Scouting and patrolling

Résumé

"Scouting and patrolling" by United States. Marine Corps. is a military doctrinal manual written in the early 21st century. It lays out tactics, techniques, and procedures for Marine scouts and patrols from fire team to company level, emphasizing infantry skills. The focus is on finding the enemy, moving undetected, and reporting accurately, with guidance applicable across combat arms. The opening of the manual establishes its purpose, scope, and lineage, then moves into fundamentals: why units scout, the skills required, and how accurate, timely reports drive command decisions. It provides practical instruction on terrain and navigation (compass use, day/night azimuths, intersection/resection, sun and stars), range estimation, reading enemy signs and tracks, and the principles of cover, concealment, camouflage, and individual movement by day. It then details night operations—human night vision, scanning techniques, noise and light discipline, silent movement (creeping, crossing wire and trenches), and plotting enemy positions in darkness—followed by how to observe from posts and report via verbal messages, sketches, and overlays. The section on scouting fire teams explains their employment ahead of platoons, locating enemy positions, and actions in woods or under fire. Finally, the text transitions into infantry patrolling fundamentals (definitions, purposes, types and modes of movement), training priorities and keys to success, patrol organization (command, security, support, assault elements and attachments), and begins patrol preparation (clear missions, sizing, and the commander’s duties), ending mid-discussion of specialized skills and equipment. (This is an automatically generated summary.)