Field Manual (FM) 3-90-2 contributes to the Army and joint community by providing guidance on the conduct of reconnaissance, security, and other tactical enabling tasks. It provides guidance in the form of combat-tested tactics and procedures for tactical enabling tasks modified to exploit emerging Army and joint offensive and defensive capabilities. FM 3-90-2 expounds on the doctrinal fundamentals established in Army Doctrine Reference Publication (ADRP) 3-90. ADRP 3-90 and FM 3-90-1 must be read before reading FM 3-90-2, since that is where the doctrine and tactics for the conduct of offensive and defensive tasks and the art and science of tactics is found. FM 3-90-2 addresses the basic tactics associated with the conduct of tactical enabling tasks.
The principal audience for FM 3-90-2 is all members of the profession of arms. Commanders and staffs of Army headquarters serving as a joint task force or multinational headquarters should also refer to applicable joint or multinational doctrine concerning the range of military operations and joint or multinational forces. Trainers and educators throughout the Army will also use this publication.
FM 3-90-2 focuses on the organization of forces, minimum essential control measures, and general planning, preparation, and execution considerations for each tactical enabling task not the subject of its own publication. It is the common reference for those tactical enabling tasks that it addresses for all students of the art and science of tactics, both in the field and the Army school system. The considerations in this publication apply to small tactical units, such as companies and battalions, even though most of the figures in this publication use the division and the brigade combat team (BCT) echelons to illustrate points in the text. Echelon-specific field manuals and Army techniques publications address the specifics of how each tactical echelon conducts these tactical enabling tasks.
FM 3-90-2 implements standardization agreement (STANAG) Allied Tactical Publication-3.2.1. Commanders, staffs, and subordinates ensure their decisions and actions comply with applicable U.S., international, and, in some cases, host-nation laws and regulations. Commanders at all levels ensure their Soldiers operate in accordance with the law of war and the rules of engagement. (See FM 27-10.)
FM 3-90-2 uses joint terms where applicable. Selected joint and Army terms and definitions appear in both the glossary and the text. Terms for which FM 3-90-2 is the proponent publication (the authority) are marked with an asterisk (*) in the glossary. Definitions for which FM 3-90-2 is the proponent publication are boldfaced in the text. For other definitions shown in the text, the term is italicized and the number of the proponent publication follows the definition.
FM 3-90-2 applies to the Active Army, the Army National Guard/the Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve unless otherwise stated.
The proponent of FM 3-90-2 is the United States Army Combined Arms Center. The preparing agency is the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center.
