SITUATION
You are the commander of a platoon that is part of Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/5. BLT 1/5 is the Ground Combat Element (GCE) of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). 31st MEU’s higher headquarters is Joint Task Force (JTF) Cortina. The JTF has been in the country of Cortina for two weeks performing peacekeeping/peacemaking missions in support of an international humanitarian relief effort. As a result of years of internal strife and factional fighting, Cortina has experienced a total breakdown of essential services such as medical treatment and food and water distribution. However, the presence of the JTF and the international humanitarian effort has restored some semblance of order. Cortina is about to conduct its first election for national, department, and city governments since the mid 1970s. Though the majority of the local populace is supportive of JTF Cortina’s mission, there are factions (to date mostly nonviolent) that have been very active in attempting to undermine this mission. Your platoon consists of 42 Marines (three 13-man squads) plus four Marine Scout/Snipers, two Marine Interrogator/Translators and two Navy Corpsmen.
SPECIAL SITUATION
The following Rules of Engagement (ROE) apply:
1. Necessary and proportional force is authorized to control disturbances and disperse crowds threatening essential civic order.
2. Persons observed committing serious criminal acts will be detained using minimal force necessary up to and including deadly force. Serious criminal acts include homicide, aggravated assault, rape, arson and robbery. If you have exhausted all reasonable graduated response techniques and, in your opinion it appears that there will be a loss of human life, the use of deadly force may be used (as a last resort). Loss of life includes civilian on civilian violence.
3. Deadly force is not authorized to disarm Cortinians, enforce curfews, or stop looting, unless those individuals involved engage in hostile acts or demonstrate hostile intent. The looting or loss of non- sensitive equipment from U.S. sites or convoys are not grounds for the use of deadly force. Burglary and larceny are defined as looting, breaking and entering or stealing. These situations only warrant the use of non-lethal force "unless" the perpetrator is armed and displaying a hostile intent. In any situation, the existence of a perpetrator with a weapon displaying hostile intent is grounds for considering hostile intent. Hostile intent is defined as: pointing a weapon at an individual(s); holding hostages; discharging a weapon; striking an individual(s) with a weapon; and threatening to use the weapon or evidence of recent use of a weapon.
4. The medical ROE allow for U.S. forces to perform first aid for any individual (to prevent loss of life). However, civilian medical services must perform routine medical services for local nationals.
Your platoon has been ordered to provide security for voting site that is located at Shughart-Gordon’s City Hall (building number 12). Your company commander has given you the leeway to use a combination of stationary security elements and patrolling to accomplish your mission. The following sequence of events takes place:
1. You notice overt intimidation of voters occurring prior to voters entering the voting site.
2. You observe verbal and physical harassment of voters as they leave the voting site.
3. A candidate for the Shughart-Gordon city government arrives. According to intelligence reporting, this individual has been linked to organized criminal elements within and around Shughart-Gordon. His car is vandalized while he is attempting to enter the voting site. He asks for your assistance.
4. A fight breaks out in the immediate area of the ballot box.
5. A voter leaves the site and starts rumors of ballot stuffing. The crowd becomes hostile and disruptive. Media representatives repeatedly ask your Marines for a statement concerning this allegation of election fraud.
6. Shots are fired from the crowd and impact on the walls of the city hall.
REQUIREMENTS
In a time limit of 20 minutes decide on how you would conduct this voting place security mission and relate the orders that you would issue to your platoon for each of the above events. Remember that these events occurred in sequence. Be prepared to provide an explanation of your plan and possible alternatives should the situation either escalate or deescalate with each event.
The MOUT Homepage Hot Links:
Designing TDGs: A Tactical Decision Game Workbook (Marine Corps University)
Peace Operations Training Vignettes With Possible Solutions (CALL)
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