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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Organizational Structure of the Army
Nowadays the military is more remote from the lives of most Americans. We hear about the military via the news media, rather than through personal experience or contact. Between the news media's dispassion with the topic and the news media's romance with inaccuracy, few people really understand the terminology of our Armed Forces.
When we hear on the news that a platoon engaged the enemy or that someone is a Sergeant in the 2nd Armored Division (I made that up), we lack a context or scope to understand what that means. In the near future I'll attempt several articles that will scratch the surface of the topic.
Today we'll examine the Organizational Structure of the Army:
Squad
- Size: 9 -10 soldiers (depends on its function)
- Consists of:: none
- Command: Sergeant (various numbers of stripes)
- Misc:
Platoon
- Size: 16 - 44 soldiers
- Sub-units:2 -4 squads
- Consists of: Lieutenant
- Misc:
Company / Battery / Troop
- Size: 62 - 190 soldiers
- Consists of: 3 - 5 platoons
- Command: Captain
- Misc:
- An artillery unit of equivalent size is called a battery
- a comparable armored or air cavalry unit is called a troop
Battalion
- Size: 300 - 1,000 soldiers
- Consists of: 4 - 6 companies
- Command: Lieutenant colonel
- MISC:
- Capable of independent operations of limited duration and scope
- An armored unit of equivalent size is called a squadron
- An air cavalry unit of equivalent size is called a squadron
Brigade
- Size: 3,000 - 5,000 solders
- Consists of: 2-5 combat battalions
- Command: Colonel
- MISC:
- Employed on independent or semi-independent operations.
- Armored cavalry, ranger and special forces units this size are categorized as regiments or groups.
Division
- Size: 10,000 - 15,000 soldiers
- Consists of: 3 brigades
- Command: Major General
- MISC:
- Divisions are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures
- Performs major tactical operations for the corps
- Can conduct sustained battles and engagements.
Corps
- Size: 20,000 - 45,000 soldiers
- Consists of: 2 -5 divisions
- Command: Lieutenant general
- MISC:
- The deployable level of command required to synchronize and sustain combat operations
- Provides the framework for multi-national operations.
Labels: Armed Forces, armored, Armored Division, batallion, battery, brigade, captain, cavalry, colonel, company, corps, division, general, Lieutenant, major, military, platoon, sergeant, squad, troop
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