Basic Forward Observation Procedures

MCI 08.61

MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE

BASIC FORWARD
OBSERVATION
PROCEDURES
MARINE BARRACKS
WASHINGTON, DC

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
MARINE CORPS INSTITUTE
912 POOR STREET SE
WASHINGTON, DC 20391-5680

08.61
6 Dec 96

MCI 08.61 BASIC FORWARD OBSERVATION PROCEDURES
1. Purpose. MCI course 08.61, Basic Forward Observation Procedures, has been published to provide instruction for all Marines to properly call for and adjust indirect fire support.
2. Scope. MCI 08.61 introduces Marines to the types of indirect fire support available to the operating forces, the different means of targeting, and target designations. Instruction is given in the three methods used to locate targets of opportunity: grid coordinates, polar plot,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
.......................................
Fire Support Organization and Targeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
.......................................
Artillery Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
.......................................

1-1
1-4
1-5
1-8
1-10
1-14

Study Unit 2 Target Location
Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4

Map/Terrain Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
.......................................
Determining Direction (Azimuth) to the Target . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
.......................................
Determining Distance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
.......................................
Methods of Target Location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
.......................................

2-1
2-4
2-5
2-10
2-12
2-17
2-18
2-21

Study Unit 3 Conducting Fire Missions
Lesson 1
Lesson 2

Fire Missions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Exercise
Without referring to the text, complete the exercise items and then check your responses against those provided.

CONTINUING
TO MARCH

Continue on to the next lesson, repeating the above process until you have completed all lessons in the study unit. Follow the same procedure for each study unit in the course.

vi

STUDY GUIDE, continued
SEEKING
ASSISTANCE

If you have problems with the text or exercise items that you cannot resolve, ask your training officer or training NCO for assistance. If they cannot help you, request assistance from your
MCI distance training instructor by completing the Content
Assistance Request Form located at the back of the course.

THE
REVIEW
LESSON
EXAM

When you have finished all the study units, complete the review lesson exam located at the end of the course text. Try to complete the review lesson exam without referring to the text. For those items you are unsure of, restudy the text. When you have finished the review lesson exam and are satisfied with your responses, check your responses against the answer key provided with your course materials. PREPARING
FOR THE
FINAL EXAM

To prepare for your final exam, you must review what you