Fireteam
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A fireteam or fire team is a small modern military subordinated element of infantry designed to optimize "NCO initiative", "combined arms", "bounding overwatch" and "fire and movement" tactical doctrine in combat. Depending on mission requirements, a typical "standard" fireteam consists of four or fewer members: an automatic rifleman, a grenadier, a rifleman, and a designated fireteam leader. The role of each fireteam leader is to ensure that the fireteam operates as a cohesive unit. Two or three fireteams are organized into a section or squad in co-ordinated operations, which is led by a squad leader.
A Georgia National Guard fireteam armed with M4 carbines during a military exercise.
Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers during a lull in operations in Afghanistan in 2014; their numbers and equipment correspond to a British fireteam of the period (Left to right: L110A2 LMG, L85A2 with L123A2 UGL, L85A2, L129A1).
US marines on patrol in Afghanistan, 2009; their numbers and equipment correspond to a United States Marine Corps fireteam (left to right: M4 carbine, M16A4 rifle with M203, M16A4 rifle, M249).
An example of fire and maneuver in actual combat. Here, during the Battle of Okinawa, a US marine on the left provides covering fire for the marine on the right to break cover and move to a different position.
Rifleman
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A rifleman is an infantry soldier armed with a rifled long gun. Although the rifleman role had its origin with 16th century hand cannoneers and 17th century musketeers, the term originated in the 18th century with the introduction of the rifled musket. By the mid-19th century, entire regiments of riflemen were formed and became the mainstay of all standard infantry, and rifleman became a generic term for any common infantryman.
Afghan National Army riflemen performing safety checks on their M16 rifles at a firing range, 2010
A historical reenactment with the British 95th Rifles regiment.
Uniform of the Robin Hood Rifles depicted on a 1939 cigarette card