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Posted on 11/14/2004 8:40:56 AM PST by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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 Structure of the U.S. Army An Overview  Functional Organization: The Army is organized by function. Combat forces include Infantry, Armor, Cavalry, and Special Operations Forces. Combat support troops include Artillery, Army Air Corps, Army Corps of Engineers, Army Quartermaster Corps, Army Medical Corps, Army Transportation, Army Ordnance Corps, Adjutant General's Corps, Signal Corps. Support troops include the Judge Advocate General's Corps.  Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division fight street to street in Fallujah, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Johancharles Van Boers. Officially, a member of the U.S. Army is called a 'Soldier,' with a capital letter. The U.S. Army is structured roughly: army group - when required field army corps - which consists of two or more divisions and usually has an armored cavalry regiment in support. division, brigade or group: Most American Army divisions are organized in three or more brigades. battalion - or squadron: Infantry, artillery and armor units are organized into battalions. Cavalry units are formed into squadrons. A battalion-sized unit is commanded by a lieutenant colonel. brigade or group: Most American Army divisions are organized in three or more brigades. company (military unit) or battery or troop: Artillery units are formed into batteries. Cavalry units are formed into troops. A company-sized unit is usually led by a captain. platoon - Platoons are usually led by a first or second lieutenant. squad or section crew or fire team  Sgt. Ariel King, from the Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, welds a new antenna brace for a tactical vehicle in the brigade’s Forward Maintenance Company shop at Forward Operating Base Marez, Iraq. Photo by Spc. Aaron Ritter. Cavalry - Modern cavalry units are generally not mounted on horseback (save for ceremonies), but are generally armored forces, who fight from armored vehicles, or are embarked in aircraft. Corps A corps (a word that immigrated from french, but originating in the Latin "corps, corporis" meaning body) is a large military unit. In the United States and other armies, it refers to a unit of approximately 30,000 troops, composed of two or more divisionss, and typically commanded by a lieutenant general. As of 2003, the United States Army has four corps. The structure of a corps is not permanent; many of the units that it commands are allocated to it as needed on an ad hoc basis. On the battlefield, the corps is the highest level of the forces that is concerned with actually fighting and winning the war. (Higher levels of command are concerned with administration rather than fighting, at least in current doctrine.) The corps provides operational direction for the forces under its command. Corps are designated by consecutive Roman numerals. The present active corps in the US Army are I Corps ("eye core"), III Corps, V Corps, and XVIII Airborne Corps; their numbers derive from four of the 30-odd corps that were formed during WWII. Division A division is a large military unit usually consisting of around 10,000 soldiers. In most armies a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions make up a corps. Divisions are usually designated by an ordinal number (e.g., Finnish 6th Division), less commonly named (e.g., Royal Naval Division), and often a category, such as "rifle", "infantry", "armored", "mechanized" etc. (e.g., US 1st Armored Division). In the United States Army, a divisional unit typically consists of 10,000 to 20,000 troops commanded by a major general. Two divisions usually compose a corps and each division is composed of about 3 brigades, along with a number of smaller specialized units. Brigade Brigade is a term from military science which refers to a group of several battalions (typically two to four), and directly attached supporting units (normally including at least an artillery battery and additional logistic support). A brigade is smaller than a division and roughly equal to or a little larger than a regiment. Strength typically ranges between 1,500 and 3,500 personnel. In the United States Army the term brigade is used instead of the term regiment, except in the cavalry. A brigade is usually commanded by a brigadier general or a colonel. The term derives from Italian "brigata" or Old French "brigare," for company, which in turn derives from a Celtic root "briga," which means strife. Regiment A regiment is a military unit, typically consisting of around 500-700 soldiers. The term came into use in Europe around the end of the 16th century, when armies evolved from a collection of retinues following knights to a more formally organized structure. The number of soldiers in a regiment fluctuates, generally depending on casualties and the manpower of the associated army. At its creation, the typical Civil War-era American regiment contained upwards of 1,000 troops. However, at the end of the war, Confederate regiments sometimes had less than 100 troops (barely company-sized). The United States Army was also once organized into regiments, but presently uses the brigade instead, except for cavalry. Although every battalion or squadron is associated with a regiment for historical purposes, the only combat regiments are cavalry regiments which are attached to a corps. These regiments, who are associated generally for historical purposes, can be known as "parent regiments". Battalion or Squadron In military terminology, a battalion consists of two to six companies typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. The nomenclature varies by nationality and by branch of arms, e.g. some nations will organize their infantry into battalions but call similarly sized units of cavalry, reconnaisance, or tanks a squadron instead. There may even be subtle distinctions within a nation's branches of arms, such a distinction between a tank battalion and an armored squadron, depending on how the unit's operational role is perceived to fit into the army's historical organization. A battalion is potentially the smallest independent military unit (i.e. not attached to a higher command) but is usually part of a regiment or in the United States Army a brigade. Battalions are ordinarily homogeneous with respect to type, i.e. an infantry battalion or a tank battalion, though there are occasional exceptions. Company A company is a military unit, typically consisting of about 100-200 soldiers. In the United States military, it refers to a group of 150-300 soldiers formed into three to six platoons, and typically commanded by a captain. Several companies form a battalion. Individual companies are identified by letter - "B company", "company K", and so forth. The letters are often pronounced using the NATO phonetic alphabet or formerly the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, resulting in names such as Charlie Company and Easy Company, some of which have become familiar. Able Company Alpha Company Baker Company Bravo Company Charlie Company Dog Company Delta Company Easy Company Echo Company Fox Company Foxtrot Company George Company Golf Company How Company Hotel Company Item Company India Company Jig Company Juliet Company King Company Kilo Company Love Company Lima Company Mike Company November Company Oscar Company Platoon Platoon is a term from military science. In an army, a platoon is a unit of thirty to forty soldiers typically commanded by a first lieutenant who is assisted with either a second lieutenant or sergeant major as platoon lieutenants; a platoon may also be commanded by a second lieutenant with a sergeant major as his platoon lieutenant. A platoon is usually formed of at least two squads and is smaller than a company. Most platoons are infantry platoons; some carry other designations such as mortar or heavy weapons platoons. A platoon is the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer. The word is derived from 17th Century French peleton, meaning a small ball or small detachment of men, which came from pelote, a ball. Squad A squad is a military unit consisting of several soldiers, larger than a fireteam but smaller than a platoon. In most armies a squad consists of between eight (8) and twelve (12) soldiers, sometimes as many as fourteen (14). In the United States Army, a squad is composed of two fireteams, or 8-10 infantry. Fireteam Fire teams usually consist of four Soldiers: a fire team leader, a grenadier, and two riflemen. The United States Army particularly emphasizes the fire team concept, as do most Special Operations units. The creation of effective fireteams is seen as essential for creating an effective military. Psychological studies by the United States army have indicated that the willingness to fight is more heavily influenced by the desire to defend and avoid a loss of face among other members of the fireteam and the squad than by abstract concepts.  Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division prepare to enter and clear a building during fighting in Fallujah, Iraq. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Johancharles Van Boers.
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Oh, I like that one!
I bookmarked this one for reference. I'm always getting confused. I need a primer about the ranks too, and how they equate between the different branches.
Thanks, snippy.
Care to begin with these? And do you wish to limit the exposition to present US rank structure, or other periods and national services?
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PRIVATE
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PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
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SPECIALIST
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CORPORAL
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SERGEANT
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STAFF SERGEANT
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SERGEANT FIRST CLASS
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FIRST SERGEANT
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SERGEANT MAJOR
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COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR
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SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY
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SECOND LIEUTENANT
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FIRST LIEUTENANT
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CAPTAIN
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MAJOR
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LIEUTENANT COLONEL
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COLONEL
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BRIGADIER GENERAL
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MAJOR GENERAL
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LIEUTENANT GENERAL
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GENERAL
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GENERAL OF THE ARMY
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Sure. Try OrBats here and Global Security OrBats here.
It is my impression that the US divisions have gotten much larger over the last 60 years. I wonder how much of that additional size is administrative bloat.
Quite a lot, from the sons, grandsons and heirs of the NY 77th Division's 308th Regiment of WWI, and their *Lost Battalion* commander, Major Charles Whittlesey. Any battalion that picks up three Medals of Honor in 5 days' time and whose commander is chosen to be one of the pallbearers for the first of the Unknown Soldiers has been doing something right.
The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting theMedal of Honor
to
WHITTLESEY, CHARLES W.
Rank and Organization: Major, U.S. Army, 308th Infantry, 77th Division. Place and Date: Northeast of Binarville, in the forest of Argonne France, 2-7 October 1918. Entered Service At: Pittsfield, Mass. Birth: Florence, Wis. G. O. No.: 118, W.D., 1918.
Citation:
Thanks! I'm sure snippy will be grateful that you stepped in and subbed for her. :^) That is a good chart. I bookmarked it for future reference. Let me try to learn these and then we'll worry about the past. LOL
Here ya go Samwise check out these two links one for officers and one for the enlisted ranks.
Officers..http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/insignias/officers.html
Enlisted...http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/insignias/enlisted.html
These two should give you a pretty good idea of how the ranks compare for each service. Sorry I did not bring them over but I ain't figured out how to transfer them over.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
Odd in that our designation was weird.
We were attached to the 27th brigade.. which was also named "New York Division."
That never made sense to me.
But I was artillery anyway, it wasn't supposed to make sense to me I guess.
*chuckle*
(I know, lame reference to "You know we can't count!")
I've heard Sam talk about being moved around to wherever your needed so he was in different units/companies or whatever. LOL. Maybe he should explain.
When I was reading "Hell in the Hurtgen Forest" and corresponding with the author (freeper Hurtgen) he was trying to explain the structure and even sent me a very intensive chart. I'm still confused. :-)
We're moving along on our store at a pretty good clip. Pictures coming in about five minutes.
Well.. my unit was kinda described once as "part psyche ward, part 'boyscouts with guns', all mayhem and fun until someone loses an eye, then we chase that for awhile."
(What can I say, we did have fun being typical 13B's.)
Our structure was weird, to my mind, as was the naming.
27 brigade, ny division.
Brigade and division seemed a strange combo.
Background: Prior to the establishment of the Department of the Army Emblem, there was no official display item to identify the Army. The Army seal traditionally had been used to authenticate documents only and was not authorized for display. In recognizing the need to provide a display item, The Secretary of the Army approved the design as the official emblem to represent the Army on 29 January 1974.
Description: The Army emblem is derived from the Army seal and differs from the seal in several respects:
a. The emblem is displayed in color while the seal is not.b. The emblem includes the inscription, "Department of the Army," instead of the seal inscription, "War Office."
c. On the emblem, the American flag is on its own right (observers left) to reflect the current custom for display of flags. The Army flag pattern has been added to the other flag.
d. The Roman numerals "MDCCLXXVIII" which indicate the date the Army seal was adopted, were replaced with the date "1775" to reflect the date the Army was established.
Symbolism: The symbolism for the elements of the Army emblem is the same as for the Army seal with the above deviations and additions: The colors of the design elements are those traditionally associated with the ideals of the United States and of the Army. The flags are in proper colors. Blue is symbolic of loyalty, vigilance, perseverance and truth. Red denotes courage, zeal and fortitude. White alludes to deeds worth of remembrance. Black is indicative of determination and constancy. Gold represents achievement, dignity and honor.
Description and Symbolism of the Army Seal:
Background: The traditional seal used during and since the Revolution was redesignated as the Seal of the Department of the Army by the National Security Act of 1947. The Department of the Army seal is authorized by Section 3011, Title 10, United States Code. The date "MDCCLXXVIII" and the designation "War Office" are indicative of the origin of the seal. The date (1778) refers to the year of its adoption. The term "War Office" used during the Revolution, and for many years afterward, was associated with the Headquarters of the Army.Description: In the center is a Roman cuirass below a vertical unsheathed sword, point up, the pommel resting on the neck opening of the cuirass and a Phrygian cap supported on the sword point, all between, on the right an esponton and, on the left a musket with fixed bayonet crossed in saltire behind the cuirass and passing under the sword guard. To the right of the cuirass and esponton is a flag of unidentified designs with cords and tassels, on a flagstaff with spearhead, above a cannon barrel, the muzzle end slanting upward behind the cuirass, in front of the drum, with two drumsticks and the fly end of the flag draped over the drumhead; below, but partly in front of the cannon barrel, is a pile of three cannon balls. To the left of the cuirass and musket is a national color of the Revolutionary War period, with cords and tassels, on a flagstaff with spearhead, similarly arranged above a mortar on a carriage, the mortar facing inward and in front of the lower portion of the color and obscuring the lower part of it; below the mortar are two bomb shells placed side by side. Centered above the Phrygian cap is a rattlesnake holding in its mouth a scroll inscribed "This We'll Defend." Centered below the cuirass are the Roman numerals "MDCCLXXVIII."
Symbolism: The central element, the Roman cuirass, is a symbol of strength and defense. The sword, esponton (a type of half-pike formerly used by subordinate officers), musket, bayonet, cannon, cannon balls, mortar, and mortar bombs are representative of Army implements. The drum and drumsticks are symbols of public notification of the Army's purpose and intent to serve the nation and its people. The Phrygian cap (often called the Cap of Liberty) supported on the point of an unsheathed sword and the motto, "This We'll Defend," on a scroll held by the rattlesnake is a symbol depicted on some American colonial flags and signifies the Army's constant readiness to defend and preserve the United States.
Take a look at post #29 for comparative charts on how ranks work across the services if you are needing that info.
No reply necessary as I know you don't have anything else to at the moment :-)
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
From On The Trail of Kerry's Failed Dream:
Kerry, whose hearing was damaged by gun blasts in Vietnam, had trouble understanding some of the questions being thrown his way. But he pressed on, coughing from the pollen blowing on the breeze.
More gratitude that we re-elected a president who supports our warriors as they kill over 1,600 terrorist worms.
Freedom is God's promise, underwritten by valiant warriors, threatened by sociopaths and their treacherous handmaidens (e.g., Hanoi Milquetoast).
Great flag-o-gram. I want a puppy!!!
LOL. So...how many? :-)
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