Eli5: What is the protocol after a soldier killed someone in war? Does he or she have to document the kill, or report it somewhere?

Question

Or is it like in the movies, they just keep fighting as if nothing happenend?

In: 191

Answer 1

Often soldiers have no idea they’ve killed someone.

The artillery fires from dozens of km away. The troops pulling the lanyard will often never know what they were shooting at.

Even the Infantry often just let fly in the general direction of the enermy. It is often difficult to even correctly ascertain where fire is coming from.

I’ve fired my rifle in the direction I believe I was getting contact from. If I hit anyone it was purely luck/accident.

Answer 2

When I served as an IFV gunner, the vehicle commander would report on radio that we i.e had engaged and defeated enemy infantry of squad size and defeated i.e 1 enemy IFV to the platoon leader (or company hq since I was the platoon leaders gunner).