text: Offensive Considerations in Counterinsurgency
  SEARCH OPERATIONS
  5-87. A search is the deliberate examination of a person, place, area or object using Soldiers, animal
  or technological sensors to discover something or someone. Examples include searches of enemy
  or detained personnel, military objective areas, personnel or vehicles at a checkpoint, and lines
  of communication.
  5-88. A search is conducted under a wide variety of situations and for a wide variety of purposes.
  Typically, a person is searched in order to find something that is concealed. A place, area, or object, such
  as a car or desk, is searched for something that may or may not be concealed. For more on vehicle
  searches, see Chapter 7. Communication objects, such as letters, books, computers, cell phones, and other
  media and signaling tools, are searched to discover information.
  5-89. During a counterinsurgency, the rules of engagement and various agreements between the Host
  Nation and US counterinsurgent forces often describe search situations, and may limit search methods.
  5-90. During a search, it is important to keep the local population informed, as much as tactically
  possible, that search contributes to their safety and security. This communication should begin during the
  actual search, if possible, but is often accomplished after the search by follow-up patrols. Follow-up patrols
  can not only aid in mitigating some of the negative aspects of the search but also see if missed individuals
  have returned to the searched area. Follow up patrols which include civil affairs teams or tactical PSYOP
  teams provide a great capability to conduct consequence management, assisting in the achievement
  of information engagement, often through reinforcing themes, and collecting information for development
  into intelligence.
  TECHNIQUES
  5-91. A search can orient on people, materiel, buildings, or terrain (FM 3-21.8) Key basic
  considerations for conducting a search in various includes searching individuals, tactical site exploitation,
  aerial searches, searching subterranean areas, searching individuals, detention of individuals, tactical
  questioning and detainee processing.
  Individuals
  5-92. Any individual can be an insurgent, auxiliary, or member of the mass base. However, searchers
  must avoid mistaking all suspects for the enemy. Because there may be little or no Host Nation personnel
  identification procedures, identifying the correct person as an insurgent may be very difficult. It is during
  the initial handling of individuals about to be searched that the greatest caution is required. During the
  search, one member of a search team always covers the other member who makes the actual search. When
  females have to be searched, every precaution is made to prevent violating local customs and mores. If
  female searchers cannot be provided, consider using the medic to search female suspects.
  Teams
  5-93. Soldiers conduct individual searches in search teams that consist of the following:
  Searcher
  5-94. Actually conducts the search. This is the highest-risk position.
  Security
  5-95. Maintains eye contact with the person being searched.
  Observer
  5-96. Supervises search and warns of suspicious behavior or actions.
  Methods
  5-97. The most common search methods used to search an individual are frisk and wall searches.
  A third, less common method, used in very select situations, is the strip search.