A battle drill is a type of
standard operating procedure used in the training of infantry. Based on commonly encountered scenarios, battle drills are used to establish standardized actions of a team, allowing for a quick collective response without the need for deliberate decision making.
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...
s and
squads apply
fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames a ...
and maneuver accordingly, requiring leaders to rapidly make decisions and quickly issue brief oral orders.
In 1944,
Colonel Charles Stacey defined the practice of battle drill as "the reduction of military tactics to bare essentials which are taught to a platoon as a team drill, with clear explanations regarding the objects to be achieved, the principles involved and the individual task of each member of the team."
A
US Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
publication from 2016 identifies fifteen "essential battle drills that an Infantry platoon and squad must train on to ensure success":
* 1: React to Direct Fire
* 2: Conduct a Platoon Attack
* 2A: Conduct a Squad Assault
* 3: Break Contact
* 4: React to an Ambush
* 5: Knock out a Bunker
* 6: Enter and Clear a Room
* 7: Enter a Trench to Secure a Foothold
* 8: Conduct the Initial Breach of a Mined Wire Obstacle
* 9: React to Indirect Fire
* 10: React to a Chemical Attack
* 11: React to an
IED
* 12: Dismount a
BFV and
ICV
* 13: Mount a BFV and ICV
* 14: Execute Action Left or Right While Mounted
See also
*
Military strategy
References
[. Stacey is quoting "the manual ''Fieldcraft and Battle Drill''" (perhaps the British ]War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...
's 1942 ''Instructors' Handbook on Fieldcraft and Battle Drill'')
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Military life