Chapter 1 – Organization:
Provides a brief description of operational environments for Infantry platoons and squads. An overview of the Army’s operational concept of unified land operations, operational structure, and law of war, rules of engagement (ROE), and combat power.
Addresses the role and organizational characteristics the Infantry platoon and squad as trained to conduct offensive, defensive, and stability tasks.
Addresses company team operations for the Stryker Infantry rife company, Infantry rifle company, and Armor and mechanized Infantry company.
Describes task organization, mission, capabilities, and limitations the Infantry platoon and squad echelons within all three brigade combat teams (BCTs) as well as the duties and responsibilities of personnel within those echelons.
Chapter 2 – Offense:
Addresses primary purpose of the offense—to decisively defeat, destroy, or
neutralize the enemy force, or to seize key terrain.
Discusses offensive actions to deceive or divert the enemy, deprive them of resources or decisive terrain, collect information, or fix the enemy in position.
Describes offensive actions, during defensive missions, required to destroy an attacker and exploit success.
Addresses the following keys to offensive missions—identify the enemy’s decisive point; choose a form of maneuver avoiding the enemy’s strength while exploiting the enemy’s weakness; and ensure an operation massing overwhelming combat power.
Discusses basics and sequence of the offense, planning considerations, and direct and indirect fire planning, which apply to all offensive actions.
Concludes with synchronized attacks maximizing the Infantry’s unique capabilities and planning considerations in transitioning to other operations
Chapter 3 – Defense:
Addresses primary purpose of the defense—to repel, to defeat, or to destroy an enemy attack and to gain the initiative for the offense.
Discusses the basics, characteristics, and planning considerations and direct and indirect fire planning of defensive missions the Infantry platoon and squad performs.
Describes the three defensive tasks—area defense, mobile defense, and retrograde operations.
Addresses the five-step sequence of a defense during execution.
Discusses three basic forms of the defense: defense of a linear obstacle, perimeter defense, or a reverse-slope defense.
Addresses common defensive control measures.
Concludes with a discussion of planning considerations in transitioning to other
operations.
Chapter 4 – Stability:
Discusses stability components of operations encompassing various military
missions, tasks, and activities conducted outside the United States (U.S.) in
coordination with other instruments of national power.
Addresses BCT support to stability tasks, essential offensive and defensive tasks,
and planning considerations.
Describes conduct of mission command warfighting task—inform, influence and
cyber/electromagnetic activities, replacement of the five Army information tasks
(inform and influence, mission command warfare, information management,
operations security (OPSEC), and military deception).
Terms information engagement, command and control warfare, and information
protection are rescinded.
Provides discussion on transitioning from stability tasks to operations focused on offensive or defensive tasks.
Chapter 5 – Movement:
Describes the different types of movements, administrative and tactical.
Introduces the different types of movement formations and techniques.
Discusses route selection, navigational aids, and route types.
Provides techniques for crossing different types of danger areas and enemy contact at danger areas.
Addresses movement with combat vehicles mounted and dismounted and security aspects going along with mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available and civil considerations (METT-TC).
Concludes with other movement situations, over water and under limited visibility.
Chapter 6 – Patrols and Patrolling:
Provides an overview of patrolling, organization of patrols, planning, coordinating
patrols, patrol plans, departure from friendly lines and rally points.
Addresses combat patrols ambush, raid, and security, actions on objective, and
combat patrol planning.
Discusses reconnaissance patrols area, route and zone, control measures and actions on reconnaissance objective.
Describes patrol preparations which include orders, briefings, rehearsals, and
equipment.
Identifies post-patrol activities, debriefs, equipment accountability, and patrol
reports.
Chapter 7 – Sustainment:
Addresses the sustainment challenges to ensure continuous operations during
combat.
Discusses sustainment of the Infantry platoon and squad (its Soldiers) to ensure
maneuver and conduct of combat operation.
Describes the process to continually anticipate Soldier needs and ensure the platoon and squad is properly sustained to conduct their mission.
Addresses anticipation of future sustainment needs critical to operations and
maintaining the momentum.
Focuses platoon and squad sustainment operations, includes unit responsibilities, company trains operations, and functions of sustainment.
Ten appendixes complement the body of this publication addressing procedures
performed at platoon and squad level. They are as follows:
- Appendix A: Describes the process of troop leading procedures (TLPs).
- Appendix B: Describes direct fire planning and control.
- Appendix C: Describes indirect fire support planning.
- Appendix D: Addresses security.
- Appendix E: Describes vehicle employment considerations.
- Appendix F: Addresses machine gun employment.
- Appendix G: Describes and addresses shoulder-launched munitions (SLMs) and close combat missile systems (CCMS).
- Appendix H: Describes obstacle reduction and employment.
- Appendix I: Covers chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN)
- operations.
- Appendix J: Describes 14 selected battle drills for both the Bradley and Stryker.
Note. Unless otherwise stated, whenever the masculine gender is used, both male and female are implied.
Next: Chapter 1: Organization
Go Back To: U.S. Army FM 3-21.8: The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad