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.

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') 

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

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.

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.) 

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). 

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.

--- "Bell, Brian K (Contractor)"
<Brian.Bell@dscc.dla.mil> wrote:
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	John Atkinson [SMTP:johnmatkinson@yahoo.com]
> > Sent:	Monday, April 02, 2001 11:36 PM
> > To: gzg-l@csua.berkeley.edu
> > Subject:	RE: Cheese factor
> > 
> [snip]
> > > Using your figures I would be able to
> > > field...what...A mixed Platoon?
> > 
> > YES.  That's what you've got.  
> > 
> > "Platoon" has a specific meaning to wargamers and
> to
> > soldiers.  If I say "platoon" then what I mean is
> > "unit between 20 and 50 men, composed of 3-5
> squads
> > and led by junior officer or senior NCO".  If you
> > define platoon as "whatever I feel like putting on
> the
> > board and getting extra activations for" you are
> going
> > to piss people off and look ignorant[1].
> > 
> > John
> > [1]Or stupid.  Hard to tell from one instance.
> -----End Original Message-----
> 
> I claim ignorance. I did try to find a more
> definitive term and got from
> Webster's:
> Platoon: 
> a subdivision of a company-size military unit
> normally consisting of two or
> more squads or sections.
> I went to Dictonary,com and got the same answer.
> 
> So I thought to my self, "OK, 2 squads to a
> platoon".
> Then I looked up Company and got:
> a body of soldiers; especially : a unit (as of
> infantry) consisting usually
> of a headquarters and two or more platoons.
> From Dictionary.com I got:
> A subdivision of a military regiment or battalion
> that constitutes the
> lowest administrative unit. It is usually under the
> command of a captain and
> is made up of at least two platoons. 
> I still do not know how many are in a squad, so I
> try "squad" and get:
> The smallest tactical unit of military personnel. 
> and 
> a small organized group of military personnel;
> especially : a tactical unit
> that can be easily directed in the field
> I tried to check Jane's
> (http://www.janes.com/cgi-bin/glossary.cgi) for a
> better definition, but came up empty.
> Still no information. So I guess at 4 to a squad. 
> So, I thought "OK, at least 2 platoons to a company.
> I have 4 sets of reglar
> troops. That gives me 3 platoons and a command
> platoon. And I have 2
> reinforcing platoons of PA."
> I then posted to the list, my idea.
> From the feedback, I got it wrong.
> I have already stated that I planned to change the
> organization to that of a
> reinforced platoon.
> 
> What COMMON* online source would have had the
> correct definition of "squad"?
> *Recongizable from the top level domain
> (www.____.com).
> 
> ---
> Brian Bell
> bkb@beol.net
> http://www.ftsr.org/
> ---

=====
Thank You,

Shawn M Mininger

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