The Infantry Reconnaissance Platoon and Squad (Airborne, Air Assault, Light Infantry) (FM 7-92)

Book excerpt: This manual, “The Infantry Reconnaissance Platoon and Squad (Airborne, Air Assault, Light Infantry) (FM 7-92),” describes the doctrinal and tactical employment of the reconnaissance platoon in airborne, air assault, and light infantry battalions. It provides the reconnaissance platoon's leaders with tactics, techniques, and procedures to exploit its reconnaissance and security capabilities, to reduce its vulnerabilities, and to enable its parent battalion to obtain the information necessary to win on the battlefield. This manual also provides guidance for employing the reconnaissance platoon or infantry platoons that conduct reconnaissance and security operations. The estimate of the situation determines how to apply the doctrine in this manual. This manual complements FM 7-8 and FM 7-20. Since the reconnaissance platoon is a critical battalion asset comprising specially trained infantrymen, platoon leaders must understand FM 7-8 and FM 7-20. This manual reemphasizes information from other manuals that are of critical importance and especially useful to scouts. This does not relieve the user of the responsibility of referring to other manuals for in-depth discussions of particular subjects. Although this manual does not implement any international agreements, the material presented herein is in accordance with related international agreements.