- AN
OVERVIEW
1
DEFINITION
Rules of Engagement (ROE)
are orders issued by
competent military authority
that define the extent to
which military personnel may
use force in self-defense or
to accomplish their mission.
2
HISTORY OF U.S. ROE
• 1962- First
Standardized ROEfor maritime units
• 1986- Standardized
ROE for all joint
forces
• 1994- Standing ROE
for both peace & war
3
PURPOSE OF ROE
• Command & Control Tool
• For National Civilian Leaders:
– self-defense guidance
– mission accomplishment
guidance
• For Military Commanders:
– ensure compliance with civilian
strategic guidance
– self-defense & mission
accomplishment
4
FACTORS AFFECTING ROE
• National Policy Objectives
• Operational Situation &
Requirements
• Legal Obligations
– domestic & international
5
FACTORS AFFECTING ROE
National Policy
ROE
Operational
Legal
6
ROE FOR UNIT SELF-DEFENSE
• U.S. commanders:
– always retain the right &
obligation respond to a
hostile act or demonstrated
hostile intent
– may use all necessary
means available and take all
appropriate action
– to defend the unit, including
elements & personnel, or
other U.S. forces in the
vicinity
7
INDIVIDUAL SELF-DEFENSE
• A U.S. service member may:
– use all necessary means
available and take all
appropriate action
– in self-defense & defense of
other U.S. forces in the
vicinity
– in response to a hostile act or
demonstrated hostile intent.
• Unit commander may limit
individual self defense
8
ELEMENT OF NECESSITY
IN SELF-DEFENSE
• U.S. View: hostile act or hostile intent
• Determining “hostile intent” involves
many factors
– if time & circumstances allow, commander
should first warn
9
ELEMENT OF PROPORTIONALITY
IN SELF-DEFENSE
• Only amount of force required to
decisively counter hostile act or
hostile intent
– pursue and engage only if hostile
person or force continues to commit
hostile acts or demonstrate hostile
intent
10
ROE FOR
MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT
• 2 Types of U.S. “supplemental measures”
– certain lawful tactics & weapons requiring
Secretary of Defense or Combatant
Commander approval
– limits imposed by commanders on all other
lawful tactics & weapons
11
ROE FOR
MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT
• Tactical commander may issue
“restrictive-type” ROE for
clarity
• ROE more restrictive than
those approved by Secretary
of Defense must be notified to
Secretary
• ROE cards issued to individual
service members
12
ROE & U.S. MISSION
PLANNING PROCESS
• Joint Planning Process
– Deliberate Planning
– Crisis Action Planning
• President or Secretary
of Defense may choose
to approve ROE
– once OPLAN approved
tactical ROE are set
13
U.S. ROE CRISIS
ACTION DEVELOPMENT
Who?
Strategic
Operational
SECDEF / JCS /Interagency
Allied or Coalition Leaders
Combatant
Commander
Joint Task
Force
Operational/
Tactical
Component
Commanders
Tactical
MARFOR ARFOR
AFFOR NAVFOR
14
IMPLEMENTING ROE AT
TACTICAL LEVEL
• Do not include:
– strategy & doctrine
– restatement of law of armed
conflict
– tactics
– safety-related restrictions
• Provide understandable,
memorable, & applicable
ROE
15
ROE EXAMPLE
International Armed Conflict
No translation
16
ROE EXAMPLE
International Armed Conflict
• Strategic mission guidance from the
Diilsland Minister of Defense:
– deploy to Flatland
– conduct combat operations with Flatland forces
to destroy Redland military units in Flatland
– only air operations in Redland against military
objectives supporting invasion
– respect neutrality of other nations
– minimize harm to civilians
– enforce contraband regime against Redland
17
ROE EXAMPLE
International Armed Conflict
Operational Level Supplemental Measures:
Pre-existing Self-Defense Measure:
01 & 02- unit & individual self-defense against
attack or threat of imminent attack
Supplemental Self-Defense Measures:
05- self- defense of Flatland units & personnel
06- self-defense of Flatland civilians
08- self-defense of military equipment & property
18
ROE EXAMPLE
International Armed Conflict
Operational Level Supplemental Measures:
15- Entry into land territory, internal waters,
territorial sea, and airspace of Flatland is
authorized.
31- Entry into airspace of Redland is authorized.
32- Do not approach Blueland and Hilly borders
closer than 15 kilometers.
19- On order, Redland units and personnel are
declared hostile and may be attacked.
19
ROE EXAMPLE
International Armed Conflict
24- Use of all types of conventional weapons
necessary to accomplish the mission is
authorized.
28- Minimize incidental injury to civilians and
collateral damage to civilian objects.
Tactical Supplemental Measures:
25- Positive identification is required prior to
opening fire.
29- Do not target military objects which are also
civilian infrastructure, lines of
communication, or economic targets except
in self-defense.
20
ROE EXAMPLE
International Armed Conflict
Land Forces Supplemental Measures:
42- Use of unobserved fires in built-up areas
prohibited.
43- Deployment of non-command-detonated
anti-personnel mines requires the prior
approval of the Land Force Commander.
Maritime Forces Supplemental Measures:
109- Visit & search merchant vessels in
international waters approaching N. Republic
& Blue; escort vessels carrying contraband to
Diilsland
21
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
Mission
Assist in implementing &
ensuring compliance with
Military Technical Agreement
Self-Defense
1. You have the right to use
necessary and proportional
force in self-defense.
2. Use only the minimum force
necessary to defend yourself.
22
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
General Rules
1. Use the minimum force necessary to
accomplish your mission.
2. Hostile forces/belligerents who want to
surrender will not be harmed. Disarm
them and turn them over to your
superiors.
3. Treat everyone, including civilians and
detained hostile forces/belligerents,
humanely.
23
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
General Rules (Continued)
4. Collect and care for the wounded, whether
friend or foe.
5. Respect private property. Do not steal. Do not
take “war trophies”.
6. Prevent and report all suspected violations of
the law of armed conflict to superiors.
24
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
Challenging and Warning Shots
1. If the situation permits, issue a challenge:
in English: “NATO! Stop or I will fire!”
or in Serbo-Croat: “NATO! Stani ili pucam!”
2. If the person fails to halt, you may be
authorized by the on-scene commander or
by standing orders to fire a warning shot.
25
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
Opening Fire
You may open fire only if you, friendly
forces, or persons or property under
your protection are threatened with
deadly force. This means:
1. You may open fire against an
individual who fires, or aims his weapon
at, or otherwise demonstrates an intent
to imminently attack you, friendly forces,
or persons/property with designated
special status under your protection.
26
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
Opening Fire (Continued)
2. You may open fire against an
individual who plants, throws, prepares
to throw, or otherwise demonstrates an
in intent to imminently attack with an
explosive or incendiary device- you,
friendly forces, or persons/property with
designated special status under your
protection.
3. You may open fire against an
individual who deliberately drives a
vehicle at you, friendly forces, or
persons/property with a designated
special status under your protection.
27
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
Opening Fire (Continued)
4. You may also fire against an individual
who attempts to take possession of friendly
force weapons, ammunition, or property with
designated special status, and there is no
other way of avoiding this.
5. You may use minimum force, including
opening fire, against an individual who
unlawfully commits, or is about to commit, an
act which endangers life, or is likely to cause
serious bodily harm, in circumstances where
there is no other way to prevent the act.
28
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
Minimum Force
1. If you have to open fire, you must:
- fire only aimed shots, and
- fire no more rounds than necessary,
and
- take all reasonable efforts not to
unnecessarily destroy property, and
- stop firing as soon as the situation
permits.
29
ACTUAL TACTICAL ROE
KFOR Kosovo Card
Minimum Force (Continued)
2. You may not intentionally
attack civilians or property that is
exclusively civilian or religious in
character, except if the property
is being used for military
purposes or engagement is
authorized by your commander.
30
IMPLEMENTING ROE AT THE
TACTICAL LEVEL
• TRAINING is Critical!
– General ROE Training
– Tactics, Techniques,
Procedures
– ROE Scenario Brief
– Situational Training
Exercises
31
CONCLUSION
• ROE are a command &
control tool
• Must factor in national
policy, operational
situation & requirements,
and the law
• Separate ROE for selfdefense and mission
accomplishment
• Time & resources must be
devoted to training
personnel in the ROE
32
33