Devising Doctrine for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Platoon Dismount Element

This monograph assesses the effectiveness of the current Bradley Infantry Squad organization. The premise is that the battlefield should be the start point for determining the correct organization of the dismounted infantry squad. The monograph first highlights problems with the current organization and doctrine. Second, it examines three historical examples where organizations were tailored to the enemy and the battlefield conditions. Third, using the dynamics of combat power in FM 100-5, Operations, (firepower, maneuver, leadership and protection) this monograph analyzes the battlefield and the impact of the moral domain, time-space compression and firepower on infantry combat. The emphasis of the analysis is on the dynamics of small infantry units in combat. The purpose of the analysis is to determine how these dynamics influence the organization, training and employment of small infantry units and their leaders. Finally, the monograph assesses the current organization and discusses the viability of the current organization. The monograph concludes that the current organization needs to be changed. Permanent three-man or four-man teams organized around complementary weapons, trained for flexible, rapid action should form the foundation of the Bradley equipped infantry squad.