Under Fire Amid Camera’s Aim

Your fire team is on a peacekeeping assignment in a civil war torn country where a shaky cease-fire is only a few weeks old. Your duties have been a combination of patrolling village streets and community restoration and aid projects. You’re currently assigned to a village whose control was disputed by the contending parties in battle and now is part of tense, ongoing cease-fire negotiations. Marine presence, in any form, is resented in this village by one of the factions. Battalion intelligence believes there is such vehemence because the Marine presence has thwarted the efforts of this one faction to intimidate the opposition in the village into leaving and thereby gaining control for use as a card in the negotiations. While armed exchanges between the feuding groups and Marines have been few, the extensive use of mines and boobytraps during the civil war has meant that such weapons have continued to claim victims on all sides.

Presently, your fire team is on a sweep in the center of the village, which is characterized by debris strewn cobblestone streets, narrow alleyways, and stone buildings in various states of disrepair. The main square of the village is dominated by a large fountain. The square is used by all as a local market. The village’s factional majority has also taken to using the square as a gathering point for its bands to vocalize their dislike of Marines. Such gatherings are not forbidden by your rules of engagement if conducted peacefully and without arms. Trailing your patrol throughout the day, of its own accord, is a U.S. news crew from CNN.

Your fire team has just arrived in the square. In addition to your standard weapons, you have five rounds of tear gas for the M203 (40mm grenade launcher) and a radio that links you to your squad leader and platoon leader. The remainder of your squad on the patrol is located to the east some 50 to 75 yards away. Suddenly, close by, there is a small explosion. You turn and see a cloud of dust to your left rear. A scream of pain reaches your ears. “Johnson tripped a boobytrap in the alleyway.” Immediately the film crew is in action close at hand. You glance quickly over your shoulder to check your front and see villagers, some of them women, marching toward the square. Two men are armed with bolt-action rifles. “Corporal, I’ve got a dozen plus people heading toward me from the west, maybe 100 yards out. They don’t look happy. They’re chanting something, and they have banners with ‘U.S. and Marines Out,'” barks your automatic rifleman. Just then a burst of M16 fire erupts to your left. “Sniper on the balcony to your front!” You see Martinez dive for an open doorway.

What now, Corporal?

Requirement

In a time limit of 30 seconds issue any orders/reports you might make. Provide a sketch of your actions and the rationale behind them. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #02-1, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

Culminating Point

Situation

You are the company commander for Bravo Company, Ist Battalion, Ist Marines operating in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. Your battalion is operating as part of a special purpose Marine air-ground task force with a general mission of conducting operations to clear the area of ex-government units involved in a rebellion against a newly elected civilian government. Enemy units have generally been operating in squad- to platoon-sized elements with only small arms and medium machineguns, primarily during daylight hours. Prior to today, no contact with the enemy forces had been reported by any elements of your battalion, despite 2 days of extensive patrolling. There are no friendly foreign national units in your battalion or company zone of operations.

Your company mission is to dear in zone in order to deny the enemy a safe haven from which to conduct operations against the civilian government. Your battalion commander’s desired end state is no cohesive enemy units in the area of greater than squad size. Once that criterion has been met, the sector can be considered cleared and loyal government units can move in and complete the “pacification” process. Alpha Company was assigned the zone considered most likely to produce enemy activity based on prior reports and has been designated the main effort.

Bravo Company is a standard table of organization rifle company, with an attached host-nation interrogator-translator team (ITT). You task organized for this mission into patrolling/clearing elements consisting of Ist and 3d Platoons (generally eastern and western portions of the zone respectively), and a reserve/reaction force consisting of 2d Platoon following in trace of the two clearing platoons in the center of the company zone. The machinegun section from weapons platoon moves with 2d Platoon to provide supporting fires should you encounter enemy forces. The mortar section moves in trace of 2d Platoon with security provided by the SMAW (shoulder launched multipurpose assault weapon) section. You have attached the host-nation ITT to the company headquarters element under the watchful eye of your company gunnery sergeant. No artillery or close air support assets are available, although the battalion 81mm mortar platoon can range the majority of your sector.

Today, at 0700, you advanced into a previously untouched sector. The terrain is hilly, single canopy jungle, interspersed with large clearings and cultivated areas. 3d Squad, Ist Platoon, after 2 hours of exhausting movement, reported signs of enemy activity on a lightly wooded ridgeline 200 meters to their north. You immediately ordered 2d Platoon to move forward to 3d Squad’s position, which the 3d Squad would secure for use as an assault position for 2d Platoon’s attack. You moved forward along with the ITT to the attack position, and after a quick visual reconnaissance and conference with 3d Squad leader and 2d Platoon commander, confirmed the personnel were in fact an enemy unit. You then emplaced the machinegun section at a 70-degree offset to provide a base of fire. You ordered 2d Platoon to prepare to attack the enemy position and radioed the battalion commander to inform him of your situation. After a quick discussion, you were given permission to begin the attack.

2d Platoon conducted their attack in a professional manner, and after an exhausting uphill climb under heavy enemy fire, reported the enemy reinforced squad’s surrender. Friendly casualties were two men killed and three wounded. The enemy casualties were four dead and three wounded enemy prisoners of war. At least two enemy soldiers had escaped. They had, however, used up half of their ammunition in the process. A quick situation report from 3d Platoon revealed that they still had no enemy sightings. As you moved up to the ridgeline to inspect the results of the fight, the 2d Platoon commander reported enemy in at least two-squad strength moving into assault formation and at least two machineguns being set up on the next hill over.

At this time, your machinegun section is still moving onto the ridgeline, lst Platoon is still consolidating with two squads at the old attack position, and one squad is still on the move. 3d Platoon continues to patrol in sector to the west. What do you do?

Requirement

In a time limit of 5 minutes, issue your orders to your team leaders. Provide a brief rationale for your actions and a sketch of your plan. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #01-8, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134, fax 703-630-9147, or e-mail <[email protected]>.

Zone Recon

Situation

You are the company commander, Bravo Company, Ist Battalion, 8th Marines.

For the last 3 months the Marine expeditionary brigade, as part of a joint task force, has been operating in support of an international coalition of forces deployed into Karabrun in order to restore this beleaguered nation’s borders.

The terrain in your current area of operations (AOR) is primarily volcanic with dense tropical forests. Scattered, cleared areas are utilized by the inhabitants for existence farming. During your movement north you have conducted very deliberate searches for enemy forces, supplies, and weapon caches. For the most part your battalion’s contact with the enemy has been sporadic, although, in the zone of action adjoining your present AOR, they have demonstrated an ability to mass forces-normally company reinforced elements conducting well-executed night attacks supported with medium and heavy mortar fire, then fading quickly into the surrounding area.

Your battalion commander has been directed to conduct a zone reconnaissance from your present location (line of departure) to the vicinity of Hill 261, approximately 7 miles north. Your company has been assigned as lead element for this mission. To your northeast you can see the Mirana River. There are no bridges across the river, but you know from practical experience that it has been fordable in most areas.

Recent intelligence reports that the enemy may be consolidating his forces north of Hill 261 in preparation for a final effort to push U.S. forces from this area.

Hill 261 will be in your zone of action, the Mirana River is your right boundary. 2d Battalion, 6th Marines is on the other side of the Mirana. You will have priority of fires from the 81mm mortar platoon and have been directed to submit a request for artillery fires to the battalion fire support coordinator within the next 2 hours.

Requirement

Within 30 minutes develop the following: (1) List of questions you may have for the S-2; (2) your scheme of maneuver, with overlay and fire plan sketch; and (3) what you believe the most likely enemy course of action will be. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #01-1, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-630-9147.

Patrol Base Under Attack

Situation

You are 3d Squad leader, 3d Platoon, Kilo Company 3/8. 3d Platoon is operating out of a patrol base and is tasked with conducting security patrols, in sector, in order to prevent enemy units from infiltrating into friendly rear areas.

As part of this mission your squad was tasked with conducting a night security patrol. You left the patrol base at 2200. Four hours later your patrol is just about to reenter friendly lines. Because of the densely wooded terrain, visibility in the daytime is no more than 50-75 meters, and at night you can hardly see at all. Communications with the platoon commander throughout the patrol has been shaky at best as you try to maintain positive communications via a PRC-68.

Your patrol was uneventful, no sign of the enemy, and you’re scheduled to meet the platoon sergeant at the reentry point between 0230-0300. You’re 200 meters from that point when you begin to hear small arms fire from the direction of the patrol base. You can barely make out green and red tracers through some of the treetops and can definitely hear the sound of an M244G machinegun. You try raising anybody over the PRC-68, but no luck. The level of gunfire slowly increases, and it now sounds like 3d Platoon is fully engaged. It also sounds like the gunfire is getting closer to your position. You make out a garbled transmission over the PRC-68, “. . . casualties . . . mortars . . . 3d Squad .”

Your fire team leaders are now at your position. First Fire Team leader, “Sergeant, we got to get in there!” Second Fire Team leader, “Sergeant, we’ve got no idea what the hell is going on out there.” Third Fire Team leader, “Sergeant, what are you going to do now?” What are you going to do now, Sergeant?

Requirement

In a time limit of 2 minutes, issue any orders/reports you might make. Then provide a sketch and explanation of your plan. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #00-10, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-630-9147.

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.

Commander Down

Situation

You are the local security chief for Battery A, part of Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/8. Your battery has been supporting the BLT during offensive operations ashore. Most of the fighting has been light with artillery fire used only sporadically. The battery has encountered ineffective small arms fire during its movements.

You are currently with the battery advance party (AP) scouting a new position and have just arrived in the vicinity of the prospective site. The main body of the battery is 8 kilometers to the southwest and will displace in about half an hour. The AP is led by the CO with a hardback HMMWV and mounted M240G. The AP 5-ton is next with a mounted M2 .50 caliber machinegun. Two communications vehicles-advance fire direction center and advance communications-are in trail. Per standing operating procedure, the CO led the AP to the edge of the new position. You dismounted all but the CO, corpsman, machinegunners, and drivers to conduct the security sweep of the position.

The clearing is surrounded by patches of brush and scrub growth that provide concealment as well as three areas that contain sizable trees. You split your 12man force in two and lay out the plan for a heart-shaped recon around the new position. You take a man-pack radio to keep in touch with the CO and move with the western team. Traveling up the streambed, you’ve encountered no activity when you hear gunshots to the south. They are followed by rifle and machinegun fire. As you halt your men, one of the drivers reports over the radio, “Grizzly 11 this is Grizzly 6D, the 6 has been shot. He’s down hard, but the corpsman’s working on him.” It appears that you are now the leader of the AP. No sooner do you realize this when you hear more gunfire from across the open firing position. What do you do?

Requirement

In the space of 2 minutes, reach a decision on what you intend to do and what orders you will issue to the AP. Provide a sketch of your decision and a discussion of the rationale behind it. Submit your solution to Marine Corps Gazette, TDG #00-9, P.O. Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134 or fax 703-630-9147.

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.

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.

The Short End of the Stick, Part II

The Tactical Decision Game (TDG) is a follow-on to TDG #91-10 which was presented in detail in MCG Oct81 and discussed on the preceding pages.

The Situation

Nightfall found you and your battalion in the town of San Miguel. In accordance with your continuing mission of clearing the woods, you divided your battalion sector into three company sectors, ordered Companies A, B, and C to send out reconnaissance patrols (one per company), and let the rest of your battalion get as much rest as they could. (See Solution, A, p. 60 and Map below.)

During the night, you received the following reports:

2100: The patrol from Company B reports that it was shot at by three machineguns located north of Argentina Farm.

2115: The patrol from Company C reports that enemy mortar fire fell near Route 5 about 600 meters south of Checkpoint 256.

2125: The patrol from Company C reports that the crossroads at Checkpoint 256 are occupied by field fortifications, heavily manned. Further progress by the patrol near Route 5 is not possible.

2130: The patrol from Company C requests the attachment of a machinegun squad. The patrol also requests an 81mm mortar concentration on the crossroads at Checkpoint 256.

2140: The patrol from Company B reports that it saw two light armored vehicles on road east of Checkpoint 256.

2145: The patrol from Company B reports it has heard the distinctive noise of enemy light armored vehicles moving through the woods to its west.

At 2145 you order all your patrols to pull back well south of the east-west road miming through the crossroads at Checkpoint 256 so that the mortar concentration requested by Company C can be fired. As the patrols return, you get more information. Company A reports that it encountered no enemy in its sector. The lieutenant in charge of the patrol from Company C provides you with a detailed sketch of the area around Checkpoint 256.

A particularly valuable part of the sketch is the broad outline of the fields of fire of machineguns in the concrete bunkers. Thanks to the light of a full moon and the poor light discipline of the enemy, the lieutenant was able to locate the firing ports (embrasures) of the bunkers. This information allowed him to deduce the rough shape of the fields of fire. (See patrol sketch.)

At 2230 you order the mortar platoon commander to fire the mortar concentration. At 2315 you receive an order from the regiment. This order forbids all offensive action before 0900 the following morning. At that point, the regiment, with three battalions on line, will move forward to clear the woods as a unit.

What frag orders do you issue your company as a result of these developments?

Requirement

In a time limit of five minutes, describe the actions you would take and the instructions you would issue to your team leaders. Include an overlay sketch and provide a brief discussion of the rationale behind your actions. Submit your solutions to Marine Corps Gazette, Tactical Decision Game #91-12, Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134. The Gazette will publish the author’s and other solutions in the February 1992 issue.

Ambush at Dusk

You are the squad leader of 1st Squad, 1st Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines. You are fighting in a tropical jungle against guerrilla forces armed with small arms, light machineguns, and sometimes mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. Recently, Company C has been conducting patrols in a populated region to counter increased insurgent activity. On this day, your platoon, with a machinegun squad attached, is running a security patrol to locate and destroy any enemy forces. Dusk is approaching-within the hour, you estimate. Your squad is the point of the platoon patrol column, some 200 yards forward of the platoon’s main body as you advance north through a rice paddy, paralleling a four-foot dike some hundred meters to your right. As your squad picks its way through a bamboo fence at the northern edge of the paddy, one ‘ of your Marines trips a boobytrap, suffering a severe leg wound. With the corpsman and platoon radioman, the platoon commander hustles forward to investigate. While they are still 150 meters away, the enemy suddenly opens fire with automatic weapons from the village, and the platoon commander is hit. The steady volume of enemy fire from the village has 2d and 3d squads pinned down in the rice paddy. After tending to the lieutenant, the corpsman makes his way forward under fire to your position, followed shortly by one machinegun team. The corpsman tells you the lieutenant is in a bad way. You wish you had a radio, but the radioman is pinned down near the lieutenant. The enemy fire against your position is sporadic; the two squads in the paddy, on the other hand, are returning fire but appear unable to move. You estimate that the sun will disappear within a half hour. You have no communications with your platoon sergeant. What do you do?

Requirement

In a time limit of five minutes, describe the actions you would take and the instructions you would issue to your team leaders. Include an overlay sketch and provide a brief discussion of the rationale behind your actions. Submit your solutions to Marine Corps Gazette, Tactical Decision Game #91-11, Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134. The Gazette will publish the author’s and other solutions in the January 1992 issue.

The Quick Reaction Force

By the Staff, Marine Corps Gazette

This TDG is a continuation of the scenario that began with TDG 02-17 in the February 2017 edition. For additional information on the current situation, refer to TDGs 02-18 and 03-18: “The Routine Patrol,” Parts I and II, in the February and March 2018 editions respectively.

Situation

You are the platoon commander of Second Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. Since your 3d squad is conducting a day security patrol, the remainder of your reinforced platoon is currently “standing by” on a plus-fifteen-minute alert as the Company’s quick reaction force (QRF). This means your company commander expects you be able to depart friendly lines with your force in fifteen minutes or less from the time support is requested.

In addition to your two remaining squads, you are reinforced with one machine-gun section (two M240B machine guns), one JTAC-trained Marine, and a Corpsman. The QRF also includes two squads of MUGA Commandos and two Commando “anti-tank/assault teams” of two men each, armed with Type 69 rocket propelled grenade launchers and a mix of anti-personnel and anti-armor rounds. All close air support, fire support, and medevac assets remain the same. Your communications are still limited, unencrypted VHF/UHF voice-only radios.

Approximately 25 minutes ago, steady small arms fire was heard coming from the area east of the Al Mumeet Mosque, and ten minutes ago, your patrol reported in that they were taking fire from a building or buildings in the vicinity of checkpoints four and five and requested support. They have no casualties and have consolidated in covered and concealed positions in the fallow fields south of the road running east–west from checkpoint two. The patrol also reports an AUXFOR vehicle checkpoint east of checkpoint one manned by about ten “Oxfords.” These AUXFOR are clearly agitated and showing the effects of a morning’s khat use, but they remain covered and have started firing their weapons in the general direction of checkpoints four and five.

As you rapidly supervise to ensure the QRF is prepared to depart COP Ritz, your company commander directs you to link up with the patrol in the vicinity of checkpoint one, assess the situation, report back, and, on order, attack to clear the buildings between checkpoints four and five. You have five minutes remaining to complete your initial plan and issue a fragmentary order (FRAGO) to the QRF for link-up with the patrol and execution of your on-order mission.

Requirement

With a time limit of five minutes, write the FRAGO and the rationale for your solution, and also provide a graphic for your plan. Submit your solutions by email to [email protected] or to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG 04-18, Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134. The Gazette will publish solutions in an upcoming issue.

Routine Patrol, Part II

By the Staff, Marine Corps Gazette

Situation

You are the squad leader of 3d Squad, 2d Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. You have been leading a day security patrol east of the company positon at COP Ritz past the Al Mumeet Mosque and southeast of several abandoned farms and fields thickly overgrown with shoulder-high sawgrass and upland cane.

After exiting the southeast corner of COP Ritz and departing friendly lines at Checkpoint One, the patrol moved past the AUXFOR (“oxfords”) vehicle checkpoint east of Checkpoint One without incident. You observed the AUXFOR sitting in the shade, chewing khat and talking. Several were talking on local cell phones.

After passing Checkpoints Two and Three, you turn northeast into the tall grass of a fallow field. After moving about 250 meters, your forward security reaches the road leading east from the mosque. You send two fire teams (-), three Marines each, to establish security on the east and west flanks of the patrol and begin sending the patrol across the road to establish far-side security.

Half of the patrol makes it across the road and starts taking steady small arms fire from somewhere north or northwest of your positon. No one is hit, but the fire does not cease as everyone takes cover. Your point and cover men report back that the fire may be coming from the buildings between Checkpoints Four and Five. The high grass provides good concealment but no cover, and you order the lead elements to break contact and move south of the road.

Despite the steady fire from the northwest, everyone makes it to cover on the low ground south of the road, and you consolidate the main body of the patrol in a tight 360-degree perimeter. You leave your flank security teams in positon.

After reporting your situation to the company, you receive the following change of mission:

Maintain contact with the anti-MUGA force in the vicinity of Checkpoints Four and Five. Link up with the Company QRF (quick reaction force), which will be approaching from the west toward Checkpoint Four. On order, support the QRF’s attack to clear the buildings between Checkpoints Four and Five by fire.

Soon after receipt of the change of mission, your west flank security team reports that it sounds as if the AUXFORs around Checkpoint One are firing their weapons in the direction of Checkpoints Four and Five.

There is no change to your patrol’s organization, and you still have ten combat-effective Marines including yourself and the following attachments for the patrol, making a total of twenty men:

  • One Machine-Gun Team (one M240B 7.62 machine gun, two Marines).
  • One MUGA Commando Fire Team (four Commandos with AK-47s and rifle grenades) plus one Commando Machine-Gun Team (one RPK 7.62 machine gun, two-man crew).
  • One Hospitalman, 3rd Class.
  • One MUGA Commando Interpreter.

Fire support remains limited to the battalion’s organic mortars and Marine rotary-wing CAS on alert +15 at the battalion FOB (forward operating base). There is one registered target at Checkpoint Seven: AB1107. The Al Mumeet Mosque is established in all aviation special instructions (SPINS) as the center of a 200m by 200m rotary-wing attack positon, “AP Snake.”

The battalion’s alert +5 section of medevac helicopters has a dedicated radio net. Response time is less than 10 minutes, and the JTF (joint task force) Level III treatment facility is 45 minutes flight time.

Your communications are limited to unencrypted, VHF and UHF, voice-only radios.

Requirement

What are your orders to the patrol?

What coordinating instructions for the QRF do you relay back to the company?

Instructions

Quickly formulate your plans and issue your orders. Provide a brief discussion of the rationale behind your actions. Submit your solutions by email at [email protected] or to the Marine Corps Gazette, TDG 03-18, Box 1775, Quantico, VA 22134. The Gazette will publish solutions in an upcoming issue.

The Routine Patrol

By the Staff, Marine Corps Gazette

Situation 

You are the squad leader of 3d Squad, 2d Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. Your squad has been ordered to conduct a day security patrol east of the company position at COP (combat outpost) Ritz. Your designated patrol route (depicted on Figure 1) will take you out past the Al Mumeet Mosque and southeast to the far side of several abandoned farms and fields thickly overgrown with shoulder-high sawgrass and upland cane. You and your Marines have been on patrol both day and night, approximately every 48 to 72 hours, ever since the company occupied COP Ritz. You and your team leaders are highly experienced in patrolling the congested area surrounding the COP and have been in more firefights than you can remember. On several occasions, you have had to call in the Company’s quick reaction force (QRF) to reinforce your patrol after making contact.

Your mission is: No later than 0900, depart friendly lines and conduct a security patrol along the designated route east of the Al Mumeet Mosque neighborhood in order to disrupt any anti-MUGA forces in the area and demonstrate a MUGA/CJTF presence. Mission has priority.

You designate your first fire team leader, LCpl Santeira, as your assistant patrol leader and LCpl Sharpe as your radio operator.

For today’s patrol, you have 10 combat effective Marines including yourself, and the following attachments for the patrol make a total of 20 men.

  • One Machine-Gun Team (one M240B 7.62 machine gun, two Marines).
  • One MUGA Commando fire team (four Commandos with AK-47s and rifle grenades) plus one Commando machine-gun team (one RPK 7.62 machine gun, two-man crew).
  • One Hospitalman, 3rd Class.
  • One MUGA Commando Interpreter.

Fire support remains limited to the battalion’s organic mortars and Marine rotary-wing CAS on alert +15 at the battalion FOB. There is one registered target at Checkpoint Seven: AB1107. The Al Mumeet Mosque is established in all Aviation Special Instructions (SPINS) as the center of a 200m by 200m rotary-wing attack position, “AP Snake.”

The battalion’s alert +5 section of medevac helicopters has a dedicated radio net. Response time is less than 10 minutes, and the JTF Level III treatment facility is 45 minutes flight time.

Your communications are limited to unencrypted, VHF and UHF, voice-only radios. You are monitoring and reporting checkpoints to mark the patrol’s progress on the company tactical net.

Requirement 1

How do you organize your patrol for movement? Where do you assign the machine-gun teams and all-around security?

The patrol exits the southeast corner of COP Ritz and departs friendly lines at Checkpoint One. You move past the AUXFOR vehicle checkpoint east of Checkpoint One without incident. You count ten “oxfords” sitting in the shade, chewing khat and talking. Several are talking on local cell phones.

The patrol continues past Checkpoints Two and Three and turns sharply northeast into the tall grass of a fallow field. In about 250 meters, your forward security reaches the road leading east from the mosque.

Requirement 2

How does your patrol treat this linear danger area? Do you sprint across, deliberately establish security before crossing, or do something else?

As half of your patrol makes it across the road, you start taking steady small-arms fire from somewhere north or northwest of your positon. No one is hit, but the fire does not cease as everyone takes cover. What do you do?

Requirement 3

Do you continue the mission along the designated patrol route, attempt to break contact and consolidate the patrol south of the road, or change the mission to locate and close with whoever is firing on the patrol? Do you do something completely different? What reports do you radio to the company?