US NATIONAL POLICY
ON
ANTIPERSONNEL LAND MINES

On 16 May 96, The President of the United States announced a national policy that eliminates or restricts the use of antipersonnel land mines, beginning with those that do not self-destruct but eventually including all types. This policy is in effect now. It applies to all Infantry units either engaged in, or training for, operations worldwide.

Current US policy allows the use of non-self-destructing antipersonnel land mines only along internationally recognized national borders or in established demilitarized zones, specifically for the defense of Korea. Such mines must be within an area having a clearly marked perimeter. They must be monitored by military personnel and protected by adequate means to ensure the exclusion of civilians.

US national policy also forbids US forces from using standard or improvised explosive devices as booby traps.

Except for units in Korea or units going there for a designated exercise, this policy specifically forbids all training on or actual employment of inert M14 and M16 antipersonnel land mines either at the unit's home station or at a Combat Training Center except in the context of countermine or de-mining training. No training with live M14 mines is authorized, and training with live M16 mines is authorized only for soldiers actually on Korean soil.

This policy does not affect the standard use of antivehicular mines. It does not affect training and use of the M18 Claymore mine in the command detonated mode.

For the immediate future, units may still use self-destructing antipersonnel mines, such as the ADAM, when authorized by the appropriate commander. Under proper command authority, units may still emplace mixed minefields containing self-destructing antipersonnel land mines used to protect antivehicular land mines, for example, MOPMS or Volcano.

Users of this manual should consider all references to antipersonnel mines and the employment of minefields in the light of the national policy limiting the use of non-self-destructing antipersonnel land mines.

Readers should not construe any uses of the terms mines, antipersonnel obstacle, protective minefield, or minefield contained in this manual to mean an obstacle that contains non-self-destructing antipersonnel land mines, or booby traps.