Previous: 3-88: Adjacent Unit Coordination
3-89. In the defense, coordination ensures that units provide mutual support and interlocking fires. In most circumstances, the platoon leader conducts face-to-face coordination to facilitate understanding and to resolve issues effectively. However, when time is extremely limited, digital coordination may be the only means of sending and receiving this information. The platoon leader should send and receive the following information using his radio or mission command system before conducting face-to-face coordination:
- Location of leaders.
- Location of fighting positions.
- Location of observations posts and withdrawal routes.
- Location and types of obstacles.
- Location, activities, and passage plan for scouts and other units forward of the platoon’s position.
- Platoon’s digital sector sketch.
- Location of all Soldiers and units operating in and around the platoon’s area of operation.
3-90. Current techniques for coordination hold true for units that are digitally equipped. If a digitized and a nondigitized unit are conducting adjacent unit coordination, face-to-face is the preferred method. The leader of the digitized unit has the option to enter pertinent information about the nondigitized unit into mission command systems for later reference. The digitally equipped platoon leader should show the adjacent unit leader his digital sector sketch. If face-to-face coordination is not possible, leaders share pertinent information by radio.
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Go Back To: U.S. Army FM 3-21.8: The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad