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Setting the Standard – Patrolling is not Combat Shooting | Grounded Curiosity

By The Cove November 7, 2019

"If you are someone that applies the Combat Shooting methodology to your patrolling technique, you are unlikely to be seeking to close with the enemy, to kill or capture. On the contrary, you are going to look down at the ground or away from where your weapon is directed". 

In his post, Setting the Standard – Patrolling is not Combat Shooting! via Grounded Curiosity, Brandon Carey has identified and provided solutions to what he believes is a big gap in our current training: the lack of patrolling doctrine. An excellent article relevant to all soldiers, regardless of trade or Corps.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Australian Army, the Department of Defence or the Australian Government.

Comments

Submitted by Wayne (not verified) on Sun, 12/08/2019 - 10:24
Hi Brandon, Some great points highlighted in your article reference patrolling skills. This is something we are seeing more of as time goes by. Soldiers with very little experience in effective patrolling techniques. SASR has some fantastic doctrinal information as well as Corps training notes on patrolling. Patrolling is something that is taught within the unit as a foundational war fighting skill. Many of the skills, the knowledge and the attitude from a solid grounding in jungle patrolling is transferred to numerous other roles and tasks with a soldiers life. If this information is as you say not accessible or worse still not there I am sure we can assist with the provision of information. Ref the combat shooting, I think many people miss a crucial point during the combat shooting training. The skills taught during combat shooting are there not as a reaction to being detected (as you mention) they are for when you are already 'in the fight'. So as you discuss something has either gone wrong prior to this and we have found ourselves engaged at the time of the enemies choosing. Or we have the upper hand and are on the offensive. You rightly point out that, effective patrolling is about seeing without being seen and maintaining the advantage in our favour. So for all this should be a clear distinction between linking patrolling and combat shooting. FYC Wayne

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