Many people who have never been part of the U.S. Army do not realize how many units there are and how the Army is divided into those units. In the Army’s organizational chart, there is a wide range of units of all sizes, and each has their own important purpose.
Whether you’re thinking about enlisting, wanting to better understand what on earth your soldier is talking about, or just have a general interest in military organization, keep reading to finally have all of your questions answered!
These are the different units of the U.S. Army, from smallest to the largest:
The Fire and Sniper Teams
The team is the smallest unit of the Army. The fire team is led by a team leader who is usually a Corporal or Sergeant. The fire team normally consists of about four soldiers, including an automatic rifleman, a grenadier, and a rifleman. The sniper team also has four members, including a spotter who assists the sniper in locating the target, a team defense person, and a security solider.
The squad is comprised of two teams and is usually led by a Sergeant or Staff Sergeant. There are nine soldiers in a squad.
Each section is normally led by a Sergeant who is supported by one or two Corporals that offer leadership and guidance for junior non-commissioned officer (NCO) squad leaders. The squad is many times used in conjunction with platoons at the company level, and consists of 12 to 24 soldiers.
A platoon is composed three or four squads or sections, along with a platoon headquarters, and it’s led by a platoon leader. Each platoon consists of about 42 soldiers total. The platoon leader is normally a Second Lieutenant who is supported by a Platoon Sergeant First Class (SFC).
Three to 5 platoons make up the company and can consist of 60 to 200 soldiers. The company is led by a Captain with a First Sergeant as the commander’s main assistant. If the company is an artillery unit, it’s referred to as a battery instead of a company. If their armored or air cavalry is involved, the unit is referred to as a troop. A company can perform battlefield duties on its own.
A battalion, which can also be referred to as a cavalry squadron, is generally made up of three companies, batteries, or troops, and is under the leadership of a battalion or squadron commander. The commander is normally a Lieutenant Colonel who is assisted by a Command Sergeant Major. A battalion is composed of 300 to 1,000 soldiers.
The brigade consists of 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers and may also be called a group. It’s comprised of 3 to 5 battalions and led by a brigadier general or a colonel. Support staff includes a headquarters and a headquarters company. Maneuver brigades have changed and progressed into brigade combat teams. The combat teams usually consist of three maneuver battalions along with a cavalry squadron, a fires battalion, and a special troops battalion. These teams are led by a Command Sergeant Major and a support battalion.
Composed of 10,000 to 16,000 soldiers, a division has three brigade-sized elements. It is commanded by a Major General, assisted by two Brigadier Generals. A division can head up major tactical operations, and handle battlefield operations and engagements.
Comprised of 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers, a corps includes 2 to 5 divisions. Commanded by a Lieutenant General, it provides the framework for an array of operations.
A field army combines two or more corps and consists of 50,000 or more soldiers. It’s led by a Lieutenant General or an even higher-ranking officer. Two or more field armies can be under the direction of one particular commander.
You can learn more about Army organization & find individual units here.
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