What should be included in a patrol leader’s reconnaissance report?

A patrol leader’s reconnaissance report should focus on the critical elements that directly impact operations and mission planning. Observations regarding enemy strength are vital for understanding potential threats and adjusting tactics accordingly. Terrain details provide insights into navigability, concealment opportunities, and tactical advantages or disadvantages. Weather conditions can affect visibility, movement, and overall mission success, making it necessary for the patrol leader to include this information for comprehensive situational awareness.

While the other options mention various factors related to a patrol's operation, they do not capture the essential battlefield intelligence needed in a reconnaissance report as effectively as the observations, enemy strength, terrain details, and weather conditions. Suppressed communication, team morale, and food supply might be important for internal assessments but are less critical for immediate reconnaissance objectives. Logistics, team assignments, and weapon readiness are more operational in nature and typically would be discussed in planning sessions rather than in situational reconnaissance. Casualty reports, weather forecasts, and supply chain details, while relevant, do not encompass the immediate tactical information that a reconnaissance report aims to deliver.