Battle Drill Training

CHAPTER 1 Battle Drill Training 1-1. General. The goal of training is to produce combat ready units that respond to known or suspected enemy activity and defeat the enemy. Drill training is a key factor in achieving that goal. It describes a training method for small units. This method requires training individual tasks, leader tasks, and collective tasks before the conduct of critical wartime missions. Leaders should tailor training to realistic, challenging, and attainable goals while increasing the difficulty of conditions as the unit becomes more proficient. a. A battle drill is a collective action executed by a platoon or smaller element without the application of a deliberate decision-making process. The action is vital to success in combat or critical to preserve life. The drill is initiated on a cue, such as an enemy action or simply a leader’s order, and is a trained response to the given stimulus. It requires minimum leader orders to accomplish and is standard throughout the Army. b. A crew drill is a collective action that a crew of a weapons system or a piece of equipment must perform to use the weapon or equipment successfully in combat or to preserve life. This action is a trained response to a given stimulus such as a leader’s simple order or the status of the weapon or equipment. It requires minimum leader orders to accomplish and is standard throughout the Army. c. Drills have the following advantages: (1) They are based on unit missions and the specific tasks, standards, and performance measures required to support mission proficiency. (2) They build from simple to complex and focus on the basics. (3) They link how-to-train and how-to-fight at small unit level. (4) They provide an agenda for continuous coaching and critiquing. (5) They develop leaders and build teamwork and cohesion under stress. (6) They enhance the chance for individual and unit survival on the battlefield. 1-2. Training Guidance. Train battle and crew drills using a talk-through, walk-through, and run-through method. You, of course, must be a master of the drill to be trained. You may wish to periodically talk your soldiers through the drill--explaining each soldier’s role and then have them go through it slowly, on open ground, correcting any mistakes as they go. Use the following when developing training: a. Train as You Fight. The goal of combat-level training is to achieve combat-level standards. Every effort must be made to attain this difficult goal. Within the confines of safety and common sense, leaders must be willing to accept less than perfect results initially and demand realism in training. They must integrate such realistic conditions as smoke, noise, simulated NBC, battlefield debris, loss of key leaders, and cold weather. b. Train Using Appropriate Doctrine. Training must conform to Army doctrine. FM 3-0 (100-5), Operations, and supporting doctrinal manuals describe common procedures and uniform operational methods that permit leaders and organizations to adjust rapidly to changing situations. c. Use Performance-Oriented Training. Soldiers learn best by using a hands-on approach. Leaders are responsible to plan training that will provide these opportunities. All training assets and resources, to include simulators, simulations, and training devices, must be included in the strategy. d. Train to Challenge. Tough, realistic, and intellectually and physically challenging training both excites and motivates soldiers and leaders. It builds competence and confidence by developing and honing skills. e. Train to Sustain Proficiency. Once individuals have been trained to a required level of proficiency, leaders must structure training plans to repeat critical drill tasks at the minimum frequency necessary for sustainment. 1-3. Force Protection (Safety). Risk assessment is the thought process of making operations safe without compromising the mission. Unit leaders must continuously perform a risk assessment of conditions under which training is conducted to prevent the unnecessary loss of soldiers and equipment. The degree of risk varies with the conditions at the time of training. For example, have the soldiers done the training before? Will the training be done for the first time at night? Are the soldiers fatigued? In reality, risk management is smart decision-making. a. A well-trained unit is normally accident free; however, accidents can occur through no fault of the soldier or equipment operator. Most accidents result from inadequately trained, unsupervised, or complacent personnel. b. Training must be tough, realistic, and safe. Unit leaders must consider the following points as they integrate risk assessment into their training: ♣ Accept no unnecessary risks. ♣ Make risk decisions at the proper level. ♣ Accept risks if mission benefits outweigh the costs. c. It is important to remember that the commander is the safety officer, but all soldiers and leaders are responsible for safe training. All leaders must-- ♣ Identify the risks using the factors of mission, enemy, terrain, troops, time, and civil considerations (METT-TC). ♣ Assess possible loss, cost, and probability. ♣ Make decisions and develop controls to reduce risks. ♣ Implement controls by integrating them into plans, orders, standing operating procedures (SOPs), training performance standards, and rehearsals. ♣ Supervise and enforce safety controls and standards at all times. (Leaders should make on-the-spot corrections when an unsafe act is observed.) d. Leaders use the safety checklist of the United States Army Safety Center, Fort Rucker, Alabama, in conjunction with local unit safety checklists, to enhance the overall safety practices of soldiers during training. 1-4. Environmental Protection. Compliance with environmental regulations is now a necessary cost of doing business. The Army expects soldiers to obey local, state, federal, and host-nation (HN) environmental requirements. By following the unit environmental SOP, the environmental guidance that leaders publish in operation orders (OPORDs), and installation environmental regulations, soldiers can help the Army meet its compliance goal. (See TC 3-34.489 [5-400].) a. Prevention. This is the Army's attempt to reduce or eliminate pollution. Preventing pollution is always more effective and less costly than cleaning up polluted sites. Soldiers can support prevention efforts by reducing, reusing, or recycling waste products. b. Conservation. Conservation is the Army's intent to preserve the natural and cultural resources under its care. Soldiers can support conservation by avoiding needless damage to the environment. During training exercises, practice trash and litter discipline. Afterwards, thoroughly police training areas and bivouac sites. Participating in activities such as unit recycling and energy-conservation programs conserves resources for the future. c. Supervise. Ensure soldiers observe environmental protection standards. 1-5. Evaluation Information. The purpose of evaluating a drill is to determine if the unit can perform all the performance measures within the allowed standards. During evaluations, concentrate on the unit's performance, not that of specific individuals. The best location for an O/C is one from which he can observe the actions of the entire unit. Use the drill book as a checklist. We recommend you do not use local checklists, as they can become negative training tools.