CAMOUFLAGE FM 5-20

1. What FM governs camouflage?

A. FM 5-20.

2. Who is responsible for the individual soldier's concealment?

A. The individual soldier.

3. Who is responsible for the overall unit's camouflage?

A. The commander.

4. Who is responsible for the strict enforcement of camouflage discipline?

A. The commander

5. What are the three (3) principles employed to eliminate the factors of recognition?

A. 1) Siting.

2) Discipline.

3) Construction.

6. What is meant by siting?

A. Siting is nothing more than selecting the most advantageous position in which to hide a man, an object, or an activity.

7. What is meant by camouflage discipline?

A. Camouflage discipline means avoidance of any activity that changes the appearance of an area or reveals the presence of military equipment.

8. What are the three (3) fundamental ways of concealing installations and activities?

A. 1) Hiding.

2) Blending.

3) Disguising.

9. To have effective concealment, a soldier must blend with what?

A. The background.

10. Is it necessary to disguise the helmet?

A. Yes. The outline of the helmet is one of the striking characteristics of a soldier's equipment, and its curved familiar shape can be easily identified by the enemy.

11. What is one of the simplest ways to distort the give-away outline of a weapon?

A. Wrapping it with burlap garnishing or strips of cloth dyed to match the background is one of the simplest ways.

12. What precautions must be taken when camouflaging weapons?

A. Care must be taken not to cause interference in the sighting and firing of the weapon.

13. Why is it important that concealing cover chosen is not isolated?

A. A lone clump of vegetation of solitary structure is a conspicuous hiding place and will draw enemy fire whether the enemy sees anything or not.

14. What should you do with natural materials, such as turf, leaves, forest humus prior to excavation while constructing fortification?

A. Before any excavation is started, all natural materials are removed and placed aside to be used later for restoring the natural appearance of the terrain.

15. Why should a machine gun position receive perfect camouflage?

A. The machine gun receives the close attention of enemy troops and its concealment must be as perfect as possible.

16. What is the importance of a badly concealed vehicle?

A. A badly concealed vehicle can lead to much more than just a lost vehicle; it may mean discovery of a unit, disclosure of an important tactical plan, or complete destruction of an installation.

17. When camouflaging a vehicle, what are the shine areas to consider?

A. 1) Headlights /taillights.

2) Windshields, front and rear.

3) Cab windows.

4) Wet vehicle body.

5) Light paint of the insignia.

18. What are the two (2) kinds of shadows to consider in camouflage?

A. 1) The concealing shadow cast by objects on the ground.

2) The shadow cast by the vehicle itself.

19. What are the principal artificial materials used to conceal vehicles?

A. Drape nets.

20. What are some of the unique problems which must be considered when concealing aircraft on the ground?

A. 1) Effects of propeller and rotor wash.

2) The size and shape of the aircraft.

3) The difficult ground handling characteristics.

4) The delicate nature of control surfaces, antennas and aircraft skin.

21. How should vehicles be concealed from aerial observation in the desert, or any open barren terrain?

A. The lower an object is to the ground, the smaller is its shadow and the easier it approach and the vehicle is parked in the pit. Sandbags are used to form a revetment for protection and the whole thing is covered with a net. The vehicle tracks to the position are covered or brushed out.

22. Why is a unit in bivouac particularly vulnerable to enemy aerial observation and attack?

A. Because its elements are concentrated in a smaller area than usual, and, except for the security elements, the men are resting and less alert than on the field of battle.

23. What are the four (4) stages in the development of a bivouac?

A. 1) Planning.

2) Occupation.

3) Maintenance.

4) Evacuation.

24. What are the three (3) main congested areas of a bivouac which must be dispersed?

A. 1) Kitchen.

2) Maintenance.

3) Command Post.

25. How must a decoy installation be constructed?

A. A decoy installation must be constructed so that its disclosure appears to be the result of poor camouflage.

26. Command posts have functional requirements which result in the creation of characteristic signs, by which they may be readily identified. What are some of these signs?

A. 1) Converging communication lines - wire and road.

2) Concentration of vehicles.

3) Heavy traffic which causes widened turn-ins.

4) New access routes to a position which could house a CP.

5) Protective wire and other barriers surrounding the installation.

6) Defensive weapons emplacements around the installation.

27. Define signatures.

A. The characteristic telltale signs of military activities are called signatures.

28. What factors determine the kind and degree of camouflage desired?

A. 1) Importance of installation.

2) Vulnerability of installation.

3) Probable enemy knowledge and evaluation of installation.

4) Extent and efficiency of air-warning facilities and degree of air superiority.

5) Probable heights, directions of approach, and times of enemy observation or attack.

6) Probable angles of enemy observation.

7) Average visibility (rain, fog, and other atmospheric conditions).

29. What must be considered regarding wire lines?