Tactical Doctrine Question

[Jim von Krieg]

I would say that it is not normal to fire through friendly forces; however, it can happen in the confusion of battle.

What typically happens is that militaries establish doctrine to get everyone on the same page on how you accomplish things. Then Units establish Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) to get into the painstaking details of how they're actually going to implement doctrine. This allows units to operate in close proximity to each other with the basic understanding that they know what to expect from friendly forces on the battlefield.

In an offensive scheme, assaulting elements usually maneuver on the objective, while the supporting elements fire suppressive fire. As the assaulting element closes on the objective, the supporting element will lift and shift fire to allow the assaulting element to move on to the objective without fear of friendly fire. Enemy forces gets no break because as the supporting element lifts and shifts, the assaulting element is now firing and assaulting the position.

Your TTPs would establish things like the assaulting element will maneuver to the left on an enemy position using bounding overwatch and a purple smoke grenade will signal the supporting elements to lift and shift fire for the assault.

In a defensive scheme, you will establish fields of fire from each defensive position to create interlocking fields of fire and prevent friendly fire casualties. Each defensive position is only allowed to fire down a specific fire lane because straying outside your established limits means you may strike friendly positions. You don't necessarily protect the front of your position, the guys to your left and right cover the front of your position. As they protect your front, you protect their front.

This criss-cross effect (known as interlocking fields of fire) establishes deadly crossfires which can chew up troops moving in the open against your position. On the flanks you will establish MG positions to sweep the entire front of your defensive position and establish a final protective line (FPL). The FPL is where your MGs fire when your position is under maximum pressure from the enemy. That wall of lead along the FPL is your last ditch effort to keep the enemy out of your positions.

In a confusing battle like portrayed in segments of SPR, it is entirely possible that you will jump into the line of fire of someone. As they say... S - H - I - T... Happens...

And as I like to say, anything can get you killed on a battlefied to include doing everything right as well as doing absolutely nothing... Wrong place, wrong time, and pure unadulterated luck play a big role in what happens when the steel and lead is flying... Of course, your chances of survival are better if you and the guys around you know what to do and expect.

So, I wouldn't get too bunged up over something that was portrayed in a movie, because we've all seen enough movies to know that the hollywood types generally don't get the "military" bearing of Soldiers correct. Why would we expect them to get the tactics right.

It is typically hard for this long time Soldier to watch a military movie because it is a rare movie indeed that gets the little details of the military correct such as proper salutes, haircuts, wear of uniforms, and a whole slew of things that iritates me to no end. SPR does a better job that most movies out there IMHO.

Regards,

Jim vK