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Code of Conduct

FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES

1.I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.

2.I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have means to resist.

3.If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy.

4.If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful order of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way.

5.When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.

6.I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES

The US government also has responsibilities under the code. The Nation has pledged itself:

•To keep faith with you and stand by you as you fight for its defense;

•To care for your family and dependents; and should you be captured,

•To use every practical means to contact, support, and gain release for you and all other prisoners of war.

Copyright © 2015 by Stackpole Books

First edition published 1956. Fourteenth edition 2015.

Published by

STACKPOLE BOOKS

5067 Ritter Road

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

www.stackpolebooks.com

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

FOURTEENTH EDITION

This book is not an official publication of the Department of Defense or Department of the Army, nor does its publication in any way imply its endorsement by these agencies. The views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or its Components.

Cover design by Tessa J. Sweigert

Cover photo by Gary Stevens

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kirkham, Jeff.

  Combat leader’s field guide / MSG Jeff Kirkham, US Army Special Forces. — 14th edition.

        pages cm

  Includes bibliographical references and index.

  ISBN 978-0-8117-1448-8

  eISBN 978-0-8117-6165-9

1. United States. Army—Field service—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title.

  UD443.J8 2015

  355.4—dc23

2014040826

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

PART ONE: UNIT COMBAT OPERATIONS

1    The Battlefield

2    Command and Control

3    Movement

4    Offense

5    Defense

6    Tactical Enabling Operations

7    Patrolling

8    Urban Operations

9    Combat Support and Combat Service Support

PART TWO: SOLDIER COMBAT SKILLS

10    Call for and Adjust Fire

11    Camouflage, Concealment, and Decoys

12    Land Navigation and Map Reading

13    Fighting Positions

14    First Aid

15    Combat Intelligence

16    Individual Movement and Security

17    Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Warfare

18    Radio Sets, Procedures, and Field Antennas

Appendix A:    Rules of Engagement and Use of Deadly Force in Combat Zones by David G. Bolgiano

Appendix B:    Armored Vehicle Recognition

Appendix C:    Operational Graphics

Appendix D:    Minefields and Minefield Recording

Appendix E:    Platoon and Squad Organization

Appendix F:    Organic and Supporting Weapons

Appendix G:    Body Armor Levels

Appendix H:    Acronyms and Abbreviations

Appendix I:    References

Index

About the Author

Preface

This guide is designed to assist leaders or prospective leaders of combat infantry units or other groups that, in an emergency, must fight as infantry. The content is tactical and logistical, with administrative matter mostly omitted. When in the field, especially under stress of combat or simulated combat, the combat leader cannot instantly recall everything he has been taught. Rapid changes in the situation may cause him to assume a position for which he has not yet been trained. He will then appreciate some brief reference material to guide him. He cannot carry a “5-foot shelf” of field manuals and, unlike the staff officer or higher commander, he does not have ready access to organizational files or a library when in the field. What he needs he must carry in his pocket, condensed yet in a form approximating at-a-glance capability. This field guide has been compiled from current doctrine and field manuals with those requirements in mind. Much of the reference material is in fact a comprehensive checklist to ensure that important considerations of troop leading are not overlooked.

As with the prior edition, the material in this edition is in two parts: unit combat operations and soldier combat skills. The material in Part I focuses on dismounted infantry operations at the platoon and squad levels, including battle drills—those collective actions rapidly executed without applying a deliberate decision-making process. Indeed, a small unit’s ability to accomplish its mission often depends on soldiers and leaders executing key actions quickly. Part II focuses on critical individual soldier skills necessary for battlefield effectiveness and survival.

This guide also includes the considerations applicable to how US Army doctrine addresses the range of “full-spectrum operations” across the range of conflict. When conducting full-spectrum operations, commanders combine and sequence offensive, defensive, stability, and support operations to accomplish the mission.

Acknowledgments

Hidden between the lines of any good piece of work is the idea and source for that work. Combat Leader’s Field Guide was originally published as the Junior Leader’s Field Notebook in 1956; since that time, it has gone through twelve revisions, and this one will be the thirteenth, making it the fourteenth edition.

This book is a compilation of “lessons learned” from many great soldiers operating on a myriad of battlefields across the entire spectrum of military operations. It is these soldiers who deserve the credit for this book. You know who you are. Thank you for watching my back for the last two decades.