Patriot Fire Team Equipment Guide

What is a Patriot Fire Team?

The basic Fire Team consisted of four men; a Team Leader, an Automatic Rifleman (who was also the Assistant TL), an Assistant Automated Rifleman, and a basic Rifleman. The ranking seniority flowed in that order as well. Every man was required to know the duties of the man ahead of them.

Personal Protective Gear

• Primary Armor
  Level III or 4 hard armor plates, capable of stopping 5.56mm and 7.62x39mm rifle rounds. Designated plate carrier, preferable with MOLLE-type straps to allow pouches.
• Primary Helmet
  Level IIIA Kevlar helmet capable of stopping handgun rounds, buckshot, and fragmentation. Chin strap and helmet padding for fit.
• Alternate Helmet
  Bump helmet, to prevent knocks, ability to mount lights/nods
• Ear (Hearing) Protection
  Foamies are bare minimum. Cheap $50 electronic up to gucci.
• Eye Protection
  Ballistic rating required.
• Gloves
  Prevent cuts/burns (slices, scrapes, splinters).Mechanix probably the most popular and available.

Clothing / Uniform

• Loose enough to allow for kneeling, crawling, sprinting if needed
• Rugged
• Ample military grade available in surplus market
• Team members should be prepared to wear the same type/color for easy recognition

Footwear

• Rugged, durable, as well as comfortable boots
• Boot laces, spare, checked and inspected regularly
• Rugged, thick socks. Wool and wool-blend are the best. Avoid cotton and nylon

Foul Weather

• Rain Poncho. Milspec is versatile and useful. Avoid discount, plastic
• Rain Suits. Better movement, more protection of the lower half of the body. Slower to don, not designed to go over vests/gear

Cold Weather Gear

• Underlayer fleece jacket
• Wind/waterproof rain suit
• Gloves

Armament

Team Choices

• Standardization of rifle and caliber. Basically AR platform, unless everyone prefers AK
• Standardization of pistol, preferably Glock and 9mm

Team Leader (AR)

The PFT Team Leader should be equipped with the necessary gear and equipment to effectively lead and maintain control over the team. Must be armed with the tools necessary to repel and defeat deadly threats to his team and community.

• Basic lightweight AR (11” can be good here).
• Adjustable Sling
• 77gr preferable for human predators. 55gr will do in a pinch, 62gr will go right through unarmored targets
• Striker-fired, polymer framed, 9mm (Glock), with rigid holster (safariland). 115 or 124 grain duty load
• Sharp, rugged, fixed-blade knife
• Smoke/Flare Launcher. Signaling. Chemlights and paracord for buzzsaw

Automatic Rifleman

Relied upon to provide the greatest amount of firepower.

• AR with long, heavy barrel, capable of maintaining sustained fire
• Larger than standard capacity magazines (40/60/drum)
• Strong sling
• Bipod/GripPod
• Exception to “Green Tip Rule” as he may need to engage vehicles
• May carry sidearm
• As with TL, also should have fixed-blade

Assistant Automatic Rifleman

Responsible for aiding the Automatic Rifleman to keep the SAW up and running.

• Standard configuration AR with spare ammo
• May also be required to employ precision rifle fire as well as suppressive fire
• Carries spare drum/mags for SAW
• May also carry a sidearm
• As with TL, also should have fixed-blade

Rifleman

Most utilitarian, most likely to be tasked with quick scouting or security missions.

• Standard configuration AR with spare ammo
• May be called upon to provide precision rifle fire or suppressive fire
• Rifle with minimum 3 magazines in addition to the one in the rifle
• Will NOT be carrying comms, signaling gear, or spare SAW mags
• May be tasked with carrying larger, more comprehensive medical kit to be used by the entire team
• May also be designated as the team corpsman or medic

Specialties

We may require specialized roles depending on “mission”.

Designated Marksman

AKA “sniper”, sharpshooter. Provide overwatch with precision rifle. Can be posted as an overwatch for roadblocks and checkpoints.

• (Urban) Accurized AR with 3.5-4lb trigger, at least 10x scope, adjustable bipod
• (Alternative) 308 bolt/AR10

Corpsman / Medic

• Skilled in basic field trauma medicine
• Will be working in the field out of a backpack
• Higher level education/training

Breacher

The team needs to make an entry somewhere.

• Sledgehammer
• Prybar (halligan, hooligan tool
• Bolt cutters
• 12 gauge shotgun with breaching rounds

Crowd Control

Ability to deploy non-lethal options such as gas/spray, 37mm launcher, etc to effectively control crowds.

Food and Water

Have it. Ensure each team member has at least a liter or two on them, and some calories.

Field Sanitation and Hygiene

• Team Leader and Corpsman must be diligent and unrelenting in enforcing field sanitation and personal hygiene
• Team Leader and assistants must designate latrine areas if normal facilities are unavailable. Cant be crapping all over
• Handwashing and brushing teeth required
• Socks and undergarments changed regularly, avoid crotch rot

Access Denial

Creating physical barriers/gates to the community, to deter looters, etc.

Checkpoints

• Vehicles
• Road Spikes. 1x6 lumber with 60p or 70p nails. Drill holes with rope to deploy and quickly pull back
• Signs and Barriers. Sawhorses or hedgehogs (3 lumber pieces like WWII)
• 55 gallon drums of water
• Sandbags
• Trip flares and Noisemakers

Night Ops

• Flashlights
• Nods