Code of Conduct
FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES
1.I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
2.I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have means to resist.
3.If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.
4.If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful order of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.
5.When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
6.I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES
The US government also has responsibilities under the code. The Nation has pledged itself:
•To keep faith with you and stand by you as you fight for its defense;
•To care for your family and dependents; and should you be captured,
•To use every practical means to contact, support, and gain release for you and all other prisoners of war.
Copyright © 2015 by Stackpole Books
First edition published 1956. Fourteenth edition 2015.
Published by
STACKPOLE BOOKS
5067 Ritter Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
www.stackpolebooks.com
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
FOURTEENTH EDITION
This book is not an official publication of the Department of Defense or Department of the Army, nor does its publication in any way imply its endorsement by these agencies. The views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or its Components.
Cover design by Tessa J. Sweigert
Cover photo by Gary Stevens
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kirkham, Jeff.
Combat leader’s field guide / MSG Jeff Kirkham, US Army Special Forces. — 14th edition.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8117-1448-8
eISBN 978-0-8117-6165-9
1. United States. Army—Field service—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.
UD443.J8 2015
355.4—dc23
2014040826
Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
PART ONE: UNIT COMBAT OPERATIONS
1 The Battlefield
2 Command and Control
3 Movement
4 Offense
5 Defense
6 Tactical Enabling Operations
7 Patrolling
8 Urban Operations
9 Combat Support and Combat Service Support
PART TWO: SOLDIER COMBAT SKILLS
10 Call for and Adjust Fire
11 Camouflage, Concealment, and Decoys
12 Land Navigation and Map Reading
13 Fighting Positions
14 First Aid
15 Combat Intelligence
16 Individual Movement and Security
17 Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Warfare
18 Radio Sets, Procedures, and Field Antennas
Appendix A: Rules of Engagement and Use of Deadly Force in Combat Zones by David G. Bolgiano
Appendix B: Armored Vehicle Recognition
Appendix C: Operational Graphics
Appendix D: Minefields and Minefield Recording
Appendix E: Platoon and Squad Organization
Appendix F: Organic and Supporting Weapons
Appendix G: Body Armor Levels
Appendix H: Acronyms and Abbreviations
Appendix I: References
Index
About the Author
Preface
This guide is designed to assist leaders or prospective leaders of combat infantry units or other groups that, in an emergency, must fight as infantry. The content is tactical and logistical, with administrative matter mostly omitted. When in the field, especially under stress of combat or simulated combat, the combat leader cannot instantly recall everything he has been taught. Rapid changes in the situation may cause him to assume a position for which he has not yet been trained. He will then appreciate some brief reference material to guide him. He cannot carry a “5-foot shelf” of field manuals and, unlike the staff officer or higher commander, he does not have ready access to organizational files or a library when in the field. What he needs he must carry in his pocket, condensed yet in a form approximating at-a-glance capability. This field guide has been compiled from current doctrine and field manuals with those requirements in mind. Much of the reference material is in fact a comprehensive checklist to ensure that important considerations of troop leading are not overlooked.
As with the prior edition, the material in this edition is in two parts: unit combat operations and soldier combat skills. The material in Part I focuses on dismounted infantry operations at the platoon and squad levels, including battle drills—those collective actions rapidly executed without applying a deliberate decision-making process. Indeed, a small unit’s ability to accomplish its mission often depends on soldiers and leaders executing key actions quickly. Part II focuses on critical individual soldier skills necessary for battlefield effectiveness and survival.
This guide also includes the considerations applicable to how US Army doctrine addresses the range of “full-spectrum operations” across the range of conflict. When conducting full-spectrum operations, commanders combine and sequence offensive, defensive, stability, and support operations to accomplish the mission.
Acknowledgments
Hidden between the lines of any good piece of work is the idea and source for that work. Combat Leader’s Field Guide was originally published as the Junior Leader’s Field Notebook in 1956; since that time, it has gone through twelve revisions, and this one will be the thirteenth, making it the fourteenth edition.
This book is a compilation of “lessons learned” from many great soldiers operating on a myriad of battlefields across the entire spectrum of military operations. It is these soldiers who deserve the credit for this book. You know who you are. Thank you for watching my back for the last two decades.