In any firefight, knowledge on how to find and maximize available cover is not only vital for success – it is the ultimate survival tactic. While it is true that we want to eliminate tangos as rapidly as possible, reckless entry and shooting postures which expose a large part of the team member’s anatomy is simply not done in real life – this is only good for the movies. Understanding how one can make himself hard to spot by the enemy, whether via cover or concealment, can be the determining factor for a successful operation.
In the continuing installment of Fundamentals – The CQB Series, Chris Tolino of 2nd Force Recon Co. instructs us on how to develop the skill of assaulting without being seen.
Chapter 5: Cover and Concealment
Most of this chapter involves being in a heavy firefight. In a CQB situation you mostly only use cover temporarily when entering a room that has not been cleared yet. In a firefight however, good cover could mean the difference between your team losing or winning. Concealment applies to every aspect of CQB. You want to take down the tangos swiftly and stealthy. At least that’s what our team attempts to do.
Good cover is usually very hard to find in CQB. The most common and effective is a door/window opening. They provide full cover of the body and allow for quick movement. When using a door or window opening for cover, keep your weapon ready to fire at all times. Stand close to the opening but not to the point where you are exposed to fire. To fire from that position, lean at the hips to expose the smallest target to the enemy and engage either targets of opportunity or in your field of fire depending on the situation.
Concealing yourself is very important in CQB. The most important time for concealment is during the entry of the building or facility. Make your approach silent and not obvious. Good concealment is usually found with corners and foliage. Depending on the design of the target building, these options may not be present. If that situation comes up, stealthy movement is really the only solution.
The best way to conceal yourself is with good clothing and camouflage selection. Don’t choose to wear black “ninja suits” for a day time Op. Face paint camouflage is also a good addition. Make sure that every part of your body is covered in some manner including your hands and face. If you’ve chosen good camouflage, you should be able to use most objects as concealment. One important thing to add is if you really don’t want to be noticed, don’t stare at your enemy. If you’re in your car sometime and you’re at a red light, stare at the person next to you and they will most likely look back. That’s the human man’s sixth sense. Focus on your target for short periods of time and then return to watching your target. Five seconds usually works good for us.
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