Rahadnak Valley Search

Situation

You are the Commanding Officer, Company G, Battalion Landing Team 2d Battalion, 2d Marines-the mechanized rifle company currently deployed with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (26th MEU (SOC)). Recently, the MEU was sent to the country of Ghanifstan in order to reinforce coalition units searching for Nadel nib Amaso and remnants of his Nabilat forces and needihajum freedom fighters believed to be operating in the southeastern part of the country. Throughout the winter months Rahadnak and the surrounding provinces have been relatively quiet with no armed conflict in this region. However, with the arrival of the spring thaw and warming temperatures, organized guerrilla groups reignited an active campaign against coalition forces and inflamed tribal unrest throughout the region.

Your mechanized company, embarked aboard 14 assault amphibious vehicles, is reinforced with elements from its organic weapons platoon, including three machinegun squads and six assault teams evenly dispersed between the platoons and a 60mm mortar section. While traveling east along a main road in the Rahadnak Valley during a routine mechanized patrol, your unit is tasked to search a village suspected of harboring Nabilat and needihajum fighters. Speed is essential as the enemy is prone to resupplying its forces and then quickly fading into the rugged and mountainous countryside. A section of AH-IW Cobras that can reinforce your unit within 15 minutes remains on call to provide close air support.

In order to maximize the “shock and awe” and speed of your mechanized unit, you decide on a simple, though previously effective, scheme of maneuver that calls for two platoons to encircle the village-one from the north and the other from the south-one platoon to advance along the main avenue of approach to seal the entry point and a dismounted mortar section to isolate the objective area with calls for fire as needed. The section of Cobras can be used to further isolate the objective area or provide supporting fires if required.

As your lead elements enter the village area, 1st Platoon immediately begins taking machinegun fire from the vicinity of Hill 2. As the platoon commander begins to take immediate action, mortars begin impacting around him. One of his vehicles has sustained a mobility kill. What now, Captain?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, issue your orders to your element leaders. Prepare an overlay depicting your scheme of maneuver, fragmentary order, and rationale for your actions. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #04-7, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or email <[email protected]>.

For more detailed information on the structure of Marine Corps units, Marine Corps equipment, and symbols used in TDG sketches, see the MCG web site at <www. mca-marines.org/gazeUe>.

Battle Damage Assessment

Situation

You are the platoon commander of 3d Platoon, Company C, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). Your platoon is tasked with conducting a battle damage assessment (BDA) of an AV-8B Harrier strike that was carried out on a terrorist training camp. You are to helo into Landing Zone (LZ) Talon with your platoon, reinforced by a squad of machineguns (two M240Gs) and an assault squad (two shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon rocket launchers). Also attached to your platoon are a two-man intelligence team, a combat camera team, and a human intelligence team. Your platoon carries a full combat load of ammunition to include grenades (fragmentary and smoke), M203 high-explosive rounds, and signal flares, and each squad has one AT-4 antitank rocket and one claymore antipersonnel mine. In support of your mission is a sec tion of AH-IW Cobras providing aerial fires, but due to the flight having to take a circuitous route to avoid an unexpected ice storm, they are almost out of fuel and must return immediately to amphibious shipping to refuel. The S-2 (intelligence) briefed that current imagery shows the area is secure, with all remaining terrorists having fled to the mountains.

You have been inserted into the LZ without problems, and the CH-46s have left to refuel aboard the ships; they will not be able to extract the platoon for 45 minutes. As you prepare to conduct the BDA, the Cobra flight leader suddenly reports to you that there is an enemy platoon (reinforced)-sized convoy moving toward the objective. The enemy is traveling west on the road and is estimated to arrive in 20 to 30 minutes. They were driving six to seven technical vehicles (pickup trucks) that appear to be mounted with either 12.7mm or 14.5mm machineguns. Each vehicle contains about six terrorists. The Cobras have made one gun run on the convoy, destroying or damaging two to three vehicles, but are now critically low on fuel and have to return to the ship, so they cannot provide further close air support. It appears as if the remainder of the convoy (4 to 5 vehicles totaling 25 to 30 enemy personnel) is still proceeding in your direction. Time has priority, and you have 45 minutes on the ground to gather the BDA and return to LZ Talon for extract.

Task your squad and attachments to accomplish this mission. This is a daylight operation for photographic purposes, and all personnel in the area are declared hostile.

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, come up with a fragmentary order for your squad leaders and compose your reports to higher headquarters. Include your commander’s intent and scheme of maneuver with an overlay. Send your solution and rationale for your actions to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #04-8, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

Catching a Link

Situation

Intelligence reports that one of alQaeda’s top generals, Omar Sharruf, will be in the Ka Bada (KB) training camp. The camp has a squad (plus) element providing security. The camp’s last reported activity was training and strengthening the defense. The camp is in northern Remotistan in the mountains. It’s now 1300. It is believed that Omar will leave in 24 hours. At KB they have Soviet Bloc small arms (AK series and RPK light machineguns (MGs)), as well as RPG-7s (rocket propelled grenades) and third-generation night vision goggles (NVGs). The enemy’s most probable course of action will be to defend the compound long enough for Omar to leave via roadway or foot trails into the mountains. If Omar gets to the mountains he’ll be there for months. They have the ability to reinforce via roadway from the northwest. Special forces (SF) teams have been watching the compound for 24 hours, and they have eyes on and are updating the situation. SF positions are around the compound. There will be one SF team at the landing zone (LZ) to mark it and guide you to the objective.

At 1700 the 28th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) launches a platoon-sized heliborne raid against the compound. You are now 1st Squad leader, Company B, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. Your squad has 13 Marines, and you have an assault team and a squad of MGs as your attachments. Your reinforced squad has a combat load-two claymores, one AT-4, three shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon rockets, and 1,000 rounds for each MG. Your mission is to extract Omar (alive if possible) to LZ Tiger, destroy all KB equipment, and capture or eliminate all KB personnel. To prevent escape along the roads, 2d Squad will position themselves to the northwest of the compound to set a blocking position. 3d Squad will set up a blocking position to the southeast on the road. Both squads setting up blocking positions will land via helicopter onto their objective. They each have an assault team and an MG squad. You have two Harriers that are in direct support of you. They will stand by at Holding Area Lion.

You arrive at 0100 on the deck in northern Remotistan. The hills are steep with loose rock and boulders that provide good cover. It’ll take a little time and effort, but the hills can be climbed. It is a cold night with the moon giving a little more than 60 percent illumination. While sitting in the LZ you give radio checks to all of the key leaders, and communications is excellent. You then scan the area with your NVGs, and you see two flashes of an infrared beam. You respond back with three flashes; the light shines back one time; you have made link up.

As the SF team guides you through the valley, you notice that it’s very flat and is all loose sand. At 0305, as you move into your objective rally point, the KB compound begins to shoot up flares and spotlight the valley floor. This lasts for about 5 minutes. Your MG attachments break off to go to their overwatch positions from which they can provide overhead fire until your squad reaches Phase Line Red. The SF team will provide security. You spend 40 minutes crawling to Phase Line White. Listening to the radio, 3d Squad notifies you that they have set in. 2d Squad had to turn around and abort due to a mechanical malfunction with the helicopter.

Hearing something that alarms you, you look to your west and see vehicle lights. Taking a closer look through a AN/ PAS-13 you discover a BTR-70 (Soviet armored vehicle) and an old Russian flatbed truck with a ZSU-23 (self-propelled antiaircraft gun) mounted on it. The truck has four to six men on it. Both vehicles are heading toward your position. As the vehicles close to 500 meters, the BTR-70 and the truck dismount all troops. They assume a combat formation and continue a course that will bring them straight to you.

The observation post to the northwest reports that through their NVGs they have spotted an individual they believe to be Omar, and he is getting ready to flee. They also report that the compound is scrambling to their defensive positions. The radio goes quiet as more flares go up and the spotlights come back on.

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, organize your squad for a hasty ambush of the vehicles, extraction of Omar, and destruction of the compound and its equipment. Include your intent, scheme of maneuver on an overlay, and your signal plan. Send your solution and rationale for your actions to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #04-10, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

Cartonville Patrol

Situation

You are the platoon commander of 1st Platoon, Company C, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 8th Marines. You are currently engaged in stability and support operations in the country of Grapeland. Coalition forces have routed organized enemy resistance, but there are still numerous “dead-enders” who operate in squad-sized units. These units utilize Soviet Bloc small arms to include AK-series assault weapons, light machineguns, rocket propelled grenades, and 82mm mortars. They are mostly former regime military officers augmented by terrorists from other countries. Their actions are well-thoughtout, rehearsed, and usually effective. Hostile threat is high, but you have not been engaged in any manner in the 14 days you have been there. Your battalion is in a defensive perimeter at a rundown airfield located within city limits of Cartonville, Grapeland. Your rules of engagement state that you are only to fire if fired upon or if hostile intent is positively identified. You are to use the least amount of force necessary to gain fire superiority. There have been restrictive fire measures emplaced as well. In any situation, collateral damage is to be kept to a minimum.

Your platoon has been tasked with a security patrol in the city. You have two machinegun teams and two assault teams attached to you. The platoon has a standard combat load of ammunition (squad automatic weapon, M203 grenade launcher, M16), and each squad has one AT-4 rocket as well. You have no direct or indirect fire support due to the restrictive fire measures. Illumination is your only asset from your supporting weapons platoon and company. There is a section of AH-IW Cobras armed with 20mm and 5-inch Zuni rockets, as well as a dedicated medevac bird (on 20-minute strip alert at a nearby forward operating base), that are within a 5-minute flight of you once they launch. It is 1 hour before dusk, and your patrol exits friendly lines. Your patrol is spread out about 400 meters long and staggered on both sides of the road. As you come to the intersection in the city square, you see that two of the avenues are now barricaded with trash, vehicles, and wood and are impassable for your patrol. There are very few people in the streets as well. At this time you halt the patrol to look at your map in order to coordinate new routes. You are hit from the front by small arms and machinegun fire. The machineguns seem to have interlocking fire, and the small arms are in sporadic positions within the buildings. All of the buildings in the square are two floors or higher and made of heavy concrete. (1st Fire Team, 1st Squad is pinned down and taking casualties.) As the patrol advances toward the contact, mortar fire begins to fall in behind your position, pushing you toward the kill zone. First assault team and machinegun team moved to join 1st Squad on their own initiative upon contact. second assault team and machinegun team moved to support 2d Squad upon contact. 3d Squad moved into a reserve position and all are awaiting orders.

What do you do?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, come up with a fragmentary order for your squads and your attachments; include scheme of maneuver, commander’s intent, and signal plan. Provide an overlay for your scheme of maneuver. Also prepare any reports that you would send to higher headquarters, along with any requests for support. Send your solution and rationale for your actions to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #04-11, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

Trouble in Ponchoville

Situation

You are the commander of Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Marines. Your battalion has been conducting peace enforcement operations in the country of Tenochichitlan. Tenochichitlan has been suffering from a horrible civil war, and U.S. forces are supporting the legitimate government by helping to eliminate armed guerrilla resistance. Your company has been tasked with conducting a cordon and search of the village of Ponchoville in order to locate weapons and information on guerrilla activities. This small village of about 200 people has been known to support the guerrillas by hiding weapons and providing food.

The guerrillas are known to possess Soviet small arms (AK series, Dragunov sniper rifles, light machineguns, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs)). They operate in small units and only conduct harassing attacks. They will not fight to the death and are not capable of reinforcing. They will withdraw when friendly reinforcements arrive.

The village consists of several small stone houses and a few farming structures. Ponchoville lies in a valley surrounded by forested hills and fields of lettuce. There are three dirt roads leading into the village that break the surrounding farmland into three areas. Many of the villagers are indifferent about the U.S. and government forces, but some are very upset about the foreign presence.

You have tasked organized your company into cordoning and searching elements. 1st Platoon and weapons platoon will enter the village to do the searching. 2d and 3d Platoons will lay in the cordon. Additionally, you have six HMMWVs from the battalion’s heavy machinegun platoon attached. They consist of three M2 .50 caliber heavy machineguns and three Mk 19s, all vehicle mounted. 2d Platoon will place one squad along each road as it enters the valley. Each of those squads will have two heavy machinegun HMMWVs attached. 3d Platoon will conduct patrols of the farmlands and forested areas around the village while the search is conducted.

The cordon is in place at 0500, just as the sun comes up. 1st Platoon and weapons platoon arrive at the village 1 hour later. After meeting with the village chief, he agrees to have the villagers assemble just outside of the village to the west. Weapons platoon watches over the villagers while 1st Platoon searches. 3d Platoon begins its patrols. Two hours later, 2d Platoon calls and informs you that there is a large crowd of approximately 100 visibly upset civilians approaching the northern cordon position. They appear to have come from a nearby village north of their position. They are carrying banners that state, “Amerikan go hoom!” You immediately send 1st Squad, 3d Platoon to their position to aid in dealing with a potential riot.

One hour later, you’re told that the crowd at the northern cordon position is getting bigger and angrier. At the same time, you hear the sound of RPGs and small arms fire south of the village. 2d Platoon calls to inform you that the southern cordon position is under attack. The two HMMWVs have been destroyed by RPGs, and many of the squad are wounded. Your first sergeant reminds you that the search is not yet complete and that the villagers are getting restless.

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, issue orders to your platoons and reports to higher headquarters. Include your intent, scheme of maneuver on an overlay, and report(s) to higher headquarters. Send your solution and rationale for your actions to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #04-12, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

First Contact

Situation

You are the 2d Platoon Commander, Company F, Battalion Landing Team 2d Battalion, 11th Marines (BLT 2/11), 11th MEU. Your company has recendy taken over the area of responsibility (AOR) of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. After initial operations, organized resistance has ceased. However, insurgent and tribal fighters remain as active combatants.

Your AOR is in an urban environment characterized by densely but haphazardly arranged mud brick houses of one and two stories with flat roofs, with the occasional taller building – usually a mosque or other religiously associated structure. The main roads ate paved and two lanes wide. Side roads are also paved but only 1 !/2 lanes wide. In addition, there are numerous narrow dirt alleyways only suitable for foot traffic.

The enemy you face wears no standardized military uniform and often appears in civilian dress, uses Soviet-era infantry weapons (AK-47s, light machineguns, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs)), and has the occasional command of 82mm mortars and 12.7mm machineguns. His main tactic is the ambush, initiated by RPG attack or improvised explosive device (IED). The enemy rarely stands to fight, even after such ambushes. When they do, it is often the signal of a major engagement. S- 2 (intelligence) believes such battles center around religious sites.

The BLT has been relatively successful in matters of civil affairs and civilmilitary relations. They initiated a “weapons buy back program,” paying for each weapon turned in depending upon its lethality. Despite such gains, the AOR still has its share of insurgent attacks. Of the seven major clans in the area of operations, the BLT has secured the support of one smaller clan but stili faces resistance from several of the larger clans in the city and surrounding area.

Currently your platoon is on its second patrol. After crossing the Route 6 bridge, you enter the area controlled by the smaller clan that supports coalition forces. You are moving from south to north. 1st Squad is on the left flank, you are with 2d Squad in the center, and 3d Squad is on the right. You have only your organic weapons and are in radio contact with the other squads and the battalion combat operations center, though such contact is not always 100 percent due to the urban environment.

Approximately 20 minutes after crossing the bridge you hear and see an explosion where you expect 1st Squad to be. The explosion is followed by automatic and semiautomatic weapons fire. 2d Squad leader executes a halt in place and 360-degree security. Firing continues for 30 seconds before you receive 1st Squad’s report: “Enemy squad with AKs,. RPG, mortar IED. Watson and Perez are down. Need casevac. Break. Recommend 2d Squad move north oí my position and cut off retreating enemy elements. Over.”

Requirement

What now, Lieutenant? In a time limit of 5 minutes, determine what actions you would take, what orders you would issue, and what reports, if any, you would make.

Issues for Consideration

Who do you believe the enemy is?

What do you believe your company and battalion commanders’ intents are?

In this scenario, how do your actions and orders relate to their intents?

What does the enemy hope to gain from this attack?

How do your actions deprive the enemy of those gains?

How will the enemy counter your platoon’s actions?

Assume that as a result of this incident, two civilians are wounded and one home is damaged. How will the enemy exploit this information in 20 minutes? By the end of the day? For the rest of the week?

What can you do to counter his effects at exploitation? Now? After you return to base?

Hostile Intent

Situation

You are the 3d Squad Leader, 2d Platoon, Company F, Battalion Landing Team 2d Battalion, 1st Marines (BLT 2/1), 1 1th MEU. Your company has recently taken over the area of responsibility (AOR) of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. After initial operations, organized resistance has ceased. However, insurgent and tribal fighters remain as active combatants.

Your AOR is in an urban environment characterized by densely but haphazardly arranged mud brick houses of one and two stories with flat roofs, with the occasional taller building, usually a mosque or other religiously associated structure. The main roads are paved and two lanes wide. Side roads are also paved but only 1 u2 lanes wide. In addition, there are numerous narrow dirt alleyways only suitable for foot traffic.

The enemy you face wears no standardized military uniform and often appears in civilian dress, uses Soviet-era infantry weapons (AK-47s, light machi neguns, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs)), and has the occasional command of 82mm mortars and 12.7mm machineguns. His main tactic is the ambush, initiated by RPG attack or improvised explosive device (IED). The enemy rarely stands to fight, even after such ambushes. When they do, it is often the signal of a major engagement. S-2 (intelligence) believes such battles center around religious sites.

The BLT has been relatively successful in the matter of civil affairs and civil-military relations. They initiated a “weapons buy back program,” paying for each weapon turned in depending upon its lethality. Despite such gain, the AOR still has its share of insurgent attacks. Of the seven major clans in the area of operations, the BLT has secured the support of the one smaller clan but still faces resistance from several of the larger clans in the city and surrounding area.

Currently, your platoon is on its second patrol. After crossing the Route 6 bridge, you enter the area controlled by the smaller clan that supports coalition forces. You are moving from south to north. 1st Squad is on the left flank, 2d Squad is in the center with the command element, and your squad is on the right. You have only your organic weapons and are in radio contact with the other squads and command element, though such contact is not always 100 percent due to the urban environment.

Approximately 20 minutes after crossing the bridge, you hear and see an explosion where you expect 1st Squad to be, followed by automatic and semiautomatic weapons fire. You execute a halt in place and establish 360-degree security. Firing continues for 30 seconds before you hear 1st Squad report: “Enemy squad with AKs, RPG, mortar IED. Watson and Perez are down. Need casevac. Break. Recommend 2d Squad move north of my position and cut off retreating enemy elements. Over.”

Approximately 30 seconds after the 1st Squad report, the platoon commander radios to you: “2d Squad is reinforcing 1st Squad attack. Proceed north to major intersection in order to prevent enemy reinforcements from attacking our flank. Over.”

After acknowledging the order, the squad proceeds north along Route 6. About 100 meters up the road, you observe approximately 20 men armed with a combination of AK-47s and RPGs emerge from a compound and board 3 pickup trucks and 2 trucks with mounted machineguns. They have not observed you yet. You estimate that this force will be ready to leave the compound in 2 minutes. What now, Sergeant?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, determine what actions you would take, what orders you would issue, and what reports, if any, you would make.

Issues for Consideration

Who do you believe this new force is? What is their intent?

What actions might you take to determine if this force is friendly or hostile?

If this force is hostile, are your actions in accordance with your commander’s intent?

If this force is friendly, how might they assist you in accomplishing your mission and the BLTs mission?

If the force is friendly, how might they assist your battalion commander in achieving his intent?

Assuming this force is hostile, how can the enemy seek to exploit this situation in the local community?

What are some actions you can take or recommendations you can make to your commander to counter enemy exploitation efforts? Immediately after the fight? After you return to base?

Two Birds, One Stone

Situation

You are Bakhtawar, a leader under the warlord Wadaan Zarhawar. Your clan held a position of prominence in Jalalabad prior to the invasion of the Americans and Europeans and the subsequent American occupation. While your Pashtun tribal leaders reluctantly supported the foreign intervention, smaller clans, especially the Tajiks under warlord GuI Rang, seek to increase their power by allying themselves closely with the Americans.

As a result, Wadaan has ordered you to infiltrate into Gul’s area of control and ambush the Americans. You have 16 fighters, 14 armed with AK-47s and 2 armed with rocket propelled grenades (3 rounds each). You also have access to three mortar rounds, three handgrenades, one mortar round that is rigged to blow up by cell phone, and two cell phones for communications. You do not have access to your vehicles due to Gul’s vehicle checkpoints.

You sent out two scouts with one cell phone to the bridge to report when the Americans cross the bridge and are heading north. The rest of the your warband infiltrated into Gul’s area by foot and got ready to attack. You have been in place approximately 1 hour when your scout calls and reports that the Americans have just crossed the bridge in 3 groups of 10 to 15 men each moving along Route 6 and two parallel streets. What now?

Requirement

In a time limit of 1 5 minutes, determine what actions you would take during your 1-hour preparation time and what orders you would issue to your warband.

Issues for Consideration

1. What is your reason for launching this attack on this ground?

2. What does Wadaan Zarhawar want you to accomplish?

3. How do your actions support this?

4. What do you consider mission success?

5. What do you want to see happen to warlord GuI Rang’s area of control? What do you want to see happen to the American forces?

6. What considerations do you give to damage to personal property and loss of life in Gul’s area?

7. Is your focus on using your fighters to engage the enemy or on instigating locals?

8. Assume at the end of the engagement that you have brought down two Americans, your fighters have ceded the battlefield to the Americans, you have fallen back to your area of control with most of your fighters, one child and one woman were killed in the fighting, their home was damaged, and two of your fighters were killed. How can you use all of these factors to your advantage?

9. How sensitive are you to casualties among your own fighters? How sensitive are you to local civilian casualties?

Decision in the Streets

Situation

You are the platoon commander for 1st Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Marines (1/6). U.S. forces have been conducting offensive operations as part of a multinational coalition in the desert country of Kartiq. The United Nations coalition is operating under a resolution intended to remove the oppressive Kartiqi dictator from power in order to return stability to the region. Military resistance has been light thus far. While the majority of the Kartiqi population despises their leader, they remain skeptical of American interests in the area. Locals have generally tried to avoid U.S. forces and have not yet demonstrated any open opposition. However, if convinced they were becoming the direct target of military action, they would likely rise up in defense of the homeland. Aware of this fact, the Kartiqi military has increased its presence in urban areas in hopes of drawing the local populace into the conflict.

A week ago the regiment seized the town of Rikala. 1/6 has assumed responsibility for maintaining the town’s security as the remainder of the regiment pushes north. The battalion has subdivided the town into four quadrants with Company A occupying the northwest. The company’s mission is to control Quadrant Alpha in order to prevent the enemy from infiltrating back and reestablishing power. The company has established checkpoints on the outskirts of town, conducted searches of suspected hideouts, and demonstrated its presence with aggressive urban patrolling. Two reaction forces are always available on 10-minute alert: a rifle platoon from your company and a HMMWV-mounted heavy machinegun section from the battalion. Because the United States is at war with Kartiq, the rules of engagement are much less restrictive now than in the past. Servicemembers are authorized to engage the Kartiqi military by any means consistent with the law of war. Nonmilitary personnel observed committing serious crimes will be detained using minimal force necessary. If all reasonable graduated response techniques have been exhausted, and it appears that human life will be lost, deadly force is authorized. Self-defense is always authorized.

Your platoon has been tasked with conducting a patrol through the quadrant in order to deter renewed enemy action and report on suspicious activity. Advancing north along the streets, you observe a crowd of approximately 15 Kartiqi locals about 2 blocks away, engaged in what appears to be an intense argument. As you approach, they cast a few glares your way but otherwise leave you alone. Thinking better than to continue in that direction, you instead turn west and report the situation to higher. After advancing one block to the west, you notice a large open lot to your front and again decide to detour around this potential danger area. Turning north and then west again, you finally find yourself on a safer route.

Your movement standing operating procedure has been a typical “two up, one back” double column. Your lead squads advance along either side of the road, staggered with respect to each other, providing security to the front and opposite flanks. 3d Squad is moving in trace of 1st while also providing rear security. As you come to the next intersection, you treat it as a danger area and manage to get 1st and 2d Squads across safely. As you prepare to cross with 3d Squad, a rifle shot suddenly breaks the silence, and a Marine from 2d Squad crumples to the ground. “Sniper!”

You know the shot came from the north side but can’t tell from which building. The two squads appear to be executing your immediate action drill. 1st Squad scrambles for the southern buildings to provide suppression while 2d Squad conducts an immediate assault to the north, dragging the downed Marine inside. As the squads disappear from view, you hear tremendous fire erupting from the southern buildings. Apparently 1st Squad has run into a fight of its own. “Ambushed!” you think to yourself. You and your 3d Squad are still east of the intersection. You shout to the other two squads but get no response.

Requirement In a time limit of 5 minutes, develop a plan and state what orders you will issue to your squad leaders. Provide a brief rationale for your decision and a sketch of the plan. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #03-7, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

Reconned by Fire

Situation

Your battalion intends to conduct a night attack on foot tomorrow night from north to south in order to clear the enemy from your zone of operations-an isthmus 2 kilometers wide and 5 kilometers long.

Your four-man fire team and one other team have been assigned to observe and report enemy positions and activity in preparation for tomorrow morning’s attack. The previous night your patrol established an observation post (OP 1) on the forward slope about 50 yards from the crest. Visibility and fields of observation are good across the treeless grassland. Radio communications with battalion and OP 2 is loud and clear. Your position is well-concealed. Between both OPs you have reported to battalion the positions of the enemy as shown on the map. You observe that the enemy position is well-entrenched. The enemy is behaving rather casually, lining up for chow, doing laundry, etc. The enemy dispatched squad-sized patrols to the northeast earlier in the day.

The time is now 1130. You observe a frenzy of activity on the enemy position. The enemy begins to fire on OP 2 with machineguns and small arms. You monitor OP 2’s report to battalion that they have taken casualties. OP 2’s request to battalion for artillery is denied. Looking to the south you can see OP 2 pop smoke. OP 2 goes silent and does not respond to radio calls from battalion. The enemy continues firing. Now enemy rounds begin to impact all over the hillside you occupy. This fire seems random. You are confident that your OP remains undetected, yet enemy fire intensifies. One of your Marines calls out that he’s hit. An enemy round splashes you with dirt. What now?

Requirement

In 2 minutes decide on a course of action, and issue your frag order. Provide a sketch and rationale for your action. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #03-6, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

A World of Hurt

Situation

You are a platoon commander in Company K, 3d Battalion, 8th Marines. Attached to your platoon is one squad from the machinegun section of Weapons Platoon (two M240Gs). The company is conducting a movement to contact, through gently rolling wooded terrain broken by small streams, in order to locate and destroy enemy forces infiltrating your battalion’s area of operations. Yours is the lead platoon. Visibility is generally limited to less than 75 meters because of the thick vegetation. Streams have occasional pools, but are easily waded.

The company march objective is Hill 410. A half hour ago the company commander told you to step it out and reach Hill 410 as soon as possible to begin setting up the company’s defensive perimeter for the night. As a result, you are about 500 meters in front of the company when your lead squad seems to run into a large ambush directly to your front. It sounds like an enormous amount of fire is being delivered on 1st Squad as the whole platoon goes quickly to ground. 1st Squad begins to return fire, and you can hear the squad leader screaming commands. From your position with the machineguns, you start to make your way forward toward 1st Squad when a similar amount of fire erupts on your right flank back around where 3d Squad should be. From your position you cannot see either contact, but you can hear rounds whizzing overhead.

LCpl Vargas, from 1st Squad, crawls back to your position and reports: “Sir, Sgt Carden says 1st Fire Team is down, and we can’t get to them. He thinks there’s got to be a platoon in front of us!” At the same time, word is passed forward from the rear of the platoon: “Platoon sergeant says two men are down in 3d Squad; at least two enemy squads closing in from the right and rear.” Your company commander is on the radio wanting to know what’s going on. What now, Lieutenant?

Requirement

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