Re: Force sizes

--- Scott Case <tgunner@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Fireteam- led by a E-3 or E-4 (Private First Class
> to Corporal) 3-4 guys. 

Slotted for Sergeant.  Frequently a SPC (or CPL) due
to shortage of NCOs.

> Squad- Two fireteam led by a E-5 or E-6 ('buck'
> sergeant or Staff Sarge). 

Slotted for SSG.  We usually have most of the SSGs we
need, but not all, so a senior SGT has to fill in.

> Nine guys in the light infantry... mech types
> usually have a vehicle and its 
> crew, but have a smaller dismount squad (6 guys-
> three per fireteam). In the 

Which they changed.  2x9+5 which means 2 nine-man
squads and an HQ/HW 5 man element.  

> nicknamed them 'Top'). Most US company size units
> don't have a 'heavy 
> weapons' platoon, but they DO have a mortar section
> (except armor) of 2 60mm 
> tubes. This is about 130 in the infantry and around
> 60 in an armor company.

Mortar sections is pretty much light infantry only.

> medicsl vehicle, etc) and even assets from Division
> like ADA (a M-113 with a 
> Vulcan gun and SAM team) and engineers (we had
> converted M-48 called a 
> 'Miclic' to clear mines, 

Actually, the boxes on top were called MICLICs for
MIne Clearing LIne Charge.  The vehicles were
AVLMs--Armored Vehicle Launched MICLICs.  Which were
converted AVLBs (AVL Bridges) which weren't as needed
in Storm due to a distinct lack of rivers to cross.  

and a M-113 with an
> engineer team- in Desert Storm 

Squad.

> Battalion- 3-4 line companies (3 in the infantry, 4
> in the armor), infantry 
> battalions have either a heavy weapons company or an
> anti-armor company. The 

D Company is gone nowdays.

> light infantry battalions have a recon platoon(19
> guys), a 81mm mortar 
> platoon (4 tubes and 27 guys), and an anti-tank
> platoon (can have TOWs, .50 
> M-2 MGs, or even AGLs). Generally you're talking

Hey, mech guys get 6 120mm SP mortars in a platoon and
a scout platoon (latest trend is the 10-HMMWV scout
platoon) and an ADA platoon.

> like 200 guys), a support battalion (a BIG outfit!)
> and attachments 
> (engineer company... even a battlions!), ADA assets,

After Storm, the Corps Engineer Batallions habitually
attached to the divisions became converted to a
slimmed-down (3 line companies with 2 line platoons
vice the 4 line companies of 3 line platoons, and the
A&B got slimmed down to the modern A&O, and we lost
our E Co bridge weenies) Combat Engineer batallion and
they put a total 3 of them and a brigade HQ in each
heavy division.  Which meant you got 1 BN per maneuver
BDE and 1 CO per maneuver BN.

John

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