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Strength

Categories: PATROLLING
Military Handbooks: The Plattsburg Manual Advanced Training

The strength of the patrol will generally depend on its mission and on

the number of messages that it will probably send back. The larger the

patrol the greater the probability of the enemy seeing it. On the other

hand, if it is too small, it will not have sufficient members to send in

important information and continue operations. Captain Waldron in his

book, Scouting and Patrolling, recommends a patrol of a leader and six

selected men for ordinary reconnaissance. This number makes it possible

for the patrol leader to place a man out on each flank, a man in

advance, two to remain with him and one to remain in the rear as the

get-away man. The officer who sends out the patrol determines its

strength.



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