QUARTERS COMBAT TECHNIQUES
A large portion of combat in built-up areas takes place at very close
quarters, often between small groups of combatants within the confines
of a single room. Because of this, individual combat actions can flare
up quickly and be over in a matter of seconds. Success or failure is
open determined by life or death decisions made and actions taken
almost instinctively by individual soldiers and small teams as they
encounter differing complex situations in each new room. One of the
complexities often encountered particularly during OOTW, is the
intermixing of combatants with noncombatants in the same building,
often in the same rooms. Employing close quarters combat techniques
is open the most effective means of achieving victory w bile minimizing
friendly losses, avoiding unnecessary noncombatant casualties, and
conserving ammunition and demolitions for subsequent operations.
K-1. BATTLE DRILLS AND CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT
Close quarters combat techniques do not replace battle drills. They are
techniques to be used when the tactical situation calls for room-by-room
clearing of a relatively intact building in which enemy combatants and
noncombatants may be intermixed. These techniques involve increased risk in
order to clear a building methodically, rather than using overwhelming
firepower to neutralize all its inhabitants. Certain close quarters combat
techniques, such as methods of movement, firing stances, weapon positioning,
and reflexive shooting, are useful for all combat in confined areas. Other
techniques, such as entering a room without first neutralizing known enemy
occupants, are appropriate in only some tactical situations. Generally, if a
room or building is occupied by an alerted enemy force that is determined to
resist, and if most or all noncombatants are clear, overwhelming firepower
should be employed to avoid friendly casualties. In such a situation,
supporting fires, demolitions, and fragmentation grenades should be used to
neutralize a space before friendly troops enter. In some combat situations,
however, the use of heavy supporting fires and demolitions would cause
unacceptable collateral damage. In other situations, often during OOTW,
enemy combatants are so intermixed with noncombatants that US forces
cannot in good conscience use all their available supporting fires, and
room-by-room clearing may be necessary. At such times, close quarters
combat techniques are most appropriate.
K-2. PRINCIPLES OF CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT
As in all other military operations, battles that occur at close quarters, such as
within a room or hallway, must be planned and executed with care. Units must