Re: [OT] A variety of terminology/history questions

----- Original Message -----
From: Tomb <tomb@dreammechanics.com>
To: <gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu>
Sent: Thursday, December 06, 2001 11:31 AM
Subject: [OT] A variety of terminology/history questions

> Hi list!
>
> Me again.
>
> I've been working on some game stuff. I've also been doing some
reading.
> This has left me with a variety of questions which someone or some
> several someones of this list can undoubtedly answer authoritatively
(we
> have all kinds aboard). So, with that in mind, I submit these
questions:
>
> 1) USMC (or US military in general): What ranks are accorded the title
> "sir"? This seems like an odd question except that I think the US
> military differs notably from British traditions here. IIRC, in
Canadian
> tradition, an officer (carrying a commission from the Queen) is called
> "sir". Non-commissioned members are not. Generally, if you call a
> Sergeant "sir" here, you get a lecture about how he works for a living
> and not on his knees.

Only the USMC does that sir thing for drill instructors in training
only.
The Army calls them Drill Sergeants and are never but never addressed
as sir. After training even the USMC goes back to sergeants, also the
jar heads are more rank sensitive then the army calling everyone by
their
rank. This is less so in the army all Sgt. are just called sergeant from
E-5
Sergeant ,E-6 Staff Sergeant and E-7 Sergeant First Class. Only the E-8
First Sergeant (commonly referred to as Top) that is the chief NCO in
the company or battery and the E-9 Sergeant Major who is the top NCO
in the Battalion, Brigade, Division, Corps, and the one of the Army
(only one). All are the same E-9 pay grade just different in seniority.
 All other services have a similar system and in the US all use the E-1
to
E-9 pay grade system under different names but the pay is mandated
through the Department of Defense. Example Sergeant Major Army and
USMC or Senior Master Chief  Petty Officer of the Navy are both E-9s.

>
> 2) Cavalry soldiers are called "troopers". Cavalry forms themselves
into
> "troops". What organizational level is a troop equivalent to
> (Platoon/Company/Battalion)?	Does "Squadron" enter into the picture
or
> is that uniquely a UK/Canada armoured organizational element? Where
does
> it fit? (Platoon/Company/Battalion)?
>
>Cavalry "troopers" is really just a name normally they are the scouts
in
>standard armored formaitions. Or in the case of the First Cavalry
Division
>is merely a honorific. There is a unque army organisation called the
Cavalry
>"Squadron" this is best thought of as a Brigade sized mini-Division
with
>all arms repersented. These are normally placed well forward of your
heavy
>Divisions to act as a tough little speed bump!
>
> 3) Do mobile (mechanized or armoured) infantry or cavalry scout
> formations tend to orient their squad breakdown around vehicular
> capacities? Or do they tend to retain squad or section breakdowns
around
> some administrative or doctrinal vision and then just divide the
squads
> out between vehicles ?
>
> The vehicles are purchessed to fit the mission and administration and
doctrin
>not the other way round.........We fight in the units we train in, we
can
be detached
>but will always return to that  administrative unit to fight.
> Example I as a artillerymen might conduct a two gun raid were my guns
are
>air lifted to area where we will fire the mission then return to our
unit.

>
> 4) (USMC) Marines are "Marines", not "Soldiers". Soldiers are Army. I
> know Marines refer to the Army (or have) as "Doggies" (or <expletive>
> Doggies). I have heard Army soldiers called "Dog Soldiers" before.
Where
> did this term originate? Is there a historical antecedent? Is it still
> true (that Marines refer to Army this way)?
>
>could give a shit less what the jar heads call us lol
>
> 5) What is the common ratio of mechanics/motor pool techs/vehicle
repair
> techs/etc. to vehicles in a modern force? If I have a tank platoon of
4
> tanks, or a tank company of 16 or 17, how many mechanics are likely
> directly required in support of independent operations of this force?
At
> what level are such support services attached (Battalion or Brigade
> level)? Is vehicle recovery part of the same support unit? Or is that
a
> separate organizational unit?
>
> in company sized units there is a maintenance platoon in HQs.
>With up to two recovery vehicles and two trucks.
>
> 6) (USMC) "Every Marine is a Rifleman". Is this still true? Does it
> apply to Marine Aviators etc. too?
>
> All ground forces do the same thing from clerks to cooks everyone