What is the main duty of a Fire Team Leader?

• A. Maintains medical readiness.
• B. Coordinates external communications.
• C. Directly supervises team personnel; responsible for collective and individual training.
• D. Manages vehicle operations.

Answer: (C)

Direct supervision of team personnel and responsibility for their collective and individual training is the primary duty of a Fire Team Leader. In a four-person fire team, the leader is the one who directs movement, assigns tasks, and ensures every member is prepared to perform their role. This means not only guiding how the team fights and moves, but also actively developing subordinates through drills, practice of individual weapons skills, and rehearsals that build cohesive teamwork. The leader must maintain safety, discipline, and accountability, and take charge during tasks like fire control, maneuver, and adapting to changing conditions on the ground. Because the team operates as a unit, its effectiveness hinges on the leader’s ability to train and supervise so each member can execute missions reliably and instinctively.

Medical readiness is typically the responsibility of a medic or medical element; external communications are managed by the designated communicator or higher-echelon assets; and vehicle operations fall to the driver or vehicle crew.