Just curious?

Question

I've always wondered why there are no set size when it comes to numbers when talking about a military unit like squad, platoo, company, batalion, Division & so on. There just seems to be a wide range. Now I understand that it would of course be next to impossible to always have a set number but it just seems like you would have a smaller range with a target. For example schools have a target of a class size of say 25 but in some years class or schools the average could be above that or below & after a certain period of say having numbers above that goal then administrators might look into hiring another teacher or opening another class room if there's enough go justify such a move & if not then they might just leave it be. I'm just wondering why a division doesnt always have the same number of personel or even at times the same number of smaller units. I don't pretend to know details which is why I'm asking but 1 divison might have 4 companies & another 6.

Coolio ... Thanks .... Tally hooo

Answer 1

It depends on the individual's specialty what group they are in so there are different numbers in different groups. There is a maximum number but no minimum numbers. It also depends on the mission. It can also depend on the area that the group defends. There are always new people coming in and old people going home or transferring somewhere else where their specialty is needed.

Answer 2

Well I was in India company so it does go above that at least in the marines.

They are pretty standard in the Marines like the poster before me said, but they will have some differences becuase of job needs.

Some jobs require more people to do a job IE: crew served weapons so the set standard doesnt work but they are usually pretty close.

A typical Marine unit would go like this

4 people to a fire team 4 fire teams to a squad four sqads to a platoon 4 platoons to a company and you usually something like this in an infantry unit Each platoom would have a platoon SGT (usually a SSGT) and a platoon comander. The company would have a Gunny, a 1st SGT a commanding officer and a XO

India company would consist of
1st platoon
2nd platoon
3rd platoon (affectionatly known as 3rd herd)
Weapons platoon

Answer 3

I always thought it was 16 per squad, 4 squads, 64 per platoon, 4 platoons per company, and 6 companies to a battalion (alpha, bravo, Charlie, delta, echo, foxtrot--rarely goes above that). Above that, I'm not sure, but always thought these were the standard, granted that we give or take frequently.