FM 17-98 SCOUT PLATOON

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Inspections. Precombat inspections (PCI) allow leaders to check the platoon’s operational readiness. They key goal is to ensure that soldiers and vehicles are fully prepared to execute the upcoming mission. The platoon leader makes sure the entire chain of command conducts precombat checks (PCC) and PCIs in accordance with FKSM 17-98-3 or his own SOP. The following are examples of procedures that can be covered in PCCs and PCIs: • Perform before-operation maintenance checks and report or repair deficiencies. • Perform prepare-to-fire checks for all weapons and report or repair deficiencies. Make sure weapons are boresighted and all sights are referred. Machine guns should be test-fired, if possible. • Upload vehicles in accordance with SOP. • Conduct resupply of rations, water, fuel, oil, all weapons, ammunition, pyrotechnics, first-aid kits, and equipment batteries (for such items as flashlights, night-vision devices, mine detectors, and NBC alarms). • Make radio checks, when possible. • Camouflage vehicles to match the area of operations. • Make sure crewmembers are in the correct uniform and mission-oriented protective posture (MOPP) level. SECTION 4 — SITUATIONAL AWARENESS Situational awareness is the ability to maintain a constant, clear mental picture of the tactical situation. This picture includes an understanding of both the friendly and enemy situations and of relevant terrain. It also entails the ability to relate battlefield information and events through space and time to form logical conclusions and make decisions that anticipate events. Since the platoon normally operates dispersed as individual sections or squads, it is essential that all scout leaders maintain situational awareness so they can make sound, quick tactical decisions. A critical outcome of situational awareness on the part of all scouts is a reduction in fratricide incidents. BATTLEFIELD VISUALIZATION The commander will structure the battlefield based on the conditions of METT-TC and his commander’s intent. How he does this affects the scout platoon leader’s mission planning and his ability to maintain situational awareness. The framework of the battlefield can vary from a very rigid extreme with obvious front and rear boundaries and closely tied adjacent units to a dispersed and decentralized structure with few secure areas and unit boundaries and no definable front or rear. Between these extremes is an unlimited number of possible variations. Maintaining situational awareness becomes more difficult as the battlefield becomes less structured. Modern, highly mobile operations with small forces lend themselves to a less rigid framework that challenges the scout’s ability to maintain an accurate picture of the battlefield. To have a clear picture of the battlefield, the scout must have virtually perfect knowledge of the friendly situation one level higher than his own. This means the cavalry scout platoon leader must know the troop situation and the battalion scout platoon leader must know the battalion situation. It is also important that the platoon leader update the section and squad leaders periodically regarding the higher situation. The platoon leader must have a relatively complete knowledge of the terrain, and he must know as much as possible about the enemy. (NOTE: The requirement to maintain a real-time picture of the battlefield one level higher does not relieve the scout of the requirement to understand the situation and commander’s intent two levels higher than his own. The difference is that his understanding of the situation two levels higher does not have to be as specific or in real time.) Most of the information the scout platoon leader needs comes in the form of reports over his FM communication system. He receives many reports based on his platoon’s understanding of shared, common graphics. Effective graphics require that the subordinate elements report periodically as they accomplish requirements. The platoon leader must be aware of when his scouts report so he can maintain a current visualization of the situation. If an element does not report in a timely manner, the platoon leader must quickly determine the situation of the overdue element. Although many reports are not addressed specifically to him, particularly on the higher net, the scout platoon leader must monitor them by eavesdropping on the nets as traffic is sent. How effectively he can accomplish this is, to some degree, experience-dependent; however, there are techniques he can apply to relate the information he is receiving to his map and thereby track the tactical situation. The scout platoon leader’s map is the key to maintaining situational awareness. He should plot all friendly position reports up to one level higher than his own. Information from spot reports should also be plotted. The scout should use
different colors for friendly and enemy elements to allow quick recognition. To avoid cluttering the map, he should place a dot or symbol on his map where the element is located and label the point with a number. The same number should then be written in the map margin (or beyond the area of operations) with the complete spot report or unit ID next to it. This notation should also include the time of the report. As positions or reports are updated, the old symbol is crossed off and a new one with a corresponding notation is added; it is critical that updates to previous reports be clearly identified as such during transmission. This simple system allows all scouts to easily track and monitor the tactical situation. It can be augmented by a formal platoon log, kept on the platoon leader’s or PSG’s vehicle or on both. BATTLE SPACE As discussed previously, an accurate picture of the battlefield provides the platoon leader with important tactical information, including friendly and enemy positions and relevant terrain. In turn, complete understanding of the military significance of this picture requires knowledge of the concept of battle space, the key element in the intellectual process of visualizing the battlefield. At the most fundamental level, battle space is the three-dimensional "bubble" or area in which the platoon can acquire enemy forces and influence them with effective fires. This space is defined by numerous battlefield factors: the locations of friendly forces, including the platoon’s individual scout sections, squads, OPs, and patrols; the effects of terrain, weather, and movement; and the ranges of all available platoon weapons and sensing systems. Each scout section or squad has its own battle space; the platoon battle space is the sum of individual section/squad battle spaces (see Figure 2-9). Platoon battle space is not restricted by boundaries; it can overlap with the battle space of adjacent units. Figure 2-9. Scout platoon's battle space. Battle space has applications in all phases of mission planning and execution. During the planning process, it is a
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 and 14: Figure 1-11. HMMWV characteristics.
Page 15 and 16: tactical and operational considerat
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: leaders have issued their orders, t
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
Page 65 and 66: Figure 3-9H. Zone reconnaissance (c
Page 67 and 68: leader feels there may be enemy for
Page 69 and 70: Figure 3-10D. Area reconnaissance (
Page 71 and 72: Figure 3-10H. Area reconnaissance (
Page 73 and 74: troop-leading process (normally a m
Page 75 and 76: Recommending/executing a course of
Page 77 and 78: Figure 3-11D. Reconnaissance of a r
Page 79 and 80: Figure 3-12B. Reconnaissance of an
Page 81 and 82: 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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