FMF Marine Corps Operations & Tactics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which tactical formation provides the best all-around security while a unit is halted in a defensive position?
- Column formation
- Wedge formation
- Herringbone formation (Correct answer)
- Echelon right formation
Correct answer: Herringbone formation
The herringbone formation positions vehicles at angles off the road to provide all-around security and fields of fire when a column halts.
Question 2: In Marine Corps doctrine, what is the primary purpose of a supporting attack?
- To deliver the decisive blow and seize the objective
- To fix the enemy in place and prevent reinforcement of the main effort (Correct answer)
- To provide logistical support to the main attack
- To conduct reconnaissance ahead of the main body
Correct answer: To fix the enemy in place and prevent reinforcement of the main effort
A supporting attack fixes the enemy and prevents them from reinforcing the area threatened by the main effort.
Question 3: What does the term 'METT-TC' stand for in Marine Corps planning?
- Mission, Enemy, Troops, Terrain, Time, Civilians (Correct answer)
- Mission, Equipment, Tactics, Terrain, Technology, Command
- Maneuver, Engagement, Timing, Terrain, Target, Control
- Mission, Enemy, Training, Tactics, Time, Communication
Correct answer: Mission, Enemy, Troops, Terrain, Time, Civilians
METT-TC stands for Mission, Enemy, Terrain and Weather, Troops and Support Available, Time Available, and Civil Considerations.
Question 4: During an amphibious assault, the EABO concept allows Marine forces to operate from which type of locations?
- Large, fixed, well-defended bases only
- Expeditionary Advanced Bases that are small and distributed (Correct answer)
- Aircraft carriers exclusively
- Established joint bases in-theater
Correct answer: Expeditionary Advanced Bases that are small and distributed
Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) employs small, distributed, low-signature bases to project power while complicating enemy targeting.
Question 5: What is the Marine Corps term for the phase of an attack where the assault element closes with and destroys the enemy at the objective?
- Exploitation
- Consolidation
- Assault (Correct answer)
- Breach
Correct answer: Assault
The assault phase is when the attacking element closes with and destroys or captures the enemy at the objective.
Question 6: In urban operations, which technique involves advancing through buildings by breaching walls rather than using exposed streets?
- Bounding overwatch
- Mouseholing (Correct answer)
- Hugging
- Infiltration
Correct answer: Mouseholing
Mouseholing is the technique of breaching holes through walls to move between buildings while avoiding exposure in open streets.
Question 7: What is the purpose of a passage of lines operation?
- To withdraw a unit from combat by moving through a stationary friendly unit (Correct answer)
- To establish a new defensive perimeter after an attack
- To conduct a relief in place of forward units
- To execute a flanking maneuver around enemy positions
Correct answer: To withdraw a unit from combat by moving through a stationary friendly unit
A passage of lines allows one unit to pass through the positions of another to continue an operation or withdraw from combat.
FMF Marine Corps Operations & Tactics 2
Which tactical formation provides the best all-around security while a unit is halted in a defensive position?