For ground forces, a tactical unit sent out from the main body to engage in independent fighting; detachment assigned to protect the front, flank, or rear of the main body by fighting if necessary. Also called fighting patrol. See also combat air patrol; patrol; reconnaissance patrol. Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005. Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. Link to this page:
Joash Pramis, 9th Infantry Division (9ID) public affairs chief, said soldiers were on combat patrol operation when they engaged a 10-man NPA group in a firefight in Barangay (village) San Antonio, at around 6:30 a.m.
There are three essential elements for a combat patrol: security; support; and assault. The size of each element is based on the situation and the analysis of METT-TC.  The squad is the essential fire and maneuver element. US Army squads include two fire teams, while Marine squads include three fire teams made up of a rifleman, automatic rifleman, grenadier, and team leader. A squad with as few as seven troops can be split into two fire teams and a squad leader. (Photo by Lithuania Land Forces.) 1. Assault ElementThe assault element is the combat patrol’s decisive effort. Its task is to conduct actions on the objective. The assault element is responsible for accomplishing the unit’s task and purpose. This element must be capable (through inherent capabilities or positioning relative to the enemy) of destroying or seizing the target of the combat patrol. Tasks typically associated with the assault element include: • Conduct of assault across the objective to destroy enemy equipment, capture or kill enemy, and clearing of key terrain and enemy positions • Deployment close enough to the objective to conduct an immediate assault if detected • Being prepared to support itself if the support element cannot suppress the enemy • Providing support to a breach element in reduction of obstacles (if required) • Planning detailed fire control and distribution • Conducting controlled withdrawal from the objective Additional tasks/special purpose teams assigned may include search teams, prisoner teams, demolition teams, breach team, and aid and litter teams. 2. Support ElementThe support element suppresses the enemy on the objective using direct and indirect fires. The support element is a shaping effort that sets conditions for the mission’s decisive effort. This element must be capable, through inherent means or positioning relative to the enemy, of supporting the assault element. The support force can be divided into two or more elements if required. The support element is organized to address a secondary threat of enemy interference with the assault element(s). The support force suppresses, fixes, or destroys elements on the objective. The support force’s primary responsibility is to suppress enemy to prevent reposition against decisive effort. The support force— • Initiates fires and gains fire superiority with crew-served weapons and indirect fires • Controls rates and distribution of fires • Shifts/ceases fire on signal • Supports the withdrawal of the assault element 3. Security ElementThe security element(s) is a shaping force that has three roles. The first role is to isolate the objective from enemy personnel and vehicles attempting to enter the objective area. Their actions range from simply providing early warning, to blocking enemy movement. This element may require several different forces located in various positions. The patrol leader is careful to consider enemy reserves or response forces that, once the engagement begins, will be alerted. The second role of the security element is to prevent enemy from escaping the objective area. The third role is to secure the patrol’s withdrawal route. There is a subtle yet important distinction for the security element. All elements of the patrol are responsible for their own local security. What distinguishes the security element is that they are protecting the entire patrol. The security element is organized to address the primary threat to the patrol—being discovered and defeated by enemy forces prior to execution of actions on the objective. To facilitate the success of the assault element, the security element must fix or block (or at a minimum screen) all enemy security or response forces located on parts of the battlefield away from the raid. Browse additional military doctrine articles in our SMARTnews Blog & Resource Center. About The Lightning Press SMARTbooks. Recognized as a “whole of government” doctrinal reference standard by military, national security and government professionals around the world, SMARTbooks comprise a comprehensive professional library. SMARTbooks can be used as quick reference guides during operations, as study guides at education and professional development courses, and as lesson plans and checklists in support of training. Browse our collection of Military Reference SMARTbooks to learn more. This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2013) This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2015) Patrolling is a military tactic. Small groups or individual units are deployed from a larger formation to achieve a specific objective and then return. The tactic of patrolling may be applied to ground troops, armored units, naval units, and combat aircraft. The duration of a patrol will vary from a few hours to several weeks depending on the nature of the objective and the type of units involved.
There are several different types of patrol each with a different objective. The most common is to collect information by carrying out a reconnaissance patrol. Such a patrol may try to remain clandestine and observe an enemy without themselves being detected. Other reconnaissance patrols are overt, especially those that interact with the civilian population. A combat patrol is a group with sufficient size (usually platoon or company) and resources to raid or ambush a specific enemy. It primarily differs from an attack in that the aim is not to hold ground. A clearing patrol is a brief patrol around a newly occupied defensive position in order to ensure that the immediate area is secure. Clearing patrols are often undertaken on the occupation of a location, and during stand to in the transition from night to day routine and vice versa. A standing patrol is a static patrol, probably known as an OP/LP(Observation Post/Listening post) in US and NATO terminology. Standing patrols are usually small (half section/section) static patrols intended to provide early warning, security or to guard some geographical feature, such as dead ground. A reconnaissance (recce) patrol is a patrol, usually small whose main mission is the gathering of information. Generally speaking recce patrols tend to avoid contact, although it is not unknown for recon patrols to "fight for information". A screening patrol combines a number of patrols to 'screen' a large area. This type of patrol is used by armored formations in desert theaters, and also by ground troops operating in urban areas. A screen is generally composed of a number of static observation posts.[1]
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