Visual tracking

• Visual tracking


  Following the path of men or animals by the signs they leave, primarily on the ground or vegetation
• Scent tracking


  Following men or animals by their smell
• Tracking


  • Be patient
  • Be able to move slowly and quietly, yet steadily, while detecting and interpreting signs
  • Avoid fast movement that may cause you to overlook signs, lose the trail, or blunder into an enemy unit
  • Be persistent and have the skill and desire to continue the mission even through signs are scarce or weather or terrain in unfavorable
• Tracking


  • Be determined and persistent when trying to find a trail that you have lost
  • Be observant and try to see things that are not obvious at first glance
  • Use your senses of smell and hearing to supplement your sight
  • Develop a feel for things that do not look right. It my help you regain a lost trail or discover additional signs
  • Know the enemy, his habits, equipment, and capability
• Displacement


  Takes place when something is moved from its original position
• Displacement


  • A footprint in soft, moist ground
• Staining


  A mark left by blood from a bleeding wound
• Weathering


  Weather may either aid or hinder tracking. It affects signs in ways that help determine how old they are, but wind, snow, rain, and sunlight can also obliterate signs completely
• Littering


  Poorly trained units may leave trails of litter as they move
• Littering


  • Gum or candy wrappers, ration can, cigarette butts, remains of fires, or human feces
• Camouflage


  If a party knows that you are tracking it, it will probably use camouflage to conceal its movement and to slow and confuse you
• Camouflage


  • Walking backward, brushing out trails, and moving over rocky ground or through streams
• Tracker dogs


  Trained and used by their handlers to track human scent and the scent of disturbed vegetation caused by man's passing
• Tracking teams


  • Typically have a leader, one or more trackers, and security for the trackers
• Counter tracking


  1. Walk past a big tree toward the open area, then walk backward to the forward side of the tree and make a 90-degree change of direction, passing the tree on its forward side

  2. Stop carefully and leave as little sign as possible

  3. Change direction again about 50 meters away using the same technique
• Loophole


  A hole in a wall that provides cover for a fighting position
• Perimeter defense


  • Units and personnel are distributed more or less equally through all 360 degrees
  • Distance between squads and individual positions must have interlocking fires to the right and left
  • The bulk of the combat power is placed on the outer edge of the position
  • No penetrations of the perimeter are permitted. Any that occur are immediately counterattacked
• Perimeter defense

  1. Position anti-armor weapon system on armor restrictive terrain to concentrate fires on armor approach

  2. Providing as much depth as the diameter of the perimeter allows through his location of security element. The reserve and secondary sectors of the fires of anti-tank weapon

  3. Constructing obstacles to fix or block the enemy so can be effectively engaged
• Perimeter defense


  • Perimeter vary in shape depending on the terrain and situation
  • The commander may weigh that part of the perimeter to cover the avenue of approach and strengthen the effectiveness of the perimeter
  • The commander may use natural obstacles, such as river, which allows combat power to concentrated in more threatened sectors
• Organizing a battalion perimeter


  1. Place all platoon in the battalion in position on the perimeter

  2. Divide the perimeter in to company sector with boundaries and coordinating point

  3. Place two platoon (each with three squads abreast) on the outer perimeter and one on the inner perimeter of each sector

  4. Assign two rifle companies to the outer perimeter and the third to an inner perimeter
• Perimeter defense


  • Combat vehicles supporting the defense are normally assigned firing position on the perimeter, covering the most likely mounted avenue of approach
  • The commander must ensure that vehicles do not destroy wire communication
  • The battalion commander normally employ the scout platoon outside the perimeter for early warning
• Concept of leadership

  Accomplishing the organizational mission while preserving the dignity of the soldier
• Command


  The authority a person in the military service lawfully exercises over subordinates by virtue of his rank and assignment or position
• Management


  The process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling the use of resources to accomplish organizational goals
• Leadership


  The process of influencing others to accomplish the mission
• Mission


  The leader must accept full personal responsibility for all his decisions and must continually assess the situational environment in which he is operating
• Situations may arise in which the leader must take a directive approach and limit to varying degrees of extent to which his subordinates participate in the decision-making process
• Even then the need and goals of the soldier should not be ignored
• Too often leaders focus their efforts on short-range goals at the unnecessary expense of their subordinates
• Effective leadership


  Accomplishing the mission with a minimum expenditure of time and effort and an appropriate balance between unit, group, and individual needs and goals
• Authority


  The legitimate power of a leader to direct those subordinate to him or to take action within the scope of his position
• Responsibility


  An integral part of the leader's authority. All Army men are morally and legally accountable for their actions
• Management


  The process of planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, and controlling resources such as: men, material, time, and money to accomplish the organizational mission
• Leadership


  The process of influencing men in such a manner as to accomplish the mission
• Leadership traits

  • Bearing
  • Integrity
  • Courage
  • Judgement
  • Decisiveness
  • Justice
  • Dependability
  • Knowledge
  • Endurance
  • Loyalty
  • Enthusiasm
  • Tact
  • Initiative
  • Unselfishness
• Courage


  A mental quality which recognizes fear but enables the individual to meet danger of opposition with calmness and firmness
• Bearing


  Creating a favorable impression in carriage, appearance, and personal conduct at all times. Frequent irritation, loss of temper, and vulgar speech indicates a lack of self-control or self-discipline
• Dignity


  An essential element, which implies a state of being honorable and requires the control of one's actions and emotions
• Decisiveness


  The ability to make decisions promptly and then express them in a clear and forceful manner
• Dependability


  Certainty of proper performance of duty. A dependable leader can be relied upon to carry out any activity with willing effort