Infantry Drills

3-86: Squad Leaders



Previous: 3-85: Platoon Sergeant

3-86. The squad leader—

  • Emplaces local security.
  • Confirms positioning and assigned sectors of fire for his squad.
  • Confirms positioning and assigned sectors of fire for the CCMS and medium machine gun teams.
  • Positions and assigns sectors of fire for automatic rifleman, grenadiers, and riflemen.
  • Establishes command post and wire communications.
  • Confirms designate FPL and final protective fires.
  • Clears fields of fire and prepares range cards.
  • Prepares squad range card and area of operations sketches.
  • Digs fighting positions.
  • Establishes communication and coordination within the platoon, and adjacent units.
  • Coordinates with adjacent units. Reviews sector of fire and area of operations sketches.
  • Emplaces antitank and Claymores, then wire and other obstacles.
  • Marks or improves marking for target reference points and other fire control measures.
  • Improves primary fighting positions and adds overhead cover (stage 2).
  • Prepares supplementary and alternate positions (same procedure as the primary position).
  • Establishes sleep and rest plans.
  • Distributes and stockpiles ammunition, food, and water.
  • Digs trenches to connect positions.
  • Continues to improve positions, construct revetments, replace camouflage, and add to overhead cover.

Next: 3-87: Forward Observer

Go Back To: U.S. Army FM 3-21.8: The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad