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An ambush is a surprise attack from a covered and concealed position on a moving or temporarily halted target. An ambush has four tasks which are to; disrupt/destroy, collect information/intelligence, block/deny access, and canalize. 

The reference for reconnaissance patrols can be found on page 7-4 of your Ranger Handbook.  Before we dive into the steps of Area Reconnaissance, let's go over the “20 Board” above. On the left side of the board are the steps for an area recon. The center of the board is an example of a recon patrol cloverleafing around their objective and the leader’s recon element in their FOOM (More on FOOM here). The right side of the board has the FOOM of clearing the Objective Rally Point (ORP), Leader’s Recon of ORP, and the Security Halt.  Notice that the...

The reference for this technique for “Crossing a Linear Danger Area” can be found on page 6-9 and A-8 of your Ranger Handbook.  A link-up is a meeting of friendly ground forces. The link-up operation requires control, detailed  planning, execution, and stealth. Link-up procedures start as the unit moves to the link-up point. The standard for a link-up is that all friendly ground forces involved in the link-up successfully complete the link-up operation while sustaining no friendly casualties due to fratricide.  Before we dive into the details, let me familiarize you with the “20 Board.” The north-seeking arrow is at...

The reference for this technique for “Crossing a Linear Danger Area” can be found on page 6-9 and A-8 of your Ranger Handbook.  A Line Danger Area (LDA) is a danger area that has a long axis where the enemy can concentrate their fires on your unit as you cross it. Examples of LDAs are roads, trails, rivers, or any type of natural or man-made feature where your unit may be observed crossing. Think of a LDA as a fatal funnel.   Let me introduce you to the “20 Board” above. On the right hand side of my board, there are...

The reference for this technique for “Crossing a Large Open Danger Area” can be found on page 6-8 and A-9 of your Ranger Handbook.  Let me introduce you to the “20 Board”. In the center of the board, there is a graphic representation of an open area. The left portion of the board contains administrative notes that will help you follow along. In this depiction the squad, due to time constraints, will utilize the bounding overwatch technique to move through the danger area. TIME is the factor that determines whether an open area is small or large and dictates how...