text: Chapter 5
  React to Contact
  5-42. If a unit makes contact, it takes immediate action to fix or destroy the insurgent. The speed
  and violence of a hasty attack may compensate for the lack of a reconnaissance or combat power.
  However, this is rarely true against a prepared insurgent defense or during periods of limited visibility.
  Leaders should not assume the discovered insurgent force is alone; there may be mutually supporting
  positions or units.
  Finish the Enemy
  5-43. An initial attempt to finish the insurgent by a squad or platoon in contact may become a fixing
  effort for a platoon or company attack.
  CORDON AND SEARCH
  5-44. A cordon and search operation is conducted to seal (cordon) off an area in order to search it
  for persons or things such as items, intelligence data, or answers to PIR. Effective cordon and search
  operations possess sufficient forces to both effectively cordon a target area and thoroughly search that
  target. Usually, this operation contributes to establishing public order and safety, a key establish civil
  control subtask. It is also one of the techniques used in the “clear” phase of a clear-hold-build operation.
  5-45. Cordon is a tactical task given to a unit to prevent withdrawal from or reinforcement to a position.
  Cordon implies occupying or controlling terrain especially mounted and dismounted avenues of approach.
  Search implies the physical and visual inspection of an area. Both the object of the search and the physical
  area of the search influence the type and degree of the search (FM 3-90.5, FM 3-90.15, and FM 3.06.20),
  and for additional information on searches and site exploitation.
  METHODS
  5-46. The two basic methods of executing a cordon and search are—cordon and knock and cordon
  and enter. They differ in level of aggression. Based on the enemy SITEMP and identified operational risk,
  actual cordon and search operations vary between these two levels.
  5-47. Key factors to consider in selecting the method to use include the enemy threat, the local populace
  support, the level of intelligence available, and the capabilities of the HN security forces. In both methods,
  the cordon is still established with as much speed or surprise as possible to isolate the objective. Both
  methods may require some integrated HN security forces or civil authorities to obtain the agreement by the
  occupants of the targeted search area. Figure 5-3 compares the characteristics of permissive and
  nonpermissive cordon and search operations.
  Figure 5-3. Comparison of cordon and search methods.
  Cordon and Knock
  5-48. This is less intrusive than cordon and search. It is used when the populace is seen as friendly
  or neutral, when no resistance is expected, and when the goal is to disrupt and inconvenience the occupants
  as little as possible. One version of this is called the tactical callout. This is a procedure where occupants
  are asked to exit the before search forces enter. If occupants refuse to exit, or if the ground commander
  believes that the potential exists for an insurgent encounter, he may escalate to cordon and enter.