Introduction
Combat intelligence is knowing everything possible about the enemy, the weather and the terrain. This information is used to plan and conduct operations in one's own area.
Counterintelligence concerns plans and actions to be carried out in order to:
Keep the enemy from knowing your plans, intentions and troop activities.
Find out the enemy's efforts to get information.
Deceive the enemy as to your plans and impending actions.
The more you know about the enemy and the less he knows about you, the easier he is to defeat.
Types of information
Positive:
Positive information refers to enemy activity actually observed in progress.
Negative:
Negative information refers to an activity that normally takes place, but not at the time of observation.
(Example:) You observe than an everyday activity in a village is not taking place. You see no children. You see very few or no adults at all. This may mean that enemy forces are nearby.
Gathering Information
You can obtain information about the enemy from the following sources:
Enemy soldiers and line crossers
Captured equipment
Captured documents
Enemy activity
Local populace
If you are close to the enemy, you can observe him and the terrain he controls. Look for the following:
Who? (Whom or what do you see?)
What? (What is happening?)
When? (When do you see it?)
Where? (Where is it happening, and where are you located?)
When you report, give the following information:
Size of the enemy unit
Activity
Location
Unit identification
Time
Equipment
Reports:
Types of reports and their characteristics:
Oral reports:
They are faster. Questions can be asked and answered immediately.
Written reports:
They can be delivered exactly in the form in which they were prepared.
Maps, photos, sketches, captured enemy documents and equipment and any other useful information should be included in the report.