
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 12, 1991                   TAG: 9102120212
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Joe Kennedy
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

A PRIMER ON ARMY ORGANIZATION

Could you give a mini-explanation of what a division is? What is a squad? How many people are in those units and how do they fit into the battle structure? We can't even find it in the encyclopedia. K.S., Blackburg.

Here's a chart that explains the basic units in the U.S. Army:

\ The Army: from bottom to top

\ SOLDIER-a man or woman enlisted in the Army.\ 10 soldiers make a SQUAD-Smallest unit of the Army; led by a staff sergeant.

\ 3 squads make a PLATOON-Smallest fighting formation commanded by a commissioned officer; led by a lieutenant.

\ 3 platoons make a COMPANY-Largest fighting formation commanded by a commissioned officer; led by a captain.

\ 3-5 companies make a BATTALION-May operate as part of a brigade or as a separate administrative and tactical unit; led by a lieutenant colonel.

\ 3-5 battalions make a BRIGADE-Major combat unit of the army; usually organized as task force for independent operations or missions; led by a colonel.

\ 3-5 brigades make a DIVISION-Smallest combat unit capable of conducting sustained combat operations; led by a major general.

\ 3-5 divisions make a CORPS-largest combat unit capable of sustained administrative, logistical and tactical operations; provdes combat and service support; led by a lieutenant general.

\ Source: U.S. Pentagon, Encyclopedia of the U.S. Military AP

by CNB