Battle Drill #6: Enter and Clear a Building (Platoon) (7-3-D108)
 

Posted Thursday, October 6, 2005

TASK. Enter and Clear a Building (Platoon) (7-3-D108).

CONDITION. While operating as part of a larger force, the platoon is moving when it receives fire from the enemy in the building.

STANDARD.
1. The platoon kills, captures, or forces the withdrawal of all enemy in the building.
2. The platoon prevents noncombatant casualties and collateral damage (ROE dependent).
3. The platoon maintains a sufficient fighting force to defeat the enemy's counterattack, and continue the mission.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
1. The squad in contact reacts to contact.

2. The platoon gains suppressive fires.
a. The squad in contact establishes a base of fire position. The squad establishes local security and throws ir ground flares or ir chemlight bundles, to mark its flanks, while maintaining suppressive fires against the enemy. The squad leader uses his hand-held laser pointer to designate the enemy location in the building. The platoon leader, his RTO, platoon FO, and the squad leader of the next squad move forward to link up with the squad leader of the squad in contact.
b. The platoon sergeant repositions the remaining squads, if necessary, to provide additional observation and supporting fires.

3. The platoon leader determines the maneuver by identifying:
a. The building and any obstacles through his AN/PVS-7B.
b. The size of the enemy force engaging the platoon. (The number of automatic weapons, the presence of vehicles, and the employment of indirect fires are indicators of enemy strength.)
c. An entry point (assaulting squads should enter the building at the highest level possible).
d. A covered and concealed route to the entry point.

4. The base of fire squad.
a. Destroys or suppresses enemy crew-served weapons first then weapons that are firing effectively against the platoon. Squad leaders point out enemy crew-served positions with the laser pointer while team leaders use tracers and AN/PAQ-4 to paint targets for soldiers.
b. Sustains suppressive fires at the lowest level possible.
c. Uses M203 and hand-held ir smoke (MTETT) to create a screen to cover the assaulting squad's approach to the entry point.

5. The platoon leader uses his hand-held laser pointer to designate the entry point of the building. He also points out the left and right flanks of the base of fire squad which are marked by ir flares or chemlight bundles.

6. The platoon leader directs one squad to enter a building and secure a foothold. (See Battle Drill No. 6A, Enter a Building and Clear a Room.)

7. If necessary, the supporting squad repositions to isolate the building as well as continue suppressive fires. (Normally the platoon has added its supporting fires against the enemy.) The platoon leader orders the supporting squad to lift or shift fires (via FM or ir signaling flares).

8. The assaulting squad leader signals to the platoon leader (via FM or ir signaling flares) that his squad has secured the foothold. He calls forward his trail fire team to move into the building. He marks the entry point with a Phoenix Beacon.

9. The platoon leader moves into the building with the trail fire team of the squad that secured a foothold and directs the squad leader to clear the next room with the trail fire team.

10. The platoon leader calls for the next squad to move into the building and begin clearing rooms systematically.

11. The platoon leader directs the actions of the squad clearing the building:
a. Determines which room to clear and in what order.
b. Redistribute ammunition as necessary.
c. Ensures that clearing teams mark cleared rooms with ir chemlight disks over entrance. In addition, clearing teams mark the outside windows of rooms with chemlight bundles to allow support by fire elements outside to track progress of assaulting squads.
d. Rotates squads as necessary to keep the soldiers fresh and to maintain the momentum of the action.

12. The supporting squad:
a. Repositions as necessary to continue to isolate and suppress the building from the outside.
b. Ensures that all friendly forces enter the building ONLY through the entry point. The squad leader uses his hand-held laser pointer to assist friendly forces.

13. The platoon sergeant calls forward ammunition resupply and organizes teams to move it forward into the building.

14. The platoon leader reports to the company commander that his platoon has cleared the building or that he is no longer able to continue clearing.