This soldier could serve as either the squad leader's messenger to the platoon commander or could be used to relay orders to other squad elements, as needed. Instead, the squads were reorganized into a 12-man unit of three elements, or teams, Able, Baker, and Charlie, reporting directly to the platoon commander (an officer, usually a second lieutenant), assisted by a sergeant assigned as the "assistant to platoon commander" (re-designated as "platoon leader" in 1940 and as "platoon sergeant" in 1943 with the officer then re-designated as "platoon leader".) The squad leader was still only a corporal but the squad was also assigned a PFC (one of the scout riflemen) as the assistant to the squad leader. Under the Triangular Division organization plan in 1939 rifle squads were no longer organized into sections. In 1891, the US Army officially defined a rifle "squad" as consisting of "seven privates and one corporal." The US Army employed the eight-man rifle squad through WWI and until the late 1930s under the Square Division organizational plan, in which sergeants continued to lead sections consisting of two squads. or even a "senior" private (there being many long-service, or "professional," privates until the post-WWII era). The smallest tactical sub-unit being the section, which was also known as a half-platoon (the platoon itself being a half company).ĭepending upon the time period, the squad "leader" (not an official position title until 1891) could be a sergeant (the sergeant, in sections with only one corporal, led the section's first squad, while the lone corporal served as assistant section leader and led the section's second squad), a corporal (in sections with two corporals), a lance corporal (a rank the Army had in varying numbers and conditions from at least 1821 until 1920), a private first class (PFC) (the rank existing since 1846 but not earning its one chevron – taken from the abolished lance corporal rank – until 1920). Historically, a "squad" in the US Army was a sub-unit of a section, consisting of from as few as two soldiers to as many as 12 and was originally used primarily for drill and administrative purposes (e.g., billeting, messing, working parties, etc.). Names of squads in NATO member armed forces The standard NATO symbol for a squad consists of one single dot ( 1.4 Chinese National Revolutionary Army.1.2.4 Fire service in the United States.This organization facilitates 6-man "split team" operations, redundancy, and mentoring between a senior specialist NCO and his junior assistant. The team also includes the following enlisted men: one 18Z team sergeant (Operations Sergeant), usually a Master Sergeant, one 18F (Assistant Operations and Intelligence Sergeant), usually a Sergeant First Class, and two each, 18Bs (Weapons Sergeant), 18Cs (Engineer Sergeant), 18Ds (Medical Sergeant), and 18Es (Communications Sergeant), usually Sergeants First Class, Staff Sergeants or Sergeants. The ODA is led by an 18A (Detachment Commander), usually a Captain, and a 180A (Assistant Detachment Commander) who is his second in command, usually a Warrant Officer One or Chief Warrant Officer Two. >!insert spoiler here!< Other subreddits you might like: someĪn ODA consists of 12 men, each of whom has a specific function (MOS or Military Occupational Specialty) on the team, however all members of an ODA conduct cross-training. Mod posts Serious posts Megathread Breaking news Unfilter Please use spoiler tags to hide spoilers. Tags to use: Use a post tag to designate your post as a serious, on-topic-only thread. If you think your post has disappeared, see spam or an inappropriate post, please do not hesitate to contact the mods, we're happy to help. more >Ĭomment replies consisting solely of images will be removed. Mods reserve the right to remove content or restrict users' posting privileges as necessary if it is deemed detrimental to the subreddit or to the experience of others. Soliciting money, goods, services, or favours is not allowed. tagged posts are off-limits to jokes or irrelevant replies. more >Īskreddit is not your soapbox, personal army, or advertising platform. Posting, or seeking, any identifying personal information, real or fake, will result in a ban without a prior warning. more >Īskreddit is for open-ended discussion questions. more >Īny post asking for advice should be generic and not specific to your situation alone. Your thoughts/responses to the question can go in the comments section. The title may contain two, short, necessary context sentences. You must post a clear and direct question in the title.