PATROL BASE

Greeting

Good morning, everyone. My name is CDT Guloy, and I will be your primary instructor for today's lesson: Occupation of a Patrol Base and the Priorities of Work Within.

Intro

Our tasks for today are

• patrol base operations

• and priorities of work

We will be using the conditions referenced in

• ATP 3-21.8

• TC 3-21.76 (which can be found in your Ranger Handbook)

The standards are

• that by the end of the informational piece of this class and practical exercise

• everyone in the platoon will be proficient at establishing a patrol base

• and have a greater understanding of the priorities of work

Hook

Imagine this: you’re the PL. Your platoon has been working hard all day, running mission after mission. Everyone is exhausted, and all you want to do is finally sit down and eat your chicken chunk MRE. So, what do you do?”

What is a patrol base?

• security perimeter that is set up when a squad or platoon conducting a patrol halts for an extended period

• not be occupied for more than 24 hours (except in emergency)

• never use the same patrol base twice

Major Components of a Patrol Base

1. Use

2. Site Selection

3. Planning Considerations

4. Security Measures

5. Occupation

6. Priorities of Work

Use

• plan and issue orders

• hide unit from enemy forces

• reorganize after infiltrating an area

• perform maintenance on equipment

Site Selection

• tentative site selection using a map or aerial recon (drones, physically go to location, get insider info.)

• safe and secluded area (to protect us and hide us from enemy forces)

• alternate PB (in case anything were to happen)

Planning Considerations

• support the mission

• location that gives us active and passive security

Security Measures

Choose:

• low-area, off main lines of drift (where people want to go to naturally, such as trails and roads)

• defensible terrain with good cover and concealment (such as a place with dense vegetation), and near water if possible (easier to sustain the platoon)

Avoid:

• enemy positions, built-up areas, ridges/hilltops, small valleys, roads and trails

If it makes us easy to see, easy to reach, or hard to defend—avoid it

Remember: low, hidden, hard to reach, near water

Steps in Occupying a Patrol Base

1. Security Halt

2. Leaders Recon

3. Establish Security

4. Move Platoon Forward

5. Occupy the Patrol Base

6. Establish Positions

7. Priorities of Work

Security Halt

• Platoon will come to a security halt about 200m away from the tentative site

• to make sure the platoon can safely transition from movement to establishing the patrol base

GOTWA

G - going: where is the PL going?

O - others: who is the PL taking with?
T - time: when should they be back?
W - what: what to do if they don’t come back?
A - actions: what will the rest of the PLT do if something happens?

Why do we turn at a 90-degree angle?

• concealment of position: to cover tracks of where they’re going

• security placement: to make sure no enemies have followed us

• controlled access: account for every person who enters and exits

Establish Security

• SEC SQD

• leave M240 at the 2 and 10

• 2 M249s at the 6

Move Platoon Forward

• PL + RTO come back to get the rest of the PLT

• Subordinate elements are moved into their designated positions

• ASS 1 (1 st SQD)

• SEC ( 2nd SQD)

• ASS 2 ( 3rd SQD)

Occupy the Patrol Base

• 100% security

• Conduct R&S (reconnaissance and security)

  • Box-Method, T-Method, Apex-to-Apex Method

• Sectors of fire and range cards

Establish Positions

• HQ consists of

  • P:, PSG, SL, MED, RTO

7 Priorities of Work

1. Security

2. Withdrawal Plan

3. Communications

4. Mission Preparations and Planning

5. Weapons Maintenance and Equipment

6. Water Resupply

7. Mess and Rest

7 Priorities of Work

1. Security

2. Withdrawal Plan (Black and Gold)

3. Communications

4. Mission Preparations and Planning

5. Weapons Maintenance and Equipment

• 1 APEX at a time

• M240 down = everyone else on line

• 2 M249s down = 50%

• 100% security → 50% security

6. Water Resupply

7. Mess and Rest (PSG or can assign to SL then to TL)