Source: FM 3-21.8
FM 3-21.8 The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad provides the following Planning and Coordination considerations for Patrols. When reviewing the following guidance take special care in reading items coordinated between the patrol leader and the patrol's higher headquarters. These coordination items are the basis for a Patrol Request for Information (RFI) or a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), and should be discussed verbatim. As with any tactical operation, leaders plan and prepare for patrols using Troop Leading Procedures (TLPs) and an estimate of the situation (see earlier TLP post). They must identify required actions on the objective, plan backward to the departure from friendly lines, then forward to the reentry of friendly lines. The patrol leader will normally receive the Operations Order (OPORD) for the mission at their Command Post (CP) where communications are good and key personnel are available for coordination. Because patrols act semi-independently, move beyond the direct-fire support of the parent unit, and often operate forward of friendly units, coordination must be thorough and detailed. Unit leaders should develop tactical SOPs with detailed checklists to preclude omitting any items vital to the accomplishment of the mission.
Items coordinated between the patrol leader and higher headquarters include:
• Changes or updates in the enemy situation.
• Best use of terrain for routes, rally points, and patrol bases.
• Light and weather data.
• Changes in the friendly situation.
• The attachment of Soldiers with special skills or equipment (engineers, sniper teams, scout dog teams, Forward Observers (FOs), or interpreters).
• Use and location of landing or pickup zones.
• Departure and reentry of friendly lines.
• Fire support on the objective and along the planned routes, including alternate routes.
• Rehearsal areas and times. The terrain for the rehearsal should be similar to that at the objective, to include buildings and fortifications if necessary. Coordination for rehearsals includes security of the area, use of blanks, pyrotechnics, and live ammunition.
• Special equipment and ammunition requirements.
• Transportation support, including transportation to and from the rehearsal site.
• Signal plan to include; call signs frequencies, code words, pyrotechnics, and challenge and password.
The leader coordinates with the unit through which his element will conduct its forward and rearward passage of lines. The patrol leader also coordinates patrol activities with the leaders of other elements that will be patrolling in adjacent areas at the same time.
Completion of the Patrol Plan: As the leader completes the plan, he considers the following elements.
1. Essential and Supporting Tasks - The leader ensures that he has assigned all essential tasks to be performed on the objective, at rally points, at danger areas, at security or surveillance locations, along the route(s), and at passage lanes.
2. Key Travel and Execution Times - The leader estimates time requirements for movement to the objective, leader's reconnaissance of the objective, establishment of security and surveillance, compaction of all assigned tasks on the objective, movement to an objective rally point to debrief the platoon, and return through friendly lines.
3. Primary and Alternate routes - The leader selects primary and alternate routes to and from the objective (see attached figure). Return routes should differ from routes to the objective.
4. Signals - The leader should consider the use of special signals. These include arm-and-hand signals, flares, voice, whistles, radios, visible and non-visible lasers. All signals must be rehearsed to ensure all Soldiers know what they mean.
5. Challenge and Password Outside of Friendly Lines - The challenge and password from the SOI must not be used when the patrol is outside friendly lines. The unit’s tactical SOP should state the procedure for establishing a patrol challenge and password as well as other combat identification features and patrol markings.
6. Location of Leaders - The leader considers where he, the platoon sergeant, and other key leaders should be located for each phase of the patrol mission. The platoon sergeant is normally with the following elements for each type of patrol:
• On a raid or ambush, he normally controls the support element.
• On an area reconnaissance, he normally supervises security in the objective rally point (ORP).
• On a zone reconnaissance, he normally moves with the reconnaissance element that sets up the link-up point.
7. Actions of Enemy Contact - The leader's plan must address actions on chance contact at each phase of the patrol mission.
• The plan must address the handling of seriously wounded and KIAs.
• The plan must address the handling of prisoners captured as a result of chance contact who are not part of the planned mission.
Items coordinated between the patrol leader and higher headquarters include:
• Changes or updates in the enemy situation.
• Best use of terrain for routes, rally points, and patrol bases.
• Light and weather data.
• Changes in the friendly situation.
• The attachment of Soldiers with special skills or equipment (engineers, sniper teams, scout dog teams, Forward Observers (FOs), or interpreters).
• Use and location of landing or pickup zones.
• Departure and reentry of friendly lines.
• Fire support on the objective and along the planned routes, including alternate routes.
• Rehearsal areas and times. The terrain for the rehearsal should be similar to that at the objective, to include buildings and fortifications if necessary. Coordination for rehearsals includes security of the area, use of blanks, pyrotechnics, and live ammunition.
• Special equipment and ammunition requirements.
• Transportation support, including transportation to and from the rehearsal site.
• Signal plan to include; call signs frequencies, code words, pyrotechnics, and challenge and password.
The leader coordinates with the unit through which his element will conduct its forward and rearward passage of lines. The patrol leader also coordinates patrol activities with the leaders of other elements that will be patrolling in adjacent areas at the same time.
Completion of the Patrol Plan: As the leader completes the plan, he considers the following elements.
1. Essential and Supporting Tasks - The leader ensures that he has assigned all essential tasks to be performed on the objective, at rally points, at danger areas, at security or surveillance locations, along the route(s), and at passage lanes.
2. Key Travel and Execution Times - The leader estimates time requirements for movement to the objective, leader's reconnaissance of the objective, establishment of security and surveillance, compaction of all assigned tasks on the objective, movement to an objective rally point to debrief the platoon, and return through friendly lines.
3. Primary and Alternate routes - The leader selects primary and alternate routes to and from the objective (see attached figure). Return routes should differ from routes to the objective.
4. Signals - The leader should consider the use of special signals. These include arm-and-hand signals, flares, voice, whistles, radios, visible and non-visible lasers. All signals must be rehearsed to ensure all Soldiers know what they mean.
5. Challenge and Password Outside of Friendly Lines - The challenge and password from the SOI must not be used when the patrol is outside friendly lines. The unit’s tactical SOP should state the procedure for establishing a patrol challenge and password as well as other combat identification features and patrol markings.
6. Location of Leaders - The leader considers where he, the platoon sergeant, and other key leaders should be located for each phase of the patrol mission. The platoon sergeant is normally with the following elements for each type of patrol:
• On a raid or ambush, he normally controls the support element.
• On an area reconnaissance, he normally supervises security in the objective rally point (ORP).
• On a zone reconnaissance, he normally moves with the reconnaissance element that sets up the link-up point.
7. Actions of Enemy Contact - The leader's plan must address actions on chance contact at each phase of the patrol mission.
• The plan must address the handling of seriously wounded and KIAs.
• The plan must address the handling of prisoners captured as a result of chance contact who are not part of the planned mission.
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