ALL 14 ARMY BATTLE DRILLS EVERY SOLDIER MUST ENDURE

Army battle drills have been an essential part of preparing Soldiers for war since the force began. There have been many different curriculums and tactics implemented and evolved over time but the goal remains the same—to prepare Soldiers for war through repeatable processes they’ll need to perform on the battlefield.

When you’re in the heat of battle, you’ll need your training to kick in as a lot is going on and even more can happen. How and how fast you react can be the difference between life and death for you and your fellow Soldiers. Here are each of the Army battle drills 1-14, what they help you accomplish, and why they’re important.

Battle Drill 1 - React to Direct Fire Contact

Soldiers undertaking Army Battle Drill 1 will learn how to survive when taking on fire from the enemy.

This can mean dropping into prone if you can’t take cover, finding cover when it’s available, or shooting back as soon as possible.

You’ll also learn the 3Ds—direction, distance, and description—which Soldiers quickly call out to help everyone understand where the enemy is.

If you’re in a vehicle, you’ll need to move from the danger zone as Soldiers dismount to help return fire. All while communicating with others nearby.

The battle drills in the Army can transition and such is the case here.

Leadership will communicate with others to ensure resources reach their troops and assess how the battle is going.

Meanwhile, Battle Drill 1 shifts into a squad or platoon attack as the battle continues.

Battle Drill 2 - Conduct a Platoon Attack

Once you’ve finished the first drill, Battle Drill 2 is the evolution into the next step.

Soldiers are taught how to assault an objective as a platoon, where lead squads begin to contact and suppress enemies so others can advance.

Leaders continue to coordinate the attack and once there is suppressive fire, other squads flank under cover, as the Soldiers who are assaulting continue to do so even as enemy fire adjusts.

Finally, the drill will see you take on a defensive position following the capture of the objective, where Soldiers take up new orders to prevent a counterattack.

Battle Drill 2A - Conduct a Squad Assault

As mentioned before, the end of Battle Drill 1 can go in one of two ways once you move on to the next step.

Battle Drill 2A is a squad-level assault, similar to the platoon exercise, but the gear is similar but conducted at the squad level, with SITREPs going to your unit’s headquarters afterward.

Battle Drill 3 - Break Contact

During Battle Drill 3, Soldiers are going to have to put their aim to the test but instead of firearms, they’ll need to use their grenade-throwing accuracy.

Once an Olympic sport, throwing grenades is an important part of being a warfighter, and concussion, fragmentation, and smoke grenades are all used to help break contact with the enemy.

In this particular exercise on the Army battle drills list, you’ll need a lot of teamwork to help retreating squads and support your team with grenades facing harsh terrains to make it back to a secure location.

Once everyone is back, you’ll need to make sure everyone is accounted for and get ready for a possible counterattack.

Battle Drill 4 - React to an Ambush

US Army battle drills keep you ready for everything, even the unexpected, and that’s key for any warzone, which comes with several destructive hazards.

Battle Drill 4 is preparation for when there is an ambush. This will simulate enemy fire that needs a quick response as the enemy is close by.

You’ll need to assault the ambush using suppressing fire to escape, which can come on foot or in a vehicle.

Soldiers have a few options, including air support, but this is limited. The key is to simply overwhelm the enemy.

Battle Drill 5 - Knock out a Bunker

Taking out bunkers is as important today as it ever was and Soldiers are taught the principles necessary for success during Battle Drill 5.

Attack the bunker, clear the bunker, and keep advancing while using grenades to hide your position from the enemy.

How you advance is dependent on the situation and leaders will make decisions based on the conditions.

But cooking grenades, following orders, staying hidden, and securing bunkers as needed are the cores of this drill.

Battle Drill 6 - Enter and Clear a Room

While clearing a bunker is important, there are far more rooms you’ll face on the battlefield, therefore, it makes sense to learn how to clear them as well.

During Army Battle Drill 6, Soldiers enter and clear rooms while learning close-quarters combat techniques using groups of four.

There are several techniques you don’t learn during this Army battle drill, including breaching or how to deal with stairs, however, essential skills are developed and decision-making for advancing is made.

Battle Drill 7 - Enter a Trench to Secure a Foothold

If you think trench warfare is a thing of the past, look no further than the current conflict ongoing in Europe.

Battle Drill 7 prepares Soldiers in a modern way for what trench warfare looks like and how to succeed in it.

There are tactics from other Army Battle Drills used for success here. You’ll throw cooked grenades, enter after detonation, and clear enemy forces from opposing sides.

Once successfully cleared, your leader will either hold the position or advance depending on the conditions at hand.

Battle Drill 8 - Conduct the Initial Breach of a Mined Wire Obstacle

The eighth Army battle drill teaches you how to deal with fences featuring barbed or concertina wire, along with mines awaiting you on the otherside.

This Army battle drill involves suppressive fire, teamwork, concealment through smoke grenades and simply getting through obstacles.

While one squad suppresses the enemy, a breaching team finds and marks mines while also working to break through.

Once you’ve cut or destroyed the obstacle and your leader has confirmed the area is secure, your unit can continue to move on to other objectives.

Battle Drill 9 - React to Indirect Fire

The battle drills US Army personnel prepare for are to keep Soldiers prepared to react to several deadly scenarios.

Battle Drill 9 is one example, where Soldiers must either find cover or hit the ground to avoid being shot by the enemy.

As soon as you hear “incoming” you’ll need to react to indirect fire if you’re on foot.

For those in vehicles, it’s about moving away from the danger zone and if you’re operating a turret on an armored vehicle, get inside immediately.

Rally points are assigned, if Soldiers are separated when responding. You’ll need to find this rally point when it’s safe to do so should this occur.

Each unit and base has its own methods of handling indirect fire. Be sure to follow them until given the “all-clear” by leadership.

Battle Drill 10 - React to a Chemical Attack

Although chemical warfare is banned due to the 1925 Geneva Protocol, that doesn’t mean everyone plays by the rules of war.

Battle Drill 10 provides Soldiers with between nine and fifteen seconds to put on the right type of protective mask depending on the attack.

Furthermore, you’ll need to apply your skin decontamination kit in some situations along with getting into your MOPP Level 4 gear within minutes as allotted during the drill.

If you want to succeed, you’ll need to help others only after you’ve prepared yourself for the attack. It’s a test of mental and physical abilities, critical for saving lives during a worst-case scenario on the battlefield.

Battle Drill 11 - React to an IED

You will hopefully never see chemical attacks when serving but IEDs are a much more likely threat in modern warfare.

Battle Drill 11 prepares Soldiers by training warfighters to find threats when operating, reporting them correctly without advancing, and then using robots or optics to assess the threat.

Communication is sent to headquarters, minimum safe distances are established, and secondary checks for additional threats all take place while preparing for potential attacks by the enemy.

Battle Drills 12 and 13 - Dismount or Mount a BFV and ICV

It doesn’t matter if you’re getting in or out of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) or Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV), you’ll need to know the right steps for doing so.

Battle Drill 12 focuses on dismounting, where your infantry platoon takes cover while leadership commands exiting instructions.

Battle Drill 13 is similar, except, you’ll be mounting the vehicle while your leader will confirm everything and everyone is accounted for before communicating that it’s safe to proceed.

Both Army battle drills are going to have time restraints, so be sure to focus and hustle.

Battle Drill 14 - Execute Action Left or Right While Mounted

Finally, Battle Drill 14 will put Soldiers in a situation to use their weapons against enemy forces while in a line formation facing their opponent.

Your platoon leader is in charge of providing direction but the key here is keeping weapons aimed at the enemy all while maintaining cover.

Battle Drill 12 can come up here and you’ll need to execute as a team, combining other Army battle drills as needed, to successfully complete the tasks at hand.