text: Chapter 5
  Reconnaissance and Security
  Reconnaissance and security is essential to all operations. Brigade combat teams
  (BCTs) develop and sustain situational understanding to defeat the enemy.
  Reconnaissance and security forces within the BCT provide flexibility, adaptability,
  and depth to the maneuver commander’s plan by synchronizing and integrating
  combined arms teams based on a relevant understanding of the situation. BCT
  commanders understand the tactical, human, and political environment, visualize
  operations, develop the situation, and identify or create options to seize, retain, and
  exploit the initiative through reconnaissance and security. Reconnaissance and security
  forces protect the force being protected from surprise, reduce the unknowns in any
  situation, and answer the commander’s critical information requirements (CCIRs) to
  enable the commander to make decisions, and direct forces to achieve the mission.
  SECTION I – RECONNAISSANCE AND SECURITY FORCES
  5-1. Reconnaissance and security forces,through effective information collection,help develop and sustain
  the BCT’s understanding of the operational environment within its area of operation to defeat adaptive and
  determined enemies and set conditions to consolidate tactical gains. Forces conducting security operations
  normally orient on the force or facility being protected, while forces conducting reconnaissance normally
  orient on the enemy and terrain. This section addresses the planning and preparation for,and the employment
  of reconnaissance and security forces within the BCT. It addresses the commander’s guidance,information
  collection,air-ground operations,and sustainment for reconnaissance and security.
  RECONNAISSANCE AND SECURITY OPERATIONS
  5-2. BCTs conduct combined arms reconnaissance and security operations utilizing theirCavalry squadron
  and organic maneuver battalions. By employing reconnaissance and security forces, in the context of the
  mission variables of mission,enemy,terrain and weather,troops and support available,time available,civil
  considerations (METT-TC),the BCT commander can fight,collect,and exploit information and develop the
  situation against a broad range of threats. The resulting tactical effects of these combined arms provide the
  BCT commander with tactical depth,freedom to maneuver,and flexibility. As the eyes and ears of the BCT
  commander, reconnaissance and security forces can also better enable decision-making by confirming or
  denying the CCIRs, as well as identify and develop opportunities to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative
  and consolidate gains. Reconnaissance and security operations enable the BCT commander to—
  (cid:122) Understand the tactical,human,and political dynamics within an area of operations.
  (cid:122) Visualize operations in the context of mission variables.
  (cid:122) Achieve tactical depth.
  (cid:122) Develop the situation through action in close contact with enemy and civilian populations.
  (cid:122) Execute decisive operations with higher degrees of flexibility,adaptability,synchronization,and
  integration.
  (cid:122) Identify or create options to seize,retain,and exploit the initiative and consolidate gains.
  5-3. The BCT commander and maneuver battalion commanders use reconnaissance and security forces,the
  BCT’sCavalry squadron and the maneuver battalions’scout platoon,respectively,to develop the situation
  under conditions of uncertainty in close contact with the enemy and civilian populations. Additional
  collection enablers internal to the BCT (although not inclusive) can include maneuver battalions,engineers,