Slate's Bizbox
explainer: Answers to your questions about the news.

What Are Army Field Manuals?How-to guides for interrogation, laser injury prevention, and other useful skills.

By Daniel Engber
Posted Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005, at 6:39 PM ET

Download the MP3 audio version of this story here. The Explainer now has its own free daily podcast; click here to learn more.

The Pentagon has delayed the release of a newly revised Army Field Manual on interrogations, a day after Tuesday's Senate vote to amend a torture ban to a defense bill. Earlier this month, Sen. John McCain succeeded in adding a provision that established the Army Field Manual as the source for interrogation procedures for all branches of government. What's an Army Field Manual?

A how-to book for soldiers. There are field manuals—or FMs—for just about everything a member of the Army might need to do, from handling nuclear material to cooking dinner. As of a few years ago, there were over 650 different manuals. Some cover broad topics (for instance, FM 1 "The Army," and FM 3-0 "Operations") while others focus on more specific issues—like FM 8-50, "Prevention and Medical Management of Laser Injuries." The standard field manual is written at a sixth-grade level and broken into chapters, and adorned with charts, tables, and hand-drawn illustrations. Some of the books come with appendices of examples or real-life vignettes. Many—but not all—of them are available to the public on Web sites like this one.

A battalion typically has a library of 40 or 50 field manuals at headquarters. These would include some FMs on general topics, as well as a selection of more specific guides that vary from office to office. (A library might store multiple copies of a particularly useful guide.) Most field manuals look like college textbooks with the covers ripped off—they're about an inch thick, with a flimsy spine. Some have holes punched in the margin so they can be kept in three-ring binders. They're also available in HTML or PDF form, and some can even be downloaded to a Palm device.

Some FMs are used in the field. FM 7-8, for example, covers the basic tactics and operations for small infantry units. All platoons would have at least one copy of the "seven-dash-eight" around; the platoon leader might keep it in his humvee. Since it's so common, the FM 7-8 comes in a handy pocket-size version that's about the size of a small paperback book and bound at the top with staples. (At more than 400 pages, the little 7-8 is still pretty thick. True Army nerds can get their copies laminated for protection from the elements.) Other FMs that deal with very specific topics—like a specific weapon system—might be kept near the equipment for which they provide instructions.

All Army interrogators have access to the field manual on "Intelligence Interrogation" (FM 34-52), but it's unlikely that any carry it around. The book contains chapters on the role of the interrogator and various procedures for obtaining information. (Slate contributor Phillip Carter outlined a few of the FM 34-52 techniques here.) Chances are they'd only consult it when something unusual came up.

The Army distributes several other kinds of publications to its troops. Technical manuals (TMs) are a lot like owner's guides—most pieces of equipment come with one. Pamphlets give information on a topic or program, more to educate the soldier than to explain how to do something. Army regulations (ARs) lay out basic rules, like how to wear your uniform.

Got a question about today's news? Ask the Explainer.

Explainer thanks Operation Truth and the United States Army.

Print This ArticlePRINTDiscuss this in The FrayDISCUSSEmail to a FriendE-MAIL
Share on FacebookPost to MySpace!Share with MixxDigg ThisShare with RedditShare with del.icio.usShare with FurlShare with Ma.gnolia.comShare with SphereShare with Stumble Upon
Daniel Engber is an associate editor at Slate. He can be reached at .
Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum
What did you think of this article?
POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES
Washington Post
The Washington Post
OPINIONS
Let the Oil Deals Flow
Raad Alkadiri | Congress should not interfere in the oil industry's contract negotiations with the Iraqi government.