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Room clearing is already covered pretty well by the Main Tactics Instructor. Here are some tips that I found that can help when clearing rooms.
Smart Movement is a vital part of success for a CQB Operation. Movement in CQB is swift and silent. There should always be a purpose for movement. Never move unnecessarily because it just puts your team in danger. When moving be sure to stay low and present as little of target as possible to the enemy. Running is usually a last resort. Quick and silent movements are preferred to running which is more noticeable and makes more noise. Of course if your team is compromised (discovered), running is required because you need to get some cover to engage and neutralize the tangos*.
Covering areas is a crucial aspect of movement. If you approach an open hallway, staircase, intersection or some form of open area, your team's movement needs to be covered. Hall Ways and intersections are the most commonly encountered obstacles. When moving across a "T shaped" hallway, the point man approaches the area and peeks around the corner. If a tango is there, the scout should neutralize the threat. If not, the scout should drop to a knee and cover the corner he just cleared. The next man in line should cross the open hallway and leave enough room for the rest of the team on the other side. Once across the other side, the second man in formation is responsible for covering directly ahead of the way he just came. Once the point man gives the word, the next man crosses. He then aids the point man in covering the open area. The team crosses the open area one by one until the point man comes across and assumes the position of point and the "patrol" continues.
Clearing and covering corners is another important aspect of movement. If you approach a corner, the point man should tell the rest of the team they've reached a corner. The point man then " Pies" the corner. pieing involves maximizing the team members view while limiting the reaction time of the tango. Slicing the pieing involves making a 90 degree movement around the corner. In other words, the point man takes a step back from the corner turns his body so his point of view is looking directly past the edge of the corner. He then side steps turning his body slightly as he moves to maximize his field of vision.
Clearing rooms can be very difficult. If you approach a room with a closed door the team needs to set up on both sides of the opening. When moving across the doorway, do not be detected. If you are, you're screwed. The point man should give warning to the team when he first sees the doorway and the team should act appropriately. When the team splits up, an assaulter should accompany someone else to the opposite side of the door opening as the point man. On the 2-man’s order, the Point man swings in through the doorway making a 90 degree turn to his nearest side. For example, if the point man is on the left side of the doorway, he'll enter and turn left. Right after the point man enters; the 2-man follows and turns to the opposite side of the point man. Be sure to make those turns 90 degrees because room corners are a favorite for tango* campers. After the 2-man, the next man on the point man's side enters and follows the same path as the point man but makes approximately a 60 degree turn focusing more on the center of the room. The next man on the 2-man’s side enters in the same fashion but follows the 2-man’s path instead of the point man. This continues until the entire team is in the room and the room is deemed clear. Example of entry: Point man goes left; 2-man goes right, Corpsman left, 1st Assaulter right, 2nd Assaulter left, Rear Security, right.
An important point to remember is when clearing a room; do not engage targets of opportunity. Engage targets that lie in your path only. If you turn to shoot the tango, you'll hit your own man before you hit the enemy. Strict fields of fire are required in order for this method of room clearing to be efficient.
*Tangos: Term used in the Marine Corps for Target/Opfor (Opposing Force)
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