You are the unit’s NBC NCO and discover through intelligence sources that the enemy is beginning to manufacture chemical and biological weapons at a factory in the center of a large town. This sector is part of your platoon’s area of responsibility. You report the activity to the commander immediately. The commander dispatches a recon team to verify the activity. The recon team acknowledges that the enemy is stockpiling the weapons in several warehouses less than a mile from the factory. The factory is in a highly populated area with a hospital and an elementary school situated on either side. The commander states that we must destroy these chemical and biological weapons immediately to prevent their use against us in the upcoming offensive action. He argues that military necessity urgently requires this destruction and probable civilian casualties cannot be our concern. The commander issues an order to your assign platoon to proceed with the destruction of the chemical and biological weapons.

1. As a senior squad leader how would you respond to this?

2. What would be your course of action?