Figure 8-17. Section vee and wedge
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BOUNDING OVERWATCH Bounding overwat
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Figure 8-23. Mounted crest drill. D
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most vulnerable in wooded areas whe
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The scouts that are not in contact
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Maintain contact to support a hasty
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section/squad leader simply informs
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Deviation spotting As applied to de
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Figure 8-27. Bracketing Bracketing
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CHAPTER 9 Miscellaneous Field Data
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Figure 9-1. Reconnaissance overlay
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Figure 9-1. Reconnaissance overlay
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Figure 9-2. Example of overlay grap
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• Stretching a string or measurin
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7 inches = 17.78 centimeters 8 inch
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the antenna connector on the radio.
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FOOD AND WATER Water collection Wit
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Figure 9-7. Enemy weapons, vehicles
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higher commander’s intent. The sc
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• Linkup time and location. • P
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APPENDIX B Nuclear, Biological, and
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Equipment MOPP level MOPP READY MOP
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Give the alarm. Have all unmasked s
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Figure B-1. NBC marking devices. UN
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contamination remains, so periodic
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movement in the direction of the co
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• Once the wing vehicles reach th
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APPENDIX C Stability and Support Op
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activities. Examples of these are l
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Because of the unique requirements
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US military forces may be tasked fo
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excellent hasty roadblocks because
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Figure C-5. Deliberate checkpoint o
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approaching traffic until it is too
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Photographic filter Instant cameras
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• Contact your checkpoint command
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Figure C-14. Ankle-to-ankle positio
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CORDON AND SEARCH OPERATIONS When i
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the armored unit’s mobility, prot
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APPENDIX D Military Operations on U
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The friendly commander should try t
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• It is vulnerable to enemy infan
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Figure D-3. Gaining a foothold in M
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Figure D-5. CFV provides support as
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Figure E-1. Figure E-1. Environment
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APPENDIX F Risk Management Risk is
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Moderate (M) Low (L) Expected degra
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• Thoroughly brief all aspects of
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APPENDIX G Fratricide Prevention Fr
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Lapses in individual discipline can
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target identification before they i
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Glossary A AA AAR ABF ACE ACR ADA A
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div DP DPICM DS DST DTD division de
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I J k ICM ID IEDK IFF IFSAS IPB IR
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NCO NCOIC NCS NEO NGO NLT NOD nonco
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RISTA ROE ROI ROUTEREP RP RSI rte R
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TTP tactics, techniques, and proced
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ARTEP 17-237-10-MTP Mission Trainin
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FM 17-98 SCOUT PLATOON

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