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Movement
Infantry’s key strength is its ability to cross almost any terrain during all weather conditions. Infantry soldiers moving undetected gain an advantage over the enemy. Movement fundamentals, formations, and techniques provide the leader with security and maneuver advantages during engagements.
FUNDAMENTALS
•Ensure that movement supports a rapid transition to maneuver.
•Conduct reconnaissance of the terrain and the enemy to the extent possible.
•Move on covered and concealed routes and, if the situation permits, during limited visibility.
•Select routes that avoid natural lines of drift, likely ambush sites, and other danger areas.
•Establish security during movement and halts. Avoid moving directly forward from covered positions. All weapons should be prepared to engage targets.
•Enforce camouflage, noise, and light discipline.
•Designate air guards.
•Make enemy contact with the smallest element possible.
FORMATIONS
Formations are arrangements of elements and soldiers in relation to one another. Squads use formations for control, flexibility, and security. Leaders choose formations based on the geometry of the battlefield (METT-TC). Leaders are located where they can best command and control forces.
PLATOON AND SQUAD FORMATION ABBREVIATIONS
PLT
LDR Platoon leader
PSG
Platoon sergeant
SL
Squad leader
TL
Team leader
RATELO
Radiotelephone operator
FO
Forward observer
R and RFLM
Rifleman
AR
Automatic rifleman/SAW gunner
GRN
Grenadier
MG
Machine gun
MEDIC
Medic/corpsman
Fire Team Formations
Wedge. The wedge is the basic formation for the fire team. The interval between soldiers in the wedge formation is normally 10 meters. The wedge expands and contracts depending on the terrain. When rough terrain, poor visibility, or other factors make it difficult to control the wedge, the normal interval is reduced so that all team members can still see their team leader and the team leaders can still see their squad leader. The sides of the wedge can contract to resemble a single file. When moving in less rugged terrain, where control is easier, soldiers expand the wedge or resume their original positions.
File. When the terrain precludes use of the wedge, fire teams use the file formation.
Squad Formations
Squad formations describe the relationships between fire teams in the squad.
Squad Column. The squad column is the most common formation. It provides good lateral and deep dispersion without sacrificing control and it facilitates maneuver. The lead fire team is the base fire team. When the squad moves independently or as the rear element of the platoon, the rifleman in the trail fire team provides rear security. Squads can move in normal or modified columns as terrain dictates.
Squad Line. The squad line provides maximum firepower to the front. When a squad is acting as the base squad, the fire team on the right is the base fire team.
Squad File. When not traveling in a column or line, squads travel in file. The squad file has the same characteristics as the fire team file. If the squad leader wants to increase his control over the formation, enhance morale by leading from the front, and be immediately available to make key decisions, he moves forward to the first or second position. Additional control over the rear of the formation can be provided by moving a team leader to the last position.
Platoon Formations
Platoon Column. The platoon column is the primary movement formation. It provides good lateral and deep dispersion and simplifies control. The lead squad is the base squad. (Note: METT-TC will determine where crew-served weapons move in the formation. They normally move with the platoon leader so he can quickly establish a base of fire.)
Platoon Line, Squads on Line. This formation allows the delivery of maximum fire to the front but little fire to the flanks. It is hard to control and does not lend itself well to rapid movement. When two or more platoons are attacking, the company commander chooses one as the base platoon. The base platoon’s center squad is its base squad. When the platoon is not acting as the base platoon, its base squad is its flank squad nearest the base platoon. The machine guns can move with the platoon, or they can assume a support position. This is the basic platoon assault formation.
Platoon Line, Squads in Column. The platoon leader uses this formation when he does not want to deploy all personnel on line and when he wants the squads to react to unexpected contact. This formation is easier to control and lends itself better to rapid movement than the platoon line or squads on line formation; however, it is harder to control than a platoon column and does not facilitate rapid movement as well. When two or more platoons are moving, the company commander chooses one as the base platoon. The base platoon’s center squad is its base squad. When the platoon is not the base platoon, its base squad is its flank squad nearest the base platoon.
Platoon Vee. This formation has two squads up front to provide a heavy volume of fire on contact. It also has one squad in the rear that can either overwatch or trail the other squads. This formation is hard to control, and movement is slow. The platoon leader designates one of the front squads as the platoon’s base squad.
Platoon Wedge. This formation has two squads in the rear that can overwatch or trail the lead squad. It provides a large volume of fire to the front or flanks. It also allows the platoon leader to make contact with a squad and still have one or two squads to maneuver. The lead squad is the base squad.
Platoon File. This formation can be set up in several ways. One method is to have three-squad files follow one another using one of the movement techniques. Another method is to have a single platoon file with a front security element (point) and flank security elements. This formation is used when visibility is poor because of terrain, vegetation, or light conditions. The distance between soldiers is less than normal to allow communication by passing messages up and down the file. The platoon file has the same characteristics as the fire team and squad files.
MOVEMENT TECHNIQUES
A movement technique is the manner used to traverse terrain. There are three movement techniques: traveling, traveling overwatch, and bounding overwatch. The selection of a movement technique is based on the likelihood of enemy contact and the need for speed. Factors to consider for each technique are control, dispersion, speed, and security. Movement techniques are not fixed formations. They refer to the distances between soldiers, teams, and squads, which vary based on mission, enemy, terrain, visibility, and other factors that affect control. Soldiers and squad leaders must be able to see their fire team leaders. The platoon leader should be able to see his lead squad leader. Leaders control movement with arm and hand signals, using radios only when needed. Any of the three movement techniques can be used with any formation.