Mission Mission FTX #2 - Team Evaluations - Cover, security, and digging for our lives

Situation

"Widowmakers" Platoon, Alpha Company 1-30th Infantry Regiment will move back into Fort Stewart to conduct the first week of their Team level training and evaluations. This phase of the training will cover essential tasks, tactics, and drills for any team (and ultimately squad) to become competent and effective for our future deployments.

Week 2 will focus on how to identify cover and concealment, establishing security at the team and squad level, and trenches and how to utilize them in defensive positions (mounted and dismounted). Platoon and Company staff will evaluate each Squad and their individual teams on these tasks during a live fire exercise to ensure the Saturday training is adhered too. Each Squad will be given objectives and will move on foot from the COP using the techniques they trained on the day prior to display and rehearse their TTPs and internal SOPs.

Mission

"Widowmaker" Platoon conducts dismounted defensive operations in the training area of Ft Stewart on 15 JAN 23 during operation times in order to display their competency, skills, and rehears their internal SOPs to the evaluators. Once complete evaluators will meet with their individual Squads to conduct formal AAR's in order to identify strengths and weaknesses in the tasks of formations, spacing, individual movement techniques, and LDAs.

General Instructions

All information is covered in the Joint Squad SOP at the below link.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1V9CQNjU6kUbTyOKV0PCGszaHQ_zLn3OwATMgS73Xp8c/edit#

In addition, below are the excerpts specifically covered in the training.

 

 

360 Security as a Squad (Dismounted)

Security with two teams

Figure 4.11- 360 Security with 2 Teams

In a 2 team, 360 degrees security the lead team will always assume security from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock facing to the 12 o’clock. The trail team will assume security from 3 o’clock to 9 o’clock facing 6 o’clock. The ARs will assume the 12 o’clock and the 6 o’clock positions. The TLs will assume positions behind the security and establish lanes of fire, reposition team members to ensure full security, and be able to meet with the SL.

Security with three teams

Figure 4.12- 360 Security with 3 Teams
In a 3 team, 360 degrees security the lead team will always assume security from 10 o’clock to 2 o’clock. The second team will always assume security from 2 o’clock to 6 o’clock, and the trail team will assume security from 6 o’clock to 10 o’clock. ARs will;l be positioned at the 12 o’clock, 4 o’clock, and 8 o’clock of the formation. The TLs will assume positions behind the security and establish lanes of fire, reposition team members to ensure full security and be able to meet with the SL.

When and where to set up trenches while dismounted

Trenches will be set up based on the following requirements
Stopped at any point longer than 1 minute
Pulling 360 security
At ORPs, OPs, and defensive positions
At CCPs
 

The following is how long it takes to dig each type of trench:
Short Trench- 15 Seconds
Small Trench- 30 Seconds
Big Trench- 40 Seconds
Giant Trench- 90 Seconds
Long Trench- 100 Seconds
Vehicle Trench- 120 Seconds

We will always use the short trench because it allows a full range of mobility as well as the quickest trench to build with adequate cover (refer to the below images).

 

360 Security as a Squad (Mounted)

Figure 4.13- Bird's eye view of trench positions for stopped mounted convoys

Figure 4.14- Close up view of trench positions for stopped mounted convoys

As the lead vehicle the Squad will assume 3 positions for security. The first position will be at the 12 o’clock of the vehicle, the second position will be at the 3 o’clock of the vehicle, and the third position will be across the lane facing the 10 o’clock of the vehicle. *Note: this is still done even if there are only 2 teams and if we are not the lead vehicle we will only assume the second and third positions*

Special Instructions

(a) MINE DETECTORS: Squad and Fireteam Leaders should use mine detectors at all times due to the risk of anti-personnel mines, IED, and UXO.

(b) DEFUSAL KITS: For defusing explosives noted above (Rangers only).

(c) DEMOLITION CHARGES: M112 Demolition Blocks for destroying enemy caches and other targets as needed (Rangers only).

(d) FIM-92 STINGERS: For destroying enemy aircraft.

(e) FGM-148 JAVELINS: For destroying enemy armor.

Chain Of Command

(a) MISSION: WIDOWMAKER 6, WIDOWMAKER 7, PLATOON HQ PERSONNEL (PRIMARY EVALUATORS)

(b) ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS: WAREAGLE 6, WAREAGLE 7 (ALTERNATE EVALUATORS)

(c) CLOSE AIR SUPPORT: WIDOWMAKER 6, MONEYSHOT

(d) AIR ELEMENTS : FALCON 6 / FALCON 7

Coordination

(a) GROUND-TO-AIR: FREQ LR CH 60, AIR-TO-AIR: FREQ LR CH 61

(b) COMPANY NET: HANDHELD OR LR FREQ 30

(c) PLATOON NET: HANDHELD OR LR FREQ 31

(d) SQUAD NET: HANDHELD FREQ 110/120/130/140

(e) CONVOY NET: FREQ LR CH 33

Intel

Below is the training schedule until deployment: