text: Exploitation
  6-36. Commanders can also initiate an exploitation when they realize that an enemy force is having difficulty
  maintaining its position or cohesion. Updated intelligence is crucial to commanders, since it is difficult to
  predict the exact conditions required to transition from an attack to exploitation. Therefore, commanders and
  subordinates watch the enemy force’s defenses for indications of disintegration that may signal the
  opportunity to transition to exploitation. Indicators may include—
  * The threat or use of weapons of mass destruction by enemy forces.
  * A flood of civilians on the attack axis.
  * An increase in enemy reconnaissance.
  * An increase in rearward movement, especially by fire support elements and reserves.
  * Enemy preparation to demolish or destroy facilities, installations, equipment, and supply
  stockpiles.
  * Various units intermix their vehicles and personnel in movement formations or march columns.
  * Significant increases in the number of prisoners captured.
  * A decrease in the intensity of enemy fire.
  * Fires increasing in one or more portions of the line of contact that do not reflect the developing
  situation and occur at a time when the amount of defensive fires appears to be decreasing.
  * A considerable decrease in an enemy force’s resistance.
  * Disorganized enemy defenses.
  * A significant increase in abandoned enemy war materiel.
  * Reports confirming the capture or absence of enemy leaders.
  * Friendly forces overrunning enemy artillery, C2 facilities, and supply points.
  * Enemy units disintegrating and friendly companies and battalions defeating enemy battalion and
  brigade-sized units, respectively.
  6-37. Commanders have two general methods to exploit battlefield success. The first method is to exploit
  with the forces that achieved the initial battlefield success. In this method, commanders expect those forces
  to exploit their own success. This is extremely common at low tactical echelons, such as at battalion echelons
  and below, at all points along the range of operations. Commanders select this method when an attacking
  unit has accomplished its mission with minimum loss, and it is the force most readily available to continue
  the advance. It may become necessary to reorganize and resupply these forces while they are still moving to
  maintain the momentum of the exploitation.
  6-38. The second method is to exploit with forces other than the unit that achieved the initial battlefield
  success. This other force may be the echelon reserve or specifically designated follow and assume forces. In
  this method, this other force is committed by passing around, over, or through the forces that achieved the
  initial success. This method is generally indicated when the attacking echelon still has essential tasks to
  accomplish, is still actively engaged with enemy forces, or requires reorganization before it can continue the
  advance. This commonly occurs in exploitations by brigades and larger units.
  FIND THE ENEMY
  6-39. When an offensive mission is accomplished, units at all echelons deploy their reconnaissance and
  security forces to discover whether the opportunity exists to initiate exploitation. This effort must start almost
  immediately after an attacking unit seizes its objective. These reconnaissance and security forces must gain
  and maintain enemy contact while remaining within the supporting range of their parent organization.
  Gaining and maintaining contact with enemy forces is critical since enemy forces may be trying to break
  contact or reorganize.
  6-40. The commander’s intent determines how much contact is required to maintain pressure on an enemy
  force, increase their disorganization, or seize key or decisive terrain. Units employ their reconnaissance assets
  to observe enemy force movements and search for weakly defended enemy positions. If those assets are not
  available, other maneuver units perform those reconnaissance tasks. While maintaining observation of enemy
  forces, the reconnaissance force tries to locate enemy reserves, uncommitted forces, and blocking positions.
  This effort helps the exploiting force avoid ambushes as the enemy force seeks to recover the initiative by
  counterattacking.