1.Although the OP is usually manned on a twenty-four-hour basis, it may also be manned only by day or night. During darkness, at least two persons must be in the OP; one observes while the other is resting. In remote areas, or if the situation in the area is tense, more personnel man the OP for security and observation.

2.A minimum of two soldiers should man the checkpoint, depending on traffic and the general situation. One soldier examines people and vehicles; the other soldier covers the area where people and vehicles are checked. The soldier covering the other area is armed and has easy access to radio and telephone. If more soldiers are manning the checkpoint, one of them should be ready to set up obstacles to stop vehicles trying to force their way through the checkpoint.

Communication

All OPs and checkpoints are connected to their unit or directly to the battalion operations center by radio and/or telephone. A spare radio and batteries should be supplied to the OP and checkpoint, especially to remote OPs located in dangerous areas. Radio and telephone checks are carried out at least twice every twenty-four hours; three times is recommended. Special code words are prepared for use in certain situations. Conversation must be coded. Reserve frequencies must be available. OPs and checkpoints of great operational value may be connected by direct landline to ensure rapid coordination in urgent situations.

Equipment

Many items are used to reinforce a roadblock, checkpoint, or OP. Recommended equipment includes:

•Barrels filled with sand, water, or heavy concrete blocks (emplaced to slow and canalize vehicles).

•Concertina wire (emplaced to control movement around the checkpoint).

•Secure facilities for radio and wire communications with the controlling headquarters.

•First aid kit or a medic if available.

•Sandbags for defensive positions.

•Bunker construction material.

•Binoculars, NVGs, and flashlights.

•Long-handled mirrors (used to inspect vehicle undercarriages).

•Signs stating the speed limit into and out of the checkpoint. The text of these signs must be written in both English and the local language.

•Floodlights.

•Duty log.

•Flag and unit sign.

•Barrier pole that can be raised and lowered.

•Generators with electric wire.

Control

During periods in which the civilian administration is not functioning, refugees will be traveling routinely throughout the area. All soldiers participating in these operations must fully understand the procedures for identifying and controlling personnel and vehicles moving through their AO.

Personnel Identification. People who have permission to enter a sector are regulated by special instructions to the patrol conducting the operation. Often local and civilian employees, mayors, and chiefs of tribes in villages in the AO are given special identification (ID) cards and may pass without being checked. These ID cards must be registered. Other personnel must identify themselves with an ID card, passport, and so on. Such ID cards are written in the local language. Examples of different ID cards must be kept in the checkpoint. A US translator on site is helpful, if available.

Personnel Control. Personnel control is conducted in different ways. Soldiers manning the checkpoint should watch for people acting strangely or with bulging clothing. If there is a danger of car bombs, special attention should be paid to cars containing only one person. When conducting body searches, soldiers should feel along clothes, not just pat them. Special attention must be paid to the lower parts of the back and from the shoes up to the knees. Armpits also must be checked. The wide trousers used by some cultures should be carefully examined. Soldiers also should check boots and hats. Extreme caution should be taken when suicide vehicle or human bombers are a threat.

Checking Women and Clerical Personnel. Making a body search of women and clerical personnel is often difficult in Muslim countries and may lead to strong reactions. The commander must thoroughly discuss this with mayors and other leaders, and the procedure used must be consistent with agreements and treaties. Women usually are only checked with a metal detector or by another woman, such as a female police officer. One technique used in Afghanistan to search women was to search the husband with the metal detector wand and then have him wand his wife and any other female family members.

Elderly women often remain in the vehicle during inspection of a car. If there is a suspicion that the “rules” are being misused, then other, better checks must be made. Host nation females or female soldiers can help solve this issue. The battalion commander makes these decisions.

7

Patrolling

Patrols are missions to gather information, to conduct combat operations, or to establish a presence in an area of operation (AO) as part of a stability operation. Infantry platoons and squads conduct four types of patrols: combat (ambush and raid), recon, tracking, and presence.

There are five principles of patrolling:

1.Planning.

2.Reconnaissance.

3.Security.

4.Control.

5.Common sense.

This chapter describes the planning considerations used in preparation for patrols, conduct of patrols, and establishment of and actions taken in a patrol base.

ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING

To accomplish its mission, a patrol must perform specific tasks—for example, secure itself; cross danger areas; establish rally points; reconnoiter the patrol objective; and breach, support, or assault. When possible, in assigning tasks the leader should maintain squad and fire team integrity. The chain of command continues to lead its elements during a patrol. Some squads and fire teams may perform more than one task in an assigned sequence; others may perform only one task. The leader must plan carefully to ensure that he has identified and assigned all required tasks in the most efficient way. Elements and teams for platoons conducting patrols include the common and specific elements for each type of patrol. The following elements are common to all patrols:

Headquarters Element (C2/4). The headquarters consists of the platoon leader, communications operator, platoon sergeant, forward observer (FO), and medical. It may consist of other attachments that the platoon leader or the platoon sergeant must control directly (for example, the medic).

Surveillance Team. A surveillance team keeps watch on the objective from the time the leader’s reconnaissance ends until the unit deploys for actions on the objective. It then joins its element.

En Route Recorder (SSE). The en route recorder records all information collected during the mission. In recent years, this individual has turned into the sensitive site exploitation (SSE) team. As the military performs more low-intensity conflict operations, SSE has become an integral part of successful operations.

Navigation. The navigation soldier assists in navigation by ensuring that the lead fire team leader remains on course at all times. In modern warfare, GPS is extensively used and redundancy in the unit is a must. In some units, all personnel carry a GPS for their own personal awareness as well as to assist with deconfliction of maneuvering units. The GPS provides the real-time exact location of the bearer, which is essential information for combat leaders.

Aid and Litter Team. Aid and litter teams are responsible for treating and evacuating casualties.

Enemy Prisoner of War Team. EPW teams are responsible for controlling enemy prisoners in accordance with the five Ss (search, silence, segregate, safeguard, and speed to the rear) and the leader’s guidance.