Trouble at the ORP

Situation

You are a squad leader leading an ambush patrol through wooded terrain, which usually limits visibility to 50 meters or less. In addition to your three fire teams, which are well-equipped with claymores and grenades, you have a machinegun squad (two three-man teams, each with an M240G). You are equipped with a radio. Your squad is in its ambush site along a trail frequently used by the enemy. Your objective rally point (ORP), where you have left two Marines and your packs, is about 200 meters to the southwest.

It is about 0100, and you have been waiting for about 2 hours when automatic gunfire suddenly erupts from the direction of the ORP. The firing lasts only a few seconds and now it is silent again. It happened so quickly you can’t be certain, but your sense is that there were at least 2 weapons involved but certainly no more than 3 or 4. You try to recall the sound of the exchange to determine if any of the weapons were M16s, but you cannot be sure. It will be light at 0500. Your platoon’s patrol base is about 3 kilometers to the southeast.

It has now been 3 minutes since the incident and you have heard or seen no sign of activity from the direction of the ORP. What now, Sergeant?

Requirement

In 5 minutes decide on your course of action, issue any orders, and make any reports or requests. Then provide a sketch of your plan and an explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-5, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

Bridgeton Crossing, Part II

This scenario is a continuation of Tactical Decision Game #89-4, “Bridgeton Crossing,” based on the author’s solution to that problem published on p. 83 of this issue.

Situation

You are a rifle company commander in 1st Battalion, 3d Marines. Your company is mounted on AAVs and has been reinforced with a tank platoon, TOW section, combat engineer section, and Dragon section (attached to the rifle platoons). As the MEF advances generally north, your regiment has been ordered to swing west and seize a crossing of the Diesty River at Bridgeton in order to facilitate the continued advance. The previous night, friendly reconnaissance elements were driven from Bridgeton by an enemy mechanized force estimated to be platoon to company strength. Intelligence now reports an enemy mechanized battalion heading south on Highway 1 to reinforce Bridgeton, expected to arrive sometime midmorning. As the regiment prepares for a deliberate crossing, your company has been ordered to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force toward Bridgeton along Rte. 6 in order to ascertain the nature of enemy defenses and find possible river-crossing sites for AAVs.

The weather is lousy, and you doubt if much will be flying until it clears. You approach Bridgeton with 2d Platoon deployed onto River Bluff to protect your right flank. Gaining a vantage point to the town, you discover that Bridgeton seems to be unoccupied except for a reconnaissance patrol. Just then, 2d Platoon reports “enemy mech on the River Road about 3 clicks east of Bridgeton. So far I count 6 APCs and 2 tanks, but there could be more coming into view. They’re heading for the town like a bat out of hell.” You order 2d Platoon to engage and 1st Platoon to take the town immediately, with tanks and TOWs in overwatch at Bridgeton Rise and 3d Platoon and engineers in reserve. Your FO calls for fire east of the town. Once your platoons are on the move, you report your decision to battalion.

At 0850 you meet up in the town with your 1st Platoon commander who reports: “Town secure. We got 2 scout cars. One escaped north. Otherwise, the place seems empty.” The battalion commander comes on the net: “Imperative you hold Bridgeton until we can reinforce. I’m getting you all the support I can, including anything that’ll fly. You’re now division main effort. Hang on; we’ll be there as fast as we can. Good work.” The firefight to the east has died down. You check in with 2d Platoon, which reports: “We knocked out one APC. Enemy has pulled back. We’ve got three tanks and an APC visible in the treeline 3 klicks northeast of the town. The rest of the column seems to have withdrawn; I can’t tell where.” The time is now 0900. Battalion still has no word on the enemy battalion to the north. What next, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, issue any instructions and make any reports/requests. Once that is done, provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-6, P. O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

For more detailed information on the structure of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and symbols used in TDG sketches, see MCG, Oct94, pp. 53-56 and the modification reported in Jan95, p. 5.

Bridgeton Crossing, Part IIa

Like TDG #98-6, this scenario is a continuation of TDG #98-4, “Bridgeton Crossing,” based on the author’s solution to that problem published in MCG, Jun98. Only this time, things have turned out differently.

Situation

You are a rifle company commander in 1st Battalion, 3d Marines. Your company is mounted on AAVs and has been reinforced with a tank platoon, TOW section, combat engineer section, and Dragon section (attached to the rifle platoons). As the MEF advances generally north, your regiment has been ordered to swing west and seize a crossing of the Diesty River at Bridgeton in order to facilitate the continued advance. Intelligence now reports an enemy mechanized battalion heading south on Highway 1 to reinforce Bridgeton, expected to arrive sometime midmorning. Your company has been ordered to conduct a reconnaissance-in-force toward Bridgeton along Rte 6 in order to ascertain the nature of enemy defenses.

The weather is lousy and you doubt if much will be flying until it clears. You approach Bridgeton with 2d Platoon deployed onto River Bluff to protect your blind right flank. Gaining a vantage point overlooking the town, you discover that Bridgeton seems to be unoccupied except for what looks like a reconnaissance patrol. Just then, 2d Platoon reports “enemy mech on the River Road about 3 clicks east of Bridgeton. So far I count 6 APCs and 2 tanks headed southwest, but there could be more coming into view.” Convinced that you have a momentary opportunity to seize a critical crossing site, you order 2d Platoon to engage and 1 st Platoon to take the town immediately. You put the tanks and TOWs in overwatch at Bridgeton Rise and hold your 3d Platoon and engineers in reserve. Your FO calls for fire east of the town. Once your platoons are on the move, you report your decision to battalion. 1st Platoon races for the town and appears to have crossed the bridge into the town without resistance. Your tanks and TOWs succeed in holding off the enemy column from the east; a couple of enemy tanks have been knocked out. The battalion commander comes on the net: “Imperative you hold Bridgeton until we can reinforce. You’re now division main effort. Hang on; we’ll be there as fast as we can. Good work.”

Hardly moments later, Bridgeton Rise begins to come under artillery fire and you hear and see explosions and sounds of combat erupting from the town. You are unable to contact the Ist Platoon, but it has obviously come up against well-concealed, wellprepared defenses-some sort of urban ambush-deeper in the town. After a couple of extremely long minutes an unidentified voice, which you believe to be from the 1st Platoon, reports, “We’ve run into a mess. All the amtrac have been hit. It’s awful. The lieutenant’s dead. We’re in buildings just across the bridge, but everybody’s hurt. We need help.” The time is now 0920. As of 10 minutes ago, battalion still had no word on the enemy battalion to the north. What now, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, issue any instructions and make any reports/requests. Once that is done, provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-7, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640823.

Poachers by the Bank

Situation

You are the leader of 3d Fire Team. Your squad is going to provide left flank security during the company’s movement to an attack position prior to a surprise night assault. As a promising squad leader, you have been instructed to attend the lieutenant’s orders briefing. There you receive information on the route of advance and the enemy’s estimated strength and disposition. You are informed that the company will be moving north, generally parallel and east of Lost Stream. The need for noise discipline and maintaining the element of surprise are stressed repeatedly. The briefing ends, and you return to your team to make final preparations. The night sky has scattered light clouds, and there is a half moon already up. Visibility is excellent, allowing your squad leader to adopt an echelon left formation with good dispersion. Your fire team will be in the left rear. The squad leader will be up between Ist and 2d Fire Teams.

The movement has gone well; you are approaching the last checkpoint before the attack position. It is 0245. Currently, your fire team is strung out along Lost Stream. The vegetation along the banks is a light mix of pines and brush. Numerous game trails also crisscross the area. As you turn from glancing at your SAW gunner behind you, your rifleman signals “Freeze.” Next, he signals “Enemy in sight.” You follow his gesture as he points to the stream, where in the process of crossing from left to right you make out six or seven figures, one of whom appears to be a radioman. You currently have sight of your rifleman and SAW gunner. The assistant gunner to your rear is momentarily out of sight. There is no sign of 2d Fire Team or the squad leader. What now, Corporal?

Requirement

In a time limit of 1 minute, describe what actions you will take and by what means. Then provide a sketch of your actions and the rationale behind them. Submit your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-8, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax (703) 640-0823.

Battle at Blackwood Creek

You are the section lead for two F/A-18C aircraft assigned the mission of close air support (CAS) in support of lst Battalion, 5th Marines (1/5). Your loadout is four Mk-83s; 578 rounds of 20mm; one AIM-7; two AIM-9s; and one TFLIR (Targeting – Forward Looking Infrared). Your time-on-station is approximately 45 minutes. In your cockpit you have 1:50,000 charts of the area, and the Air Communications-Electronics Operating Instruction (ACEOI).

1/5 is defending in sector to destroy enemy forces in order to prevent their movement south towards the city of Tropicana. Upon checking in with “Ronbo”, the forward air controller (FAC) for Company A, you are told to hold south of initial point (IP) Chevy at 12,000 feet and given the following situation report:

“We’re defending south of Blackwood Creek at grid AB 123456 (as depicted) and are the main effort for 1/5. Company B is to our west and Company C is to our south. 1/10 is in direct support with an approximate gun-target-line of 010 degs. We are engaging what we believe to be the forward security element of an enemy mechanized rifle regiment (MRR). The enemy is deployed with tanks, BMPs, and dismounted troops. The air defense threat expected is MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defense Systems)-SA-7s, SA-14s, and ZSU234-nothing specific has been observed or reported. Gunfighter 01, a division of Cobras, should be on station in 10 minutes, and Cat 20, a section of AV-Bs, should be on station in 15 minutes. Stand-by for your attack brief…”

From your cockpit you can see the target area. You have identified Blackwood Creek, Alpha Company’s position, what you believe to be Bravo Company’s general position, and what you believe to be the general target area north of Blackwood Creek. There appears to be a great deal of activity in the target area. You can see several burning vehicles and smoke in the battle area. With your FLIR you can acquire but not identify individual vehicles. You inform the FAC that you have “eyes on” the target area. You are given the following attack brief:

1. (IP) Not Required

2. (HDG) Not Required

3. (Dist) Not Required

4. (Elev) 800 feet

5. (Desc) BMPs and troops in the open.

6. (Loc) AB 127477 (as depicted)

7. (Mark) WP

8. (Frnd) South 2,000

9. (Egress) Left pull off target to holding.

TOT 12+00

Remarks: Final attack cone is 260310. Remain above 4,000 feet Expect immediate reattack.

You begin your attack on time, and as you roll in you see multiple vehicles (tanks and BMPs) in the target area and what you believe to be the mark impacting. You call “contact mark” and “wings level” as you sight in on a armored vehicle, but you do not receive a clearance to drop. You hear no comm at all. You establish high cover for your wingman while he is in his delivery pattern, but he does not receive clearance either. While acting as high cover, you receive momentary cockpit indications of a ZSU 23-4 north of the target area. While over the target area, you see a large number of tanks and armored vehicles moving south at approximately 15 kilometers per hour at position 1. You see tanks and armored vehicles that appear to be stationary at positions 2 and 3. You see a tremendous amount of smoke and activity in the vicinity of Alpha Company. After several unsuccessful attempts to regain communications on both the tactical air direction and the tactical air control party-local nets, an unidentified corporal picks up the radio and informs you frantically in colorful language that the FAC and the rest of his party have all been either killed or seriously wounded. He informs you that they are receiving heavy artillery fire, and, although he can’t see a thing through the smoke, he believes that enemy tanks have penetrated their frontline. He begs for assistance. Just then you hear Gunfighter 01 attempting to check in. The situation is developing rapidly. You need to make a decision. What do you do?

Requirement

In a time limit of 1 minute, decide what actions you will take immediately and how you will use your remaining time on station. Then discuss the rationale underlying your decisions. Include a sketch if necessary to clarify your actions. Mail your solution to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-9, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax it to (703) 640-0823.

Attack on Rommerbach

Situation

You are a colonel commanding a task force of roughly battalion strength that includes 2 U.S. Marine light armored reconnaissance (LAR) companies, Alpha and Bravo each with a platoon of antitank variants; a TOW section; and 2 host-nation Marine companies, one a company of 12 M60 tanks, the other a company of mechanized infantry. The host-nation Marines are reasonably well trained and can generally be relied on to accomplish basic tasks with a reasonable amount of supervision.

The terrain is rolling farmland punctuated by small villages and wooded areas. Enemy forces have invaded the host nation from the west. The Combined Marine Forces (CMEF), of which your task force is a part, are advancing generally northwest along Highway 7, clearing the area of enemy forces in order to restore the border. Your task force has been ordered to break off from the Highway 7 axis and advance south-southwest from Jennau through Ostglossen and Glossen to Rommerbach and Schilte to clear any enemy forces in zone. Intelligence indicates that as of 48 hours ago an enemy reinforced mechanized company was reported in Schilte, while Rommerbach appeared to be unoccupied save for periodic mechanized patrols. You will have a battery in direct support along the Highway 7 axis and are told that close air support and Cobras will be available based on priority.

You move out with Alpha in the lead, followed by the mech, tanks, TOWs, and Bravo in the rear. You reach Glossen without any enemy contact. As planned, Alpha moves on Rommerbach while you continue with the mech company, tank company, Bravo, and TOWs toward Schilte. You drop your combat operations center (COC) in Glossen and instruct the tank company to halt just west of Glossen as the battalion reserve.

Radio traffic suggests that 10-12 kilometers north, along the Highway 7 corridor, a major engagement is beginning to develop. Meanwhile, Alpha reports it is engaging an enemy force of unknown size near Rommerbach. About 2 kilometers east of Schilte, you gain observation of the town and halt to have a look, searching for signs of a defense. Radio traffic now indicates that sizable enemy forces are launching an unexpected coordinated attack along Highway 7 against CMEF which is now on the defensive. CMEF warns you to be alert for major enemy offensive activity. You should not expect much in the way of aviation support since all available air is now being vectored to the developing battle. CMEF instructs you: “Imperative you secure Rommerbach and Schilte and hold those positions in order to protect CMEF’s left flank.” Through your binoculars you see signs of a prepared defense in Schilte, but the enemy strength is unclear. You maneuver your mech, TOWs, and Bravo into attack positions outside of Schilte. Alpha now reports it has driven six reconnaissance vehicles from Rommerbach and is consolidating the town. Your COC reports that your tank company does not seem to be occupying its designated assembly area, and the Bravo CO reports that the tanks have continued with the column and are directly in trace of him.

Your first indication that something more is up with Alpha is a fire mission called against an enemy mech battalion west of Rommerbach. Shortly after that, the Bravo company commander comes on the command net to report that he has reached the west edge of Rommerbach to discover that a sizable force of mech and armor is closing on Rommerbach from the west: “A battalion, at least, in assault formation. Lead elements inside 3 clicks and closing.” You can now hear the sounds of tank main guns echoing from the north.

What do you do, Colonel?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, describe any actions you will take in the form of orders you will issue or requests/reports you will make. Then provide a sketch of your plan and a brief explanation of your actions. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-10, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

Long Night for the Boat Company

Situation

You are the commander of Company C, the boat company for Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/2. The BLT will be landing across Red Beach 1 in order to secure a beachhead for followon forces. Your company has been tasked with landing at H-5 and moving to secure Hill 84 in order to control the high ground overlooking the beach prior to H-hour and to protect the BLT’s left flank.

As you make your final check with the Landing Force Operations Center prior to staging in the well deck of the USS Ponce (LPD-15), you hear a SALUTE report passed over the net by a reconnaissance team: “Estimated 5-6 enemy armored personnel carriers with 10-15 dismounts digging in at grid [north slope of Hill 84].”

You land undetected in combat rubber raiding craft (CRRCs) on the west flank of Red 1 with two rifle platoons, your headquarters, machinegun section (-), and mortar section and begin your infiltration north through the sparse scrub brush. You are near the head of your company column with 3d Platoon. You signal for a short security halt about halfway up the hill. As you move up to the point, you see a soldier silhouetted at the top of the hill. It’s 90 percent illumination with no cloud cover, and you find it hard to believe you have not been spotted. The soldier walks around for about 30 seconds and disappears over the crest to the north. H-hour is in 90 minutes. What do you do, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, come up with your plan in the form of any orders you will issue or reports/requests you will make. Then provide a sketch and a brief explanation of your plan. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-11, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

Ambush in the Square

Situation

You are the leader of 1st Squad, India Company. Your platoon is conducting a security patrol through a suburban area of Old Town as part of counterinsurgency operations. (See existing Rules of Engagement.) Usually an entire patrol will pass without incident, but on a few occasions Marines have made contact with insurgency forces of up to 20 urban guerrillas armed with automatic rifles, rifle grenades, and explosives.

It is morning; the sun is not yet above the roofline to the east. Families are starting to stir, and the air is heavy with the smell of cooking. Some of the locals greet you with a nod as you pass. Your squad is the point of the platoon patrol column, moving north along a main street. The buildings are plaster and stone. Most are one story; some are two. You come upon a square opening to your right. In the center of the square is a stone fountain. A few early vendors have already opened their stalls, but the square is generally quiet.

You and the platoon commander study the square for a few minutes. It seems clear, and he instructs you to move out. You move north across the west side of the square, staying close to the colonnaded facades in case you need cover. You have exited the north side of the square and are continuing on when you hear a loud explosion to your rear followed by gunfire. You run back to the entrance to the square to get a look. Smoke is clearing from some kind of explosive. 2d Squad and the platoon headquarters are pinned down in the square, taking heaDy automatic fire that ricochets off the fountain and the buildings. Some Marines have been hit. From your position with your 3d Fire Team, you can’t locate 3d Squad or the platoon sergeant farther to the rear. You cannot tell if they are in the square or still south of it; you suspect the latter. You don’t know how they are reacting to the fire. You peer quickly around the corner of a building. The fire seems to be coming from two two-story buildings on the east side of the square a couple hundred meters away. You can’t tell if the fire is coming from both buildings or only one. It seems to be coming at least from the second story, but maybe from the ground floor as well. Civilians are screaming and hiding behind the fountain and in doorways around the square. A handful lay still in the square, apparently hit. From the square you hear calls for “Corpsman up!” What do you do?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, explain your decision in the form of any orders you will issue. Then draw a sketch of your solution and provide a brief explanation of your decision. Submit your solution to Maine Corps Gazette, TDG #98-12, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 2214 or fax 703-640-0823.

Rules of Engagement:

1. You have the light to use lethal force promptlyand effectively to defend yourself, other U.S. or U.NV. forces, or persons and areas under their protection

2. You should use the minimum force necessary underthe circumstances and proportional to the treat. For more detailed information on the struture of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and symbols used in TDG sketches, see MCG, Oct94, pp. 53-56 and the modification reported in Jan95, p. 5.

Trouble at Checkpoint 14

Situation

You are a supply corporal in the MEU Service Support Group (MSSG). The MEU came ashore 6 days ago to assist nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) with humanitarian operations in a poor Third World country. The city you are in is extremely congested, packed with one- to three-story buildings wherever there is not a street. All streets shown are two lane but very narrow; some also have narrow sidewalks. A maze of alleys and walkways exist throughout the city, but they are too confusing to map. Marines have had very little violence directed at them, but ethnic and religious hatred has resulted in several violent dashes within the local populace. Rules of engagement (ROE) are as provided.

You are running a convoy of relief supplies from a food warehouse at Checkpoint 15 to a distribution point on the north side of the city. Your convoy consists of three 5-ton trucks. Each truck has a driver, assistant driver, and two Marines in back for security. In each truck, one Marine is armed with an M203 and has non-lethal (rubber pellet) munitions; one is armed with an M16A2 and bayonet; and the driver and assistant driver are armed with 9mm pistols and riot batons. All have pepper spray and CS gas grenades. You are in the lead truck. There is a rifle platoon guarding the food warehouse and a reaction-force rifle company located with the forward element of the Ground Combat Element (GCE) Headquarters located ashore.

The time is 1704. As you reach Checkpoint 14, you notice a crowd of about 30-50 civilians filling the street about a block north. As you near you can see that the crowd has just pulled three people from a car and is starting to beat them. You radio the Combat Service Support Operations Center to explain the situation and reach the watch officer. You know the platoon at the food warehouse can send forces there by foot in about 10 minutes. You estimate the reaction force can arrive in about 20 minutes moving by amtracs. By now you can tell there are three victims, two men and a woman. They appear to be Americans or Europeans, either reporters or NGO workers-you can’t tell which. You ask the watch officer for guidance. “Can I help these poor people?” you ask.

Without seeing the situation himself, the watch officer understandably cannot offer much in the way of detailed guidance. “Do what you can to help,” he says, “without causing an international incident. You’re going to have to use your best judgment.”

The crowd continues to beat the three people, and you think some of them may be about to rape the woman. What do you do, corporal?

Requirement

In a time limit of 3 minutes, describe any actions you would take. Then provide the rationale for your decision. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #99-1, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA, 22134 or fax 703640-0823.

Sidebar

Rules of Engagement

1. I always have the right to defend myself, my fellow Marines, other U.S. personnel, and personnel directly supporting U.S. operations.

2. I will use only the force necessary to protect myself and accomplish my mission.

3. l will protect U.S. civilians, facilities, and prop erty.

4. I can detain any individual who interferes with my mission or commits a crime within a U.S. controlled area.

5. Mr actions need to be quick, deliberate, accurate, and never as a result of a desire for revenge.

6. Filing of warning shots is authorized.

7. Use of riot control agents must be approved at the battalion, squadron, MSSG, or higher headquarters level.

8. This ROE takes precedence over all other rules governing the use of deadly force.

9. Nothing in these rules limits a unit leader’s obligation to take all necessary and appropriate action to defend his or her unit and U.S. forces.

*Note: These ROE were created ruing acti al ROE fram past operations. None are original.

Operation PURPLE LIGHTNING

Situation

The Krulian Army imvaded Napa a week ago in a surprise attack that quickly overcame the weak Napian Defense Force and seized Napa’s Capital, Krosova. In response, a divided U.N. Security Council passed a resolution condemning the invasion yet not authorizing military action. Meanwhile, Krulian soldiers committed the ill-judged act of storming the American Embassy in Krosova, killing about a dozen Americans and holding several hostage. With outraged America demanding retaliation, the American President decided to take the lead in stopping the Krulian forces. The President tasked the military to:

1. Ensure the safety of American and other selected national citizens in Napa.

2. Eject the military forces of Krul from the country of Napa using all means necessary.

3. Restore the Napian democratic government.

Intel Estimate: The 1st Brigade (Mech) of the Krulian Guards Division (KGD) has been tasked with the security of Krosova. These are the Krulian’s best trained and equipped troops. The 1st Brigade’s headquarters is in the Parliament buildings. One mech battalion, reinforced with a SAM battery is defending the airport and has blocked all runways. The remaining two mech battalions and a tank company are dispersed at various locations throughout the city and have been conducting continuous mounted and dismounted patrols. The 2d (Mech) and 3d (Motorized) Brigades of the KGD are both within striking distance of Krosova to the northwest and northeast respectively. Terrain around Krosova consists of rugged hills with agricultural valleys. While the hills are severely restrictive, the valleys offer excellent mobility corridors and drop zones. Weather forecast: clear skies with moderate temperatures. There are several sections of the coast that offer potential amphibious landing sites.

Friendly Forces: The Joint Force Land Component (FLC) consists of the 13th and 24th MEU(SOC)s formed under the II MEF(Fwd) Headquarters, the 2d Brigade of the 82d Airborne Division, and two battalions of the 75th Ranger Regiment. The Joint Special Operations Component USOC) has a slice of Delta and SEAL. teams. The Marines are 60 miles offshore. The remaining forces are forward deployed to an airbase 2 hours flying time from Krosova.

Mission: On D-day, the JFLC secures a beachhead at Krosova to enable an MPS offload in preparation for future operations against the Krulian Army.

You are on the operations staff of the Joint Force Land Component Commander (JFLCC). In his commander’s planning guidance, the JFLCC stated that the enemy’s center of gravity is his KGD. His critical vulnerability is the lack of an integrated air defense, leaving him open for attack by American airpower. The JFLCC wants to simultaneously isolate the capital, seize the port facilities and airport, rescue the hostages (still at the American Embassy), and secure the parliament buildings. Once this is accomplished, he wants to focus on the destruction of the ]st Brigade of the KGD, located in Krosova. The air component commander is confident that we can maintain air superiority and provide sufficient air assets to attrite or destroy the 2d and 3d Brigades of the KGD before they can interfere with operations in Krosova. He also has the capability to lift both Ranger battalions and the Airborne brigade.

Requirement

In a time limit of 30 minutes develop a course of action for the JFLCC. Then provide a sketch and a brief explanation of your plan. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #99-2, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.

Action in Limbe

Situation

You are the commander of 1st Platoon, Company F, 2d Battalion, 6th Marines, part of the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) that has just landed in Cap Haitien, Haiti. Your company quickly secured the airfield amid the uncertain situation. For the most part the local populace was excited and very happy to see the Marines, believing that you were there to throw off the “yoke of oppression” that had beset the country for years. However, tensions between Marine forces and the local government and police forces were high. Two days ago, a patrol got into a firefight in front of a police station deep within the city itself. Several of the local police were killed in the action, but an uneasy calm has been restored in Cap Haitien.

Around 1200 you see a UH-IN carrying the commander of the SPMAGTF come in for a landing near the company. A few minutes later you are summoned to the command post. In order to curtail widespread distribution or smuggling of small arms during the country’s transition, your platoon is to conduct a show of force operation in the small nearby town of Limbe. Upon insertion you will move to the police station, surround it, and provide security for the SPMAGTF commander, who will be on the scene to negotiate with the Limbe police. We believe the local police will surrender their weapons to the SPMAGTF commander and his Haitian liaison officer peacefully without incident. If not, they will be disarmed. The goal is to retrieve as many weapons as possible before they make their way onto the black market.

Your platoon is organized in the following manner: 1st Squad has 10 Marines, 2d Squad has 12 Marines, 3d Squad has 8 Marines, platoon headquarters consists of your platoon sergeant, platoon guide, radio operator, platoon corpsman, and yourself. Additionally, you have a seven-man machinegun squad attached. There is no map of the town, only a sketch map shown below. The S-2 believes there are 5-10 police occupying the facility. The buildings along the narrow roads in that section of the town are of an old French masonry construction. The time is now 1230; one CH-53 will be here at 1315 to load your platoon. The peacetime restriction of 24 Marines on a CH-53 has been bumped to 35. However, you are told to include the following on your manifest: company commander, battalion executive officer, two U.S. Army Special Forces captains, and a major claiming to be the “regimental historian.” The SPMAGTF commander and the Haitian Army officer will fly in the UH-1N bird. What now, Lieutenant?

Requirement

Describe your task organization and a general timeline for the platoon. Issue a frag order (Mission and Execution) to your subordinate/element leaders. Submit an overlay with your scheme of maneuver within the objective area to include landing points for the CH-53. Include any questions or concerns you would pose to your company commander. Time limit is 20 minutes. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #99-3, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-640-0823.