point men

Noun

point man (plural point men)

1. In combat, the soldier who takes point; the soldier who assumes the first and most exposed position in a combat military formation; the lead soldier/unit advancing through hostile or unsecured territory.
   • The point man is the only one besides the Shooter who could verify the kill shots firsthand, and he did just that to another SEAL I spoke with.2013 February 11, Phil Bronstein, “The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden… Is Screwed”, in Esquire Magazine
2. (broadly, idiomatic) A most trusted assistant or associate; the person upon whom one would most rely.
   • McCarthy made a name for himself as a point man for a far right-wing current that attacked the Truman administration for the "loss" of China.2005 March 2, Leslie Feinberg, “Even McCarthy was gay baited”, in Workers World

   Synonyms:

   right-hand man