Battle Drill #6a: Enter a Building and Clear a Room (Squad) (7-4-D109)
TASK. Enter a Building and Clear a Room (Squad) (7-4-D109).
CONDITION. The squad is operating as part of a larger force. The squad is moving at night and receives enemy fires from a building.
STANDARDS.
1. The squad gains a foothold in the building.
2. The squad secures a room by killing, capturing, or forcing the enemy’s withdrawal from the room.
3. The squad maintains a sufficient force to defeat the enemy counterattack and continues operations.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES.
1. The fire team that initiates contact guides in on the team leader’s AN/PAQ-4 and tracers and suppresses the enemy in and surrounding the building using their AN/PVS-7B, AN/PVS-4, and AN/PAQ-4.
2. The squad leader SEEs the building through his AN/PVS-7B and with the help of his hand-held laser pointer on wide angle (MTETT):
a. The building and any obstacles.
b. Size of the enemy forces engaging the squad. (The number of crew-served weapons, vehicles, and use of indirect fire are indicators of the enemy’s strength.)
c. An entry point.
d. A covered concealed route to the entry point.
3. The fire team in contact:
a. Destroys or suppresses enemy weapons that are firing most effectively against the squad.
b. The fire team leader in contact controls the fires of his team using the AN/PAQ-4, tracers, and standard fire commands. The squad leader designates left and right limits using the hand-held laser pointer.
4. The squad leader directs the fire team in contact to support the maneuver team. He facilitates C2 by pointing out the following with his hand-held laser pointer:
a. Entry point of the building.
b. The left and right limits of fire for the support team.
c. A covered and concealed route to the entry way.
d. Locations of enemy forces and weapons systems.
5. If necessary, the supporting fire team repositions to isolate the building as well as continue suppressive fires on the enemy.
6. The squad leader signals for the supporting team to lift or shift fires to continue suppressive fires against adjacent positions/buildings.
7. The FO lifts or shifts indirect to adjacent positions/buildings.
8. The squad leader and the assaulting fire team use a covered and concealed route to approach the entry point and position on either side.
9. The lead soldier of the assaulting team cooks off a grenade and shouts, “Frag out,” then throws the grenade into the building (ROE dependent).
10. After the grenade has detonated, the next soldier enters the building with ir flashlight taped to the barrel of his weapon (or ir source on NODs). He positions himself to the left or right of the entrance against the wall and illuminates the area with the flashlight while simultaneously engaging identified or likely enemy positions with rapid, short bursts of automatic fire, and scans the room from left to right. The rest of the team provides immediate security around the building.
a. The size and shape of the room may cause the soldier entering the room to move to the left or right. For illustration purposes only, one set of directions is given. The first soldier in the room decides where the next soldier should position himself and gives the next command, NEXT MAN, RIGHT OR LEFT. All soldiers designated to enter or clear rooms should be task-organized with an ir flashlight.
b. Depending on the enemy situation, the size of entry, and the training of the squad, two soldiers can enter the room simultaneously after the grenade detonates. The soldier from the right side of the entry enters, fires from left to right, and moves to the right with his back to the wall. One soldier goes high, the other low, to prevent firing at each other.
c. Once in position the senior soldier in the room shouts, “next man in left (or right).” The next man shouts, “Coming in left (or right),” enters the room, positions himself to the left (or right) of the entrance, up against the wall, and scans from left to right. Once in position, he shouts, “Next man in left (or right).”
12. The assaulting fire team leader shouts, “Coming in left (or right),” enters the room and positions himself where he can control the actions of his teams.
a. He does not block the entrance way.
b. He makes a quick assessment of the size and shape of the room and begins to clear through the room.
c. The assaulting fire team leader determines if the remaining man on his team is required to assist in clearing the room.
d. If the team leader decides to bring the last man in, he shouts, “Next man in left (or right),” the last man in the fire team shouts, “Coming in left (or right),” enters the room, and begins clearing through the next room.
e. If the team leader decides not to bring the last man in, he shouts, “Next man, stand fast.” The last man remains outside the building and provides security from there. The team leader then directs the soldier on the right side of the entrance to begin clearing. The team leader reports to the squad leader, and then resumes the duties of the soldier on the right of the entrance to provide support.
13. Once the room is cleared, the team leader of the assaulting fire team signals to the squad leader that the building has been entered and the foothold gained.
14. The squad leader enters the building and marks the entry point with a Phoenix Beacon. The squad leader determines whether or not his squad can continue to clear through the building and maintain fire superiority outside with the base of fire team.
a. The squad leader reports to the platoon leader that the squad has entered the building and seized a foothold.
b. The squad leader determines which room to clear next and illuminates the entry point with his hand-held laser pointer. He then designates the lead fire team.
c. The squad leader and the lead fire team move to the entrance of the next room to be cleared. They position themselves at either side of the entrance.
d. The squad leader directs the team to continue and clear the next room. The lead fire team performs the same actions in steps 10 through 12 to clear the next room.
15. The squad leader rotates fire teams as necessary to keep soldiers fresh and continue the momentum of the attack.
16. The squad leader follows the fire team that is clearing to ensure that the cleared rooms are properly marked (ir chemlight disks).
17. Once the room is cleared, the team leader of the assaulting fire team signals to the squad leader that the building has been entered and the foothold gained.
18. The squad leader reports to the platoon leader that the squad has entered the building and gained a foothold. He ensures that the entry point to the building is marked with a Phoenix Beacon. The platoon follows the success of the seizure of the foothold as part of the Platoon Drill, Enter and Clearing a Building.
19. The squad reorganizes as necessary. Leaders redistribute ammunition.
