React to Contact

React to Contact

This battle drill is the most commonly used of them all. All members of your element should know this drill inside and out and should be able to apply it as an instinct.

This battle drill is a reaction to making contact with a hostile element of any size. The contact can be unexpected or anticipated and the contact can by of any ground composition – armor, vehicles, infantry or a mix.

The steps of this battle drill are as follows:

1. Your Rangers immediately take up the nearest available effective cover position while returning fire. Once in cover, they maintain a rate of fire in an effort to achieve fire superiority. While this is happening they should be providing Three D’s (Distance, Direction, Description) so that leadership can get a better picture of what is going on and decide how to act.

2. Leaders should coordinate fires so that, in the case of multiple enemy contacts, every enemy contact is receiving effective suppressive fire from at least one Ranger.

3. Leaders then coordinate with medics to heal and revive as necessary and as possible and with engineers to supply ammo and repair MAX units as necessary and as possible.

Second Task: Leader Determines Course of Action

While the forward element is establishing a base of fire, the leader of the element should be using information provided about the hostile contact to determine whether or not to press forward and attempt an assault or to break contact. As a leader factors that determine that are:
1. Is your element terribly outnumbered? If yes, then Break Contact.
2. Do you have the terrain advantage? If yes, then set up for a Squad Assault or Platoon Attack.
3. Do you have superior firepower? If yes, then set up for a Squad Assault or Platoon Attack.
4. Do you have additional friendly forces in the area that can be reliably called upon for a battle hand off? If yes, then call for Battle Hand offOR Call for Close Air Support
5. Is this an ambush and not a random encounter? If yes, then:

1. Is this a Close Ambush? If yes, then Squad Assault or Platoon Attack
2. Is this a Far Ambush? If yes, then Break Contact.

Typical Courses of Action are:
Break Contact
Squad Assault
Platoon Attack
Battle Handoff
Call for Close Air Support
React to Ambush