TBS PHASE 3 ACTUAL 2026 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Stand To - ✔✔all Marines are in full equipment with their weapons systems in their
primary positions. Leaders at all levels should keep movement to a minimum. The
platoon commander should designate brevity codes to signal stand-to and must ensure
a timely transition from the priorities of work to stand to. The platoon commander can
take the platoon to stand-to any time he/she determines the platoon is vulnerable to
enemy observation/attack, or at pre-determined times. Most units go to stand to 30
minutes prior to and after sunrise and sunset, along with departure and re-entry of
friendly patrols
✔✔Alert Status - ✔✔status determines what percentage of the unit is manning their
weapons in the primary positions in the defense. A platoon should never go below 25%
security at any time, and should ensure that all squad automatic weapons and/or larger
machine guns are manned. Upon occupation, the platoon should remain at 100%
security until the platoon commander decides to begin the priorities of work. The alert
status should be driven by the platoon commander's analysis of the enemy, specifically
likelihood of enemy attack. The platoon commander must be constantly updating his
METT-TC to determine with the increase or diminish the alert status. It facilitates the
accomplishment of priorities of work, the patrolling plan, and the rest plan due to the fact
that it frees marines from security responsibilities.
✔✔Fundamentals of the defense - ✔✔Knowledge of EN
Maneuver
Prep
Use of terrain
Surprise
Mass/concentration
Flexibility
Offensive action
Mutual support
Depth
✔✔LP/OPs - ✔✔a location from which Marines can observe enemy movement, report to
the platoon commander over appropriate communications assets, and/or call for and
adjust indirect fire on enemy units. LP/OPs help to add depth to the defensive battle-
space and help to update the platoon commander's estimate of the situation with regard
to specific enemy courses of action. The location of LP/OPs must be de-conflicted with
the platoon's direct and indirect fire plans and the Marines involved must have detailed
knowledge of contingencies when enemy contact is made. LP/OPs are normally used to
confirm or deny the enemy's approach along pre-determined routes known by the
platoon into the engagement area.
✔✔patrols - ✔✔detachment of ground or air forces sent out for the purpose of gathering
information or carrying out destructive, harassing, mopping up, or security missions
, against the enemy. In the defense, patrols provide the platoon commander with timely
information on the enemy while denying the enemy the ability to gather information on
the platoon's position. Platoons can investigate areas of interest, emplace LP/OPs, and
conduct economy of force operations forward of and to the flanks of the engagement
area. Patrols are normally used by the platoon commander on routes and areas other
than those he/she believes will be most likely used by the enemy. Patrols can be used
to notify the platoon commander that the enemy has adopted a different scheme of
maneuver than the one planned. The platoon's patrolling effort adds considerable depth
to the defensive battlespace and helps to maintain the initiative during defensive
operations.
✔✔Defense in-depth is achieved by - ✔✔-Engaging the enemy at the earliest
opportunity with patrols and LP/OP's
-Employing weapons at maximum effective range.
-Using blocking positions, obstacles, and supplementary positions throughout the
engagement area
-Planning for decisive use of the least engaged unit and fire support units at the decisive
moment in the engagement
-Assign sectors of fire and emplace machine guns on likely enemy avenues of
approach. Begin sector bag construction.
-Emplace LP/OP covering most likely enemy avenue of approach for the platoon's
defense.
-Verify crew-served weapons sectors of fire, specifically their assigned missions of FPL
or PDF. Once verified, begin entrenching positions.
-Verify sectors of fire for all other weapons and emplace sector bags.
-Begin patrol operations.
-Prepare range cards and fire plan sketches.
-Construct primary positions.
-Clear fields of fire for all positions and continue entrenching primary positions until
supporting efforts have skirmisher's trenches.
-Establish and register final protective fires.
-Construct skirmisher trenches for supplementary positions on flanks by supporting
efforts.
-Establish and disseminate TRPs, trigger lines, etc.
-Once supp pos are at skirmisher trench depth, continue primary position construction.
-Emplace early warning devices on enemy avenues of approach not covered by LP/OP.
-Lay comm. wire and field phones. Bury communication wire.
-Establish rest plan.
-Construct alternate positions to skirmisher trench depth.
-Rehearse least engaged unit movement to supplementary positions.
-Continue supplementary position construction until positions are chest deep.
-Rehearse counterattack and other contingency plans.
✔✔Mass - ✔✔Concentrate combat power at the decisive place and time
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Stand To - ✔✔all Marines are in full equipment with their weapons systems in their
primary positions. Leaders at all levels should keep movement to a minimum. The
platoon commander should designate brevity codes to signal stand-to and must ensure
a timely transition from the priorities of work to stand to. The platoon commander can
take the platoon to stand-to any time he/she determines the platoon is vulnerable to
enemy observation/attack, or at pre-determined times. Most units go to stand to 30
minutes prior to and after sunrise and sunset, along with departure and re-entry of
friendly patrols
✔✔Alert Status - ✔✔status determines what percentage of the unit is manning their
weapons in the primary positions in the defense. A platoon should never go below 25%
security at any time, and should ensure that all squad automatic weapons and/or larger
machine guns are manned. Upon occupation, the platoon should remain at 100%
security until the platoon commander decides to begin the priorities of work. The alert
status should be driven by the platoon commander's analysis of the enemy, specifically
likelihood of enemy attack. The platoon commander must be constantly updating his
METT-TC to determine with the increase or diminish the alert status. It facilitates the
accomplishment of priorities of work, the patrolling plan, and the rest plan due to the fact
that it frees marines from security responsibilities.
✔✔Fundamentals of the defense - ✔✔Knowledge of EN
Maneuver
Prep
Use of terrain
Surprise
Mass/concentration
Flexibility
Offensive action
Mutual support
Depth
✔✔LP/OPs - ✔✔a location from which Marines can observe enemy movement, report to
the platoon commander over appropriate communications assets, and/or call for and
adjust indirect fire on enemy units. LP/OPs help to add depth to the defensive battle-
space and help to update the platoon commander's estimate of the situation with regard
to specific enemy courses of action. The location of LP/OPs must be de-conflicted with
the platoon's direct and indirect fire plans and the Marines involved must have detailed
knowledge of contingencies when enemy contact is made. LP/OPs are normally used to
confirm or deny the enemy's approach along pre-determined routes known by the
platoon into the engagement area.
✔✔patrols - ✔✔detachment of ground or air forces sent out for the purpose of gathering
information or carrying out destructive, harassing, mopping up, or security missions
, against the enemy. In the defense, patrols provide the platoon commander with timely
information on the enemy while denying the enemy the ability to gather information on
the platoon's position. Platoons can investigate areas of interest, emplace LP/OPs, and
conduct economy of force operations forward of and to the flanks of the engagement
area. Patrols are normally used by the platoon commander on routes and areas other
than those he/she believes will be most likely used by the enemy. Patrols can be used
to notify the platoon commander that the enemy has adopted a different scheme of
maneuver than the one planned. The platoon's patrolling effort adds considerable depth
to the defensive battlespace and helps to maintain the initiative during defensive
operations.
✔✔Defense in-depth is achieved by - ✔✔-Engaging the enemy at the earliest
opportunity with patrols and LP/OP's
-Employing weapons at maximum effective range.
-Using blocking positions, obstacles, and supplementary positions throughout the
engagement area
-Planning for decisive use of the least engaged unit and fire support units at the decisive
moment in the engagement
-Assign sectors of fire and emplace machine guns on likely enemy avenues of
approach. Begin sector bag construction.
-Emplace LP/OP covering most likely enemy avenue of approach for the platoon's
defense.
-Verify crew-served weapons sectors of fire, specifically their assigned missions of FPL
or PDF. Once verified, begin entrenching positions.
-Verify sectors of fire for all other weapons and emplace sector bags.
-Begin patrol operations.
-Prepare range cards and fire plan sketches.
-Construct primary positions.
-Clear fields of fire for all positions and continue entrenching primary positions until
supporting efforts have skirmisher's trenches.
-Establish and register final protective fires.
-Construct skirmisher trenches for supplementary positions on flanks by supporting
efforts.
-Establish and disseminate TRPs, trigger lines, etc.
-Once supp pos are at skirmisher trench depth, continue primary position construction.
-Emplace early warning devices on enemy avenues of approach not covered by LP/OP.
-Lay comm. wire and field phones. Bury communication wire.
-Establish rest plan.
-Construct alternate positions to skirmisher trench depth.
-Rehearse least engaged unit movement to supplementary positions.
-Continue supplementary position construction until positions are chest deep.
-Rehearse counterattack and other contingency plans.
✔✔Mass - ✔✔Concentrate combat power at the decisive place and time
