"Scouting and Patrolling" by the United States Marine Corps

• A patrol is a detachment of troops sent out to gather information, carry out a destructive mission, or conduct a security mission.
• A patrol is organized for the task or mission it is assigned.
• Patrols are used for the following six purposes:
• Collect information about the enemy and terrain.
• Confirm or disprove information received by other means.
• Provide security for friendly units and installations.
• Harass the enemy.
• Seek out and destroy enemy personnel.
• Capture enemy personnel, equipment, and installations.
• Combat patrols are assigned missions that usually include engaging the enemy. They are fighting patrols. Every combat patrol has a secondary mission -- gaining information about the enemy and terrain.
• Reconnaissance patrols provide the commander with timely, accurate information about the enemy and the terrina. They rely on stealth rather than combat strength to accomplish their mission.
• When organizing a patrol, you must take three things into consideration:
• unit integrity
• general organization
• task organization
• It is critical for mission accomplishment that unit integrity be maintained as much as possible when organizing a patrol. Do not mix Marines from different fire teams without a specific reason for doing so.
• The task organization is based on the mission and personnel available.
• Patrols of any size, from as few as 4 Marines to as many as 50 or more, are organized into elements.
• Combat patrols are organized around a rifle platoon:
• headquarters: controls the patrol
• assault: engages the enemy in the objective area
• support: supports the assault element
• security: provides security throughout the patrol and secures the objective rallying point
• Reconnaissance patrols are usually organized around a rifle squad:
• headquarters: This element controls the patrol and is made up of a patrol leader and personnel that may include a forward observer.
• reconnaissance: This element inspects or maintains surveillance over an objective.
• Security: This element provides security for the reconnaissance element.
• Combined Reconnaissance and Security
• Every member of a patrol has a responsibility for the success of the patrol's mission. Proficiency in the individual patrolling skills is critical to the success and survival of the patrol.
• Scouting involves observing terrain and/or the enemy, and accurately reporting those observations. Scouting requires proficiency in the use of weapons, cover and concealment, route selection, and skill in unobserved day or night movement.
• When an infantry unit is not actively fighting the enemy, it should be actively searching for the enemy, which is the primary purpose of scouting.
• The six individual skills are:
• land navigation
• cover and concealment
• camouflage
• movement
• observation
• tracking
• Land navigation is one of the most important and complicated individual patrolling skills that a scout must learn.
• Cover is protection from hostile fire.
• Even a slight depression of 6 inches may provide sufficient cover to save your life while under fire.
• Concealment is protection from hostile observation.
• Techniques of concealment:
• Remain motionless while observing. Anything in motion attracts the eye.
• Observe from the prone position.
• Stay in the shadow.
• Keep of the skyline.
• Look around the side, not over the top of an object when observing.
• Camouflage is the use of natural or man made materials to change or disguise the shape and appearance of an individual, equipment, or position to conceal it.
• Principles of camouflage:
• Camouflage is a continuous process.
• Use natural materials first and then artificial materials if necessary.
• Use only as much material as you need.
• Inspect your camouflage from your enemy’s view.
• Replace freshly killed vegetation regularly.
• Individual camouflage
• Start at the top and work down when applying camouflage.
• Tone down all exposed skin area with camouflage paint.
• Paint shiny areas (forehead, cheekbones, nose, and chin) with a dark color.
• Paint shadow areas (around eyes, nose, and under the chin) with a light color.
• Apply camouflage in irregular patterns and splotches.