Army Question!!!

[KevinH]

Hey guys I'm watching Band of Brothers on DVD right now. I just have a question regarding the organization of the military. What exactly are platoons, companies, brigades, etc.? How is it organized and how many troops are in each? Thanks!

kev

 

[burnedout]

For Army, it "typically" goes like this:

Team = 3-5 soldiers if subordinate to a squad. If independent, I've seen them with as many as 40.
Squad = 2-3 Teams, 6-15 soldiers. Section is another subordinate unit to some platoons, companies, battalions, brigades, divisions.
Platoon = 3-4 Squads or Sections
Company = 3-4 Platoons
Battalion = 4-5 Companies.
Brigade = 2-5 Battalions
Regiment = 3-6 Battalions
Division = 2-5 Brigades plus combat support and combat service support elements
Corps = 1-4 Divisions plus supporting elements
Field Army = 1-3 Corps plus supporting elements

Additional:
Squadron = 2-5 Troops. Usually battalion sized and are usually associated with Cavalry or Aviation
Battery(sp?) = 3-6 Sections. Usually associated with Artillery units that are battalion sized.
Detachment = 2-50 soldiers.
Others such as Group (Special Forces) and Task Force exist as well.

The above depends largely upon the unit's Table of Organization and Equipment or TO&E

<edit> for a few additional details. </edit>

 

[Zugzwang152]

whats the difference between a brigade, and a regiment, since both are constituted from battalions?

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

A Brigade can be smaller than a Regiment. If you have two groups, one with 2 companies and one with 4 companies, they might be differentiated by calling the smaller one a Brigade and the larger a Regiment.

Or maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.

 

[DaFinn]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
A Brigade can be smaller than a Regiment. If you have two groups, one with 2 companies and one with 4 companies, they might be differentiated by calling the smaller one a Brigade and the larger a Regiment.

Or maybe I'm just talking out of my ass.

Yes! You are talking out of your a__.

Both are roughly the same thing, but used mainly by different units ie.

-Infantry Brigade, armored brigade, mechanized brigade...
-Artillery regiment, cavalry regiment... etc

 

[Zugzwang152]

spouting out of my ass, i dont recall the US Army using Corps designations anymore..all I hear is designations by Army, 10th Army, 3rd Army, etc. True/not true?

 

[DaFinn]

Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
spouting out of my ass, i dont recall the US Army using Corps designations anymore..all I hear is designations by Army, 10th Army, 3rd Army, etc. True/not true?

Ofcourse they use designations by Army, they are the... eh, well Army!

U want corps, i have two words for you...

United States Marine Corps... no wait!

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
whats the difference between a brigade, and a regiment, since both are constituted from battalions?

Under the "modern" U.S. Army concept of organization, here is how I remember it evolve back to the regimental system and why: During the mid-1980s, the Army sought regimental affiliations for soldiers in order to encourage espirit de corp or sense of belonging. Regimental affiliation came back into existance around 1985. One could affiliate with a certain regiment and have a "decent" chance of remaining with the regiment at OCONUS (overseas) and CONUS (US) locations. This concept worked with a few divisions such as the 82nd, 101st, 1st CAV, 1AD, 2AD and 3AD. Under present conditions, with units activating, deactivating and redesignating almost at will, this concept hasn't really worked out as it should.

Regiments have a rich history with their own individual unit crest and motto. For example, as a member of the 1/501 IN, I'd render a salution to an officer and state (supposed to "proudly state) "Geronimo, Sir". Within 502nd, it was "First Strike, Sir". If one attends a dining in or dining out when the regimental roles are read, every soldier with an affiliation responds with their respective regimental motto. Much tradition goes along with this.

Back during the "big one" or WWII, regiments often remained together. Under many circumstances during the mobilization for deployment and ultimate conflict, the regiments grew from battalions and became too big, too quick. Therefore, they were designated as regiments. Some regiments date back to the Revolutionary War. Others, particular Airborne regiments, date back to WWII. If I recall correctly the 327th was a glider regiment and therefore had the "3" numeral while the true parachute regiments, 501st, 502nd, 503rd, 504th, 505th, 506th, 507th, 508th and 509th have the "5" numeral. The 509th BCT was the former designation for the ABN battalion in Vicenza, Italy. I believe that was changed to 505th. So many of them changed from the 80s to the 90s, I couldn't keep up. I saw a couple units in Germany reflagged twice in 3 years during the mid-90s.

A very dry, official and current read on the subject: The U.S. Army Regimental System Table

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
spouting out of my ass, i dont recall the US Army using Corps designations anymore..all I hear is designations by Army, 10th Army, 3rd Army, etc. True/not true?

Yes, Corps designation is still in use. USAREUR currently has V Corps. There were two corps there until the drawdown - V (3AD, 8 ID, 4ID FWD) and VII (1AD, 2AD FWD, 3ID, 1ID FWD). Fort Hood and Fort Carson (1 CAV and 4 ID) are assigned to III Mobile Phantom Corps. 82nd and 101st are part of 18th ABN Corps.

<edit>edited for details</edit>

 

[Zugzwang152]

sadly i understood all of the acronyms, thanks for the info!

 

[Ryan]

Why worry about the army - the Air Force is all that matters.

 

[Zugzwang152]

testing my acronym knowledge:

OCONUS - outside continental US
CONUS - continental US
CAV - Cavalry
AD - Armored Division
USAREUR - US Army, Europe
ID - Infantry Division
ID FWD - Forward Infantry division?


wootz0rz.

 

[burnedout]

Originally posted by: Zugzwang152
testing my acronym knowledge:

OCONUS - outside continental US
CONUS - continental US
CAV - Cavalry
AD - Armored Division
USAREUR - US Army, Europe
ID - Infantry Division
ID FWD - Forward Infantry division?


wootz0rz.

Yep. All correct. Good job.

Actually though, the "FWD" designation applies to a subordinate unit of the Division proper. For example, a brigade of 2AD was at Garlstedt and therefore known as 2AD (FWD) while the rest of the division was at Fort Hood. Same with 4ID (FWD). One brigade was at Wiesbaden and two were in Fort Carson. Now 4ID has 2 brigades at Hood and one at Carson. 1ID (FWD) had a brigade near Stuttgart if I recall correctly and the remainder at Fort Riley. That situation has also changed.

 

[jemcam]

A battery is equivalent to a company, it's just that they call Air Defense Artillery and Field Artillery units a "battery" instead of a company.

They vary in size depending on the type of unit, (MLRS, ADA, M109, etc.) but the size usually ranges from about 75 to 125 people.

 

[glenn1]

Burnedout's explanation was very good. For Special Forces units, the organization is a bit different. The smallest organic unit is the Operational Detachment - Alpha, which normally consists of 12 soldiers, 2 x ea. of the 18 series MOS'es, 18B (weapons), 18C (demolitions), 18D (medic), 18E (Communications), 18F (Intelligence), one warrant officer, and an Detachment Commander (18A, typically a Captain although rarely a senior 1LT). Each Special Forces company generally consists of about 5-8 ODA's, in addition to one Operational Detachment - Bravo (where the company commander, typically a Major, and his support staff reside). A special forces group, headed up by a Colonel, generally consists of 3 operational companies plus one support company, which imbeds the support functions for the group such as motor pool, cooks, clerks, etc.

Special Forces units at any organic level (from ODA to Group) may by operationally subordinate to either Special Forces Command, or the theater commander, depending on mission needs.