Re: Cheese factor

----- Original Message -----
From: "Shawn M Mininger" <smininger@yahoo.com>
To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2001 1:02 PM
Subject: RE: Cheese factor

> OK, I know we have a lot of folks here from around the
> world, so please pipe up with how your country does
> these things.
>
> I myself, live in the United States of America, and
> spent 8 years in the United States Marine Corps.
> Here's how we break things down.  Keep in mind I've
> been out of The Corps for about 5 years.
>

Oorah.	Spent 6 years in the USMCR myself.  Starting >gasp< almost
twenty
years ago.

> FireTeam - smallest unit, comprised of 4 men.  The
> FireTeam Leader is usually a Lance Corporal. The Point
> Man and 2 Riflemen are usually Privates or PFCs.
> (heavy weapon teams, called Gun Teams, have a Gun Team
> Leader, A Point Man, and two heavy weapon Marines
> called 'Gunners'  labeled as 'A Gunner' and 'B
> Gunner')
>

Back then, it was four men to a fire team, led by a Corporal, Lance
Corporal, or a PFC, and consisted of 1 Fireteam Leader (M-16A1), 1 Scout
(M-16A1), 1 Grenadier (M-16A1 with M203 40mm GL), 1 Automatic Rifleman
(M-16A1, later replaced by the Minimi).

> Squad - comprised of 3 FireTeams and a Squad Leader,
> for a total of 13 men.  The Squad Leader is usually a
> Corporal or Sergeant.
>

Same

> Platoon - comprised of 3 squads, a Guide (usually a
> Corporal or Sergeant), a Platoon Sergeant (usually a
> Sergeant or Staff Sergeant), and a Platoon Commander
> (usually a 1st or 2nd Lieutenant) for a total of 42
> men.	Reinforced Platoons usually have at least 3 Gun
> Teams (heavy weapon teams), one for each squad.
>

Not sure about rifle platoons, since I was with 4th Combat Engineer Bn
most
of the time (three Engineer squads, one HQ team--including two M-60
GPMG).

> Company - comprised of 2 to 5 Platoons, a Company NCO
> (usually a Staff Sergeant or Gunnery Sergeant), and a
> Company Commander (usually a 1st Lieutenant or a
> Captain).  One will usually be a HQ Platoon in which
> the various support personnel are based (motor
> transport, admin, etc.)
>

"B" Co, 4th CbtEngrBn, had three Engineer Platoons, a small Headquarters
Platoon, and a Motor Transport Platoon.

> Battalion - (called a Battery if it is an artillery
> unit) Comprised of 2 to 5 Companies, a Battalion NCO
> (usually a 1st Sergeant or Master Sergeant), and a
> Battalion Commander (Usually a Major or Lieutenant
> Colonel).

Uhhmm.	You sure about the "Battalion is a Battery" part?  I served with
5/10 Marines at CLNC for a bit, and they called themselves a
Battalion--I
thought the companies were batteries.  For those that don't know, 5th
Battalion, 10th Marines is the Artillery component of 10th Marine
Regiment.
Or was 15 years ago, anyway.

>
> Regiment - comprised of 2 to 5 Battalions, Regimental
> NCO (usually a Sergeant Major), and a regimental
> Commander (usually a Colonel).
>
> this is a rough ladder of how units are organized in
> the USMC.  Keep in mind, there are a million
> variations depending on the specialization of the
> unit, but this is the unit breakdown for a basic
> Marine Rifleman Platoon.  Also, remember, you will
> NEVER have anything larger then a Platoon without
> artillery, armor, and air support.
>
> Let me know if this helps.
>

Rob