The Tactical Advantage: A Definitive Study Of Personal Small-Arms Tactics

ELEVEN TACTICAL COMMUNICATIONS

Stealth is a primary concern when moving through a structure looking for an adversary. This dangerous situation is made less so when you have some associates helping you out. But having help also requires communication with that help. You obviously don't want to debate about the process you will use to negotiate that next T-intersection, nor do you want to announce to your partners in your command voice that there is an adversary around that corner. The information must, however, still be relayed. This is done through nonverbal communication.

The primary form of nonverbal communication is to be in physical contact with your partner so that you can "feel" which way he is moving and what area he is covering. If either of you sees something of concern, it is a simple matter to grab his shoulder or belt to stop his movement. When moving in this manner each of you knows exactly where the other is, and you can mutually support each other. When abstract things must be relayed, hand signals must be used. The hand signals I've include here are universal. The actual hand signal itself is not important, but all team members must know what a particular signal means. A fulltime tactical team may require an entire alphabet of signals for nonverbal communication, but a two- or three-man team only needs a few basic ones.

^"Attention!"

To call your team's alert to something, raise your support hand to eye level, palm out, fingers together. After you have your team's attention, you may point at what you want them to see.

^"Clear!"

After checking and clearing an area, show a thumbs-up indicating to the others that it checks OK.

^"Cover!"

Bring your support hand palm down on top of your head or simply bring it palm down in front of you. You may also point at the area you want covered after the initial signal is acknowledged.

Using the support hand, execute a slashing motion across your throat and then point to the possible danger area.

^{"Danger area!"}

^"Hold!"

Using the support hand, make a fist and hold it up near your shoulder-neck area. (This may also mean stop.)

^"Listen!"

You may have heard an audible target indicator that other team members have not. To point it out to them, you can signal a "hold," followed by cupping your support hand around your ear, as if you were trying to listen.

^"Hostile!"

If you see a target indicator such as the toe of a shoe or a hat brim, you can alert your team by pointing in the direction of the hostile, using your support hand, with all five fingers spread wide and pointing in the direction of the hostile's hiding place.

It is paramount to use the support hand for all of the nonverbal communications. Keep your weapon oriented to the danger area in the event that you arc interrupted in midsentence. These simple signals can be learned by all team members or partners. Street patrol personnel will find them extremely useful as well.