Quantico | The Basic School

Basic Officer Course
TACTICS
“Squad Tactics”

In week 10, your Marine dives into critical training focused on Squad Tactics, starting with Rifle Squad Weapons Tactics. They will learn to manage and employ various squad weapons, maximizing their combat effectiveness. Additionally, they will refine their leadership skills by issuing Combat Orders, using the BAMCIS process to plan, communicate, and execute missions effectively.

Rifle Squad Weapons Tactics

This week, your Marine will submerge themselves into Squad Weapons Tactics. They will learn the essential skills needed to effectively manage and employ the various weapons within a rifle squad. This training focuses on the coordination and utilization of these weapons to maximize their squad’s combat effectiveness.

Combat Orders

Continuing their development in leadership and planning, your Marine will further refine their skills in issuing Combat Orders. This training emphasizes the importance of clear and concise communication, ensuring that all squad members understand their roles and responsibilities during an operation.

In the context of combat orders, BAMCIS is a mnemonic used by the Marine Corps to outline the six steps in the troop-leading process. It stands for:

  1. Begin Planning: Start the planning process as soon as you receive the mission. Analyze the mission, determine the task, and begin developing a basic plan of action.
  2. Arrange for Reconnaissance and Coordination: Arrange for necessary reconnaissance to gather information about the enemy, terrain, and other relevant factors. Coordinate with higher, adjacent, and supporting units.
  3. Make Reconnaissance: Conduct the reconnaissance to confirm or adjust the plan based on actual conditions. This can be a physical recon or using other available resources.
  4. Complete the Plan: Finalize the plan based on the reconnaissance and coordination. This includes finalizing details, making decisions on tactics, and ensuring all elements of the plan are cohesive and executable.
  5. Issue the Order: Communicate the finalized plan to all subordinate units and leaders. This is typically done through a verbal or written order that clearly outlines the mission, the commander’s intent, and specific tasks for each unit.
  6. Supervise: The leader ensures that the plan is executed as intended. This involves monitoring the execution of the plan, making adjustments as necessary, and providing guidance to subordinates to achieve mission success.

BAMCIS is a fundamental tool for Marine leaders to ensure that missions are planned, communicated, and executed effectively, with thorough consideration at each step of the process.

Night Land Navigation Course

The week culminates with a challenging Night Land Navigation Course. Your Marine will apply their land navigation skills under the cover of darkness, navigating through terrain with limited visibility. This exercise is critical in developing the ability to operate effectively in low-light conditions, a key capability for Marine officers.

Ask your Marine to tell you more about what the M27 and M320 Launcher is. Theye get to shoot both of them next week.

This week has been intense, packed with squad tactics that will be crucial for your Marine’s success as an officer. We look forward to sharing more about their journey in the weeks ahead.

Semper Fidelis,
SgtMaj Paul Davis (USMC Ret)