TAKEPOINT

Take point

In modern military parlance, to take point, walk point, be on point, or be a point man means to assume the first and most exposed position in a combat military formation, that is, the leading soldier/unit advancing through hostile or unsecured territory. The term can be applied to infantry or mechanized columns. The soldier, vehicle, or unit on point is frequently the first to take hostile fire. The inherent risks of taking point create a need for constant and extreme operational alertness. However, ambushes often intend to let the point element past the prime killing zone in order to be maximally effective. Point ...

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take point

Verb

  1. In combat, to assume the first and most exposed position in a formation; to serve as the lead soldier/unit advancing through hostile or unsecured territory.
  2. By extension, to assume a key role in an operation.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: take point
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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