Stairwells and Rooftops in MOUT

Stairwells and Rooftops in MOUT Agenda Clearing continuing & non-continuing stairwells Clearing open stairwells Clearing closed stairwells React to grenades and stairwell rush A note on rooftops Clearing Continuing Stairwells Normally on ends or at corners of buildings close to elevators. Should be cleared in bounds while maintaining security under landings, overhead, and to the front & rear USE YOUR MIRRORS! Non-Continuing Stairwells Clear w/ continuous movement Hard to establish maintain security. Once security is established: one team moves to next landing and sets security. next team becomes the assault element to gain a foothold. Clearing Open Stairwells 1 of 2 #1 man pulls security on the highest point he can see/engage. #2 man moves up stairs on inside w/ #3 man to a point so he can see / engage next landing. Clearing Open Stairwells 2 of 2 3. From here, he turns around and continues to move up to the next landing. 4. #3 man moves up stairs with #2 man on the outside and engages threat. Clearing Open Stairwell Graphic 1 4 2 2 3 1 4 3 1 4 3 2 Clearing Closed Stairwell: Steps 1-3 #1 man checks high to for opening on the landing or between the stairs. #2 man pulls long security to the next bend or landing. #1 or #3 man w/ #2 man move up steps. On the corner, #2 man tap/squeeze #1 man on the shoulder signaling that he is with him. Clearing Closed Stairwell: Steps 4-6 Keying off #1 man’s movement, they both simultaneously break around the corner. If no fire is received, #2 man moves to opposite wall and continue to move up until they reach their objective. #3 and #4 men will continue to move 3 to 4 steps behind. 4 2 1 3 2 4 3 1 Clearing Closed Stairwell: Graphic Stairwell Rush Stairwell is a natural canalizing point used to the enemy’s advantage If an assaulting element finds itself bogged down, the element must regroup & move in a mass formation up the stairwell using extreme fire power Grenades on Stairwells IMMEDIATE ACTION: Give a verbal warning Move up the stairs At no time should the element retreat down Beware of booby traps as well A Note on Rooftops Used by enemy as means of communication Used for OPs or signaling Likely area to search or target In some urban areas, rooftops may present the option to cross from building to building Summary Clearing continuing & non-continuing stairwells Clearing open stairwells Clearing closed stairwells Reacting to grenades and the stairwell rush Remember rooftops Stairwells are the most difficult areas to operate within a building. Knowing building construction plays an important role in determining which technique to use when clearing a stairwell. 1. Continuing stairwells. These are normally on the ends or at the corners of buildings close to elevators. They usually have thicker walls and fire proof doors. 2. Continuing stairwells should be cleared in bounds while maintaining security under landings, overhead, to the front and rear. a. One team will then move up to the next level once that flight of stairs has been cleared, the team then stops to maintain security on the door and to the front. The next team will assume the role of the assault team and clear the next flight of stairs. This is repeated until the top or bottom floor is reached. The safest way to move from level to level is through an opening we have made ourselves. A hole in a wall is called a mouse hole. 1. The size of the mouse hole will dictate the clearing technique to be used. 2. If the mouse hole already exists it must be checked for booby traps. 3. If possible, use a mirror to observe the room first while another maintains security on the mouse hole. 4. Clear it using the same methods as an open doorway clear. Open Stariwell: This has a gap between flights of stairs that allows a person to visibly look up and down between flights of stairs. ere are the steps involved in clearing an open stairwell: 1. Step 1: The #1 man pulls security on the highest point he can see / engage. 2. Step 2: The #2 man moves up the stairs on the inside with the #3 man to a point that he can see / engage the next landing, where he turns around and continues to move up to the next landing. 3. Step 3: The #3 man moves up the stairs with the #2 man on the outside and engages the threat on the immediate landing. 4. Step #4: The #4 man moves up the stairs with the #1 man, on the squeeze, the #2 man turns around to engage the next landing. 5. Step 5: The flow continues with the #2 man picking up the sector of the #1 man had. The #3 man picks up hwere the #2 man was. The #4 man picks up where the #3 man was. The #1 man picks up where the #4 man was. Note: Most stariwells will require a second team. Closed Stairwell. This is any stairwell separated by walls between flights of stairs that prevent you from seeing the stairs to the next floor. Figure 2 depicts a closed stairwell. Here are the steps involved in clearing a closed stairwell. 1. Step 1: The #1 man checks high to ensure that there is no opening on the landing or between the stairs. 2. Step 2: The #2 man pulls long security to the next bend or landing. 3. Step 3: The #1 man or #3 man with the #2 man move up the steps. As they approach the corner, the #2 man will tap or squeeze the #1 man on the shoulder signaling that he is with him. Step 4: Keying off the #1 man’s movement, they will both simultaneously break around the corner. Step 5: If no fire is received, #2 man will move to the opposite wall and continue to move up until they reach their objective. Step 6: The #3 and #4 men will continue to move 3 to 4 steps behind. Note: Do not get locked into a security position; e.g., inside a stair well. Do not get spread out thin or separated by more than one floor of stairs. Stairwell Rush. Have soldiers demonstrate the technique for stairwell rush. 1. A stairwell is a natural canalizing point that can be used to the enemy’s advantage. The fact that the enemy is in a strategic position and soldiers have to fight up-hill, can produce a large number of casualties. 2. If an assaulting element finds itself bogged down, the element must regroup and move in mass formation up the stairwell. TRANSITION: Slide 44 Grenades on Stairwells. INSTRUCTOR NOTE: Have Marines demonstrate the technique for grenades on a stairwell IMMEDIATE ACTION. Grenades on Stairwell. 1. Give verbal warning and continue to move up stairwell: a. as fast as possible, b. while firing, and c. attempting to move past the grenade. 2. At no time should the assaulting element retreat back down the stairwell. Also consider use of grenades on stairwells as dangerous, because the enemy will too easily kick them back down toward you. Remember that the enemy has the advantage of controlling the high ground. *Enemy can rig doors, loose stairs or command detonated explosives to inflict high casualties on the hesitant or non-aggressive soldier 1. Non-Continuing stairwells are more open and have two or less landings. They are usually found near the center of building close to large lobbies. 2. Non- continuing stairwells should be cleared using continuous movement by the original clearing team. If they pause at the midway point of stairs as in a continuing stairwell, they will become sitting ducks. 3. Because these stairwells are usually more open security is more difficult to establish and maintain. 4. Once security is established: a. One team will move to the next landing and set security on the hallway. b. The next team then becomes the assault team to gain a foothold on that floor. When conducting precision clearing, soldiers are very close to each other as they engage targets. The high volume of noise makes communications extremely difficult. The command and control techniques used during precision combat must consist of terms and actions that soldiers are familiar with and to which they know how to respond. a. The use of verbal commands and signals within the assault element are extremely important. The soldier must always let others in the assault element know where he is and what he is doing. b. As an example, terms similar to the ones listed in Table 3-2 should be a part of each soldier’s vocabulary IAW unit SOP.