Once again, kudos to Chris Tolino, 2nd Force Recon Co., for preparing this info material that can be valuable to real operators and tactical players out there – ATACS
Chapter 2: Basic Reconnaissance
The first thing that a CT unit needs to do before they jump into the shooting and looting is to even the odds. The tangos know that you’re out there but you don’t know much about them. For those of you aren’t familiar with Reconnaissance, it is going “behind enemy lines” to gain information about your enemy. Reconnaissance is a non-violent operation where a shot is fired only if necessary. This proves very useful in a CT situation because if you know where your enemy is, you can exterminate them with much greater ease.
The SEALs were the very first to preach and publicize this attitude, but 2 is always better than one. From the first phase of BUD/s(Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training), SEALs are assigned a swim buddy. From that point on anything you do is accompanied by your swim buddy. Reconnaissance should be done in the same manner. So to make a long story short, the first thing you should do when Reconnoitering an area of Operations(AOP) is to divide the team up into smaller teams of two. This is smart because if all goes to hell and a fire fight breaks out two people stand a better chance than one.
The next thing to do is to set up a rally point. The rally point is a point in the AOP where the entire team will regroup after reconnaissance. This point needs to be a strategic position in a number of ways. The Rally Point needs to be concealed from enemy view, it’s not a huddle in football, they will shoot you. The Rally Point also has to be a defensive stronghold. If, unfortunately, all goes to hell, the team needs to be together. The team returns to the rally point at that time and defends itself.
Reconnaissance is the most stealthy part of an entire CT Op. You cannot be detected! The idea is to gain intelligence on the enemy without them detecting you. Movement should be concealed and slow. I’m sure you’ve seen it mimicked in the movies. Try not to run unless necessary because a fast moving object attracts the eye before a slow moving object does. Running also makes a lot more noise than walking. The enemy will most likely hear you before they see you. This is where Reconnaissance communication is important. A chapter is devoted later on to communication during assault because recon communication is different. You must have a set of hand signals. Don’t get nervous, you only need a few. The important ones are enemy sighted, sniper, danger zone, and a good sniper position. The hand signals should be simple, not elaborate, and very easy to remember. I’m sure you can come up with some logical hand signals. There are a number of things you are looking for when reconnoitering an AOP. These things include but are not limited to good sniper position for your team, enemy personnel, tango snipers, danger areas(Open areas that attract gunfire), good cover and concealment, possible entry points, and enemy escape routes. Once you have found these things, you must record them. The second member of the Recon Team needs to carry a approximately 3 by 5″ spiral notebook and a pencil(mechanical). Map the area that you have reconnoitered and either write down what you found and where or mark the map with symbols. This is up to the team, there is no real rule for reconnaissance unless you are in the military.
Movement is probably the most difficult part of reconnaissance. You must move undetected and still get good intelligence. The two man teams need to move as one. This is accomplished by appointing a point man early on. The point man is the front man in the formation who basically decides where and when to go. The point man needs to be competent and stealthy. Basically, the way movement works is that the point man decides a path to take and leads his team member along that path. Just remember, that you never split up. Move as a team always.
After you have completed the recon of the AOP, return to the rally point. The Officer in Charge(OIC) collects the information and sets up a plan. This should be the only time that talking is permitted on a Recon Op. They conveying of accurate information and intelligence is crucial, don’t screw it up!
The most important things to remember about reconnaissance is you don’t fire a shot. It needs to be practiced and the art needs to be perfected. Only the most skilled military units participate in reconnaissance operations in the real world, so you can imagine the difficulty. Follow the above and you should be fine. So far it’s worked for my team.
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