Section Battle Drills
Battle Drills: PRESAR
PRESAR outlines the immediate action sequence executed by operators when encountering hostile contact or conducting rapid assault maneuvers. This drill ensures discipline under fire and synchronized section movement.
| Letter | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| P | Prepare | Ready weapons, check sectors, mentally rehearse actions-on-contact. |
| R | React | Take cover and return effective fire. Establish contact direction and volume. |
| E | Enemy | Assess threat size, terrain, and flanking options. Identify priority targets. |
| S | Suppress | Apply accurate, overwhelming fire to fix the enemy in position. |
| A | Assault | Execute flanking or bounding movement. Close distance and dominate the fight. |
| R | Reorganize | Consolidate position, rearm, treat casualties, and prepare for follow-up orders. |
I. PRESAR: Prepare (PAWPERSO)
PAWPERSO is a mnemonic for the actions taken by operators during a section battle drill. It emphasizes the importance of communication, coordination, and rapid response in combat situations.
| Letter | Check | Details |
|---|---|---|
| P | Protection | Sentries in place, perimeter security confirmed, PPE worn (helmet, plates, gloves or CBRN if needed). |
| A | Ammunition | Magazines full, grenades issued, ammo counted and redistributed as needed. |
| W | Weapons | Barrels checked ; optics checked; safeties functioning. |
| P | Personal Camouflage | Face paint, sleeves rolled down, scrim and gear taped down. |
| E | Equipment (Own) | NVG, med kits, torches, S7, batteries (if needed). Personal kit accounted for and stowed. |
| R | Radios | Frequencies set, radio check complete. |
| S | Specialist Equipment | Mission-specific tools such as bolt cutters, sledgehammers, ladders, IR/TI devices, breaching gear. |
| O | Orders | Final briefing received, including objectives, ROE, enemy info, and coordination details. |
II. PRESAR: React (RTR)
Reaction to effective enemy fire is critical for survival.
| Letter | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| R | Return Fire | Engage the enemy with accurate, controlled fire. Focus on suppressing their position. |
| T | Take Cover | Move to the nearest available cover or concealment. Avoid exposing yourself. |
| R | Return Appropiate Fire | Assess the situation and return fire as necessary. Maintain fire discipline. |
III. PRESAR: Enemy (Locate)
Location of enemy fire is usually difficult. Failure to locate the enemy may prevent the section moving without suffering heavy casualties. It may lead rapidly to loss of initiative by the section and the halting of the platoon advance.
There are three stages in this drill:
Observation
Look in the area from which the thump came. The time between the crack and the thump gives a clue to the range. Look for movement, smoke, radio antennae or anything unusual. If nothing is seen after about 30 seconds or so, it is unlikely that the enemy will be located by looking.
The 7 S's provide a systematic approach to assessing and engaging the enemy.
| Letter | Action |
|---|---|
| S | Shape |
| S | Shine |
| S | Shadow |
| S | Silhouette |
| S | Spacing |
| S | Sudden Movement |
| S | Signature |
Or by target indication
| Letter | Action |
|---|---|
| D | Direct |
| A | Arcs Of Fire |
| C | Clock Ray |
| R P | Reference Points |
| T | Tracer |
| L | Laser |
By Fire
The section commander will give a fire order to two riflemen to fire two shots into likely cover. The rest of the section will keep a careful watch on their arcs of observation. If there is no answering fire the section commander should try another likely target.
IV. PRESAR: Suppress (FCO)
Suppressing fire is essential to pin down the enemy and prevent them from returning effective fire.
| Rate | Description |
|---|---|
| Rapid | 1 round ever 2-3 secs |
| Deliberate | 1 round every 3-5 secs |
| D | Direction |
| D | Distance |
| D | Description |
Fire Control Orders (FCO) are used to direct suppressive fire effectively.
FCO Types:
- Full
- Brief
- Individual
- Delayed
FCO Sequence:
Group Range Indication Type Of Fire
Issuing FCO:
Clear Loud As an Order Pauses (With)
As soon as the section commander knows the enemy’s position, the section commander must give a fire order to bring sufficient weight of fire on the enemy to neutralize them. If one or more operatives, who have spotted the enemy, have begun firing the section commander regains control by shouting “Stop” before giving the fire order.
While winning the fire fight, the section commander must make a battle appreciation.
Having won the fire fight, the section commander must keep the initiative by continuing to bring fire down on the enemy while the section closes for the assault.
V. PRESAR: Assault (Attack)
Assaulting the enemy position requires coordination and decisive action. A quick attack brief (QBO) is given before the assualt which are of three types. QBOs will be as brief as possible. There is no need to mention the enemy position if this is known to all concerned. The mission will have been given out before the attack began but may need modifying. The QBO will always be one of the following, depending on the number of stages in the attack.
- Flanking Assault
- Frontal Assault
- Break Contact
VI. PRESAR: Regroup (REORG)
Reorganizing after an assault is crucial for maintaining combat effectiveness and preparing for follow-up actions.
PACESSDO
| Letter | Meaning |
|---|---|
| P | Protection |
| A | Ammunition |
| C | Casualties |
| E | Equipment |
| S | Searchers |
| S | SITREP |
| D | Dig in / Deploy |
| O | Orders |