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Military Units

army seal
  • army seal
  • ARMY

army seal

The Army is composed of an active duty component and a reserve component that comprises the Army Reserve and Army National Guard. The operational Army conducts full-spectrum operations around the world, supported by institutional units. Without the institutional Army, the operational side can’t function. Without the operational Army, the institutional side has no purpose.

Team
Squad
Platoon
Company
Battalion
Brigade
Division
Corps
Field Army
Army Group
Army Region
  • TEAM

    4 Soldiers

    Four soldiers make up a team — a noncommissioned officer and three junior enlisted soldiers. Teams with special functions may also include officers or warrant officers. An infantry fire team might include two riflemen, one of whom is the team leader; a grenadier and an automatic rifleman, who is used when small reconnaissance or special missions are required. Teams can serve as a base-of-fire or as a maneuver element.

    rifle rotation
    pushup power
    training view
    exercise prep
    rock shock search
    bragg security
    pope paratroopers
  • SQUAD

    Commanded By:

    staff sergeant icon

    Staff Sergeant

    Also referredto as aSECTION


    10 Soldiers

    Two teams make up a squad, which has four to 10 soldiers. In an infantry squad, the teams divide duties: one serves as a base-of-fire element, while the other serves as the maneuver element. A staff sergeant is often in charge.

    captain's camoflage
    call for fire
    leading the way
    cold company
  • PLATOON

    Commanded By:

    army lieutenant icon

    Lieutenant

    2-3squads


    36 Soldiers

    A platoon consists of a few squads and up to a few dozen soldiers. They’re generally run by a lieutenant, often with a noncommissioned officer as second in command. An infantry platoon might include a weapons squad, which is divided into two M240 machine gun teams, and two close-combat missile teams armed with Javelin missiles.

    umatilla ops
    caisson platoon
    tank shot
    palau range
  • COMPANY

    Commanded By:

    captain icon

    Captain

    3-4platoons


    200 Soldiers

    A company has anywhere from a few dozen to 200 soldiers. It’s a tactical-sized unit that can perform a battlefield function on its own. A company consists of three or four platoons and is generally commanded by a captain. It can also go by different names, depending on the function: Company-sized artillery units are called batteries, while in armor and air cavalry units, they are called troops.

    carolina class
    bulgaria ops
    guidon display
    company activation
  • BATTALION

    Commanded By:

    lieutenant colonel icon

    Lieutenant Colonel

    4-6 COMPANIES


    1,000 Soldiers

    Battalions consist of four to six companies and can include up to about 1,000 soldiers. They can conduct independent operations of limited scope and duration and are usually commanded by a lieutenant colonel. There are combat arms battalions, as well as combat support and combat service support battalions. An armor or air cavalry unit of equivalent size is known as a squadron.

    missouri formation
    parade rest
    paratroop pose
    live-fire remarks
    explosives prep
  • BRIGADE

    Commanded By:

    colonel icon

    Colonel

    2-3battalions


    5,000 Soldiers

    A brigade consists of a few battalions and anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers. A colonel is generally in command. For historical reasons, armor and Ranger units of brigade size are called regiments, and the equivalent Special Forces units are called groups. In 2016, the Army reorganized its brigades into brigade combat teams, which are autonomous modular brigades that most commonly include one combat arms brigade and its assigned support and fire units.

    commemoration flight
    brigade run
    airborne training
    ruck march
    headquarters confab
    tug of war
  • DIVISION

    Commanded By:

    major general icon

    Major General

    3-4brigades


    15,000 Soldiers

    Usually commanded by a major general, divisions are made up of three or four brigades and include 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Current divisions include airborne, armored, infantry and mountain divisions. Each can conduct major tactical operations and sustained battlefield operations. They are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures.

    mogadishu mile
    indianhead insignia
    command march
    ceremony line
    drum return
    cannon smoke
  • CORPS

    Commanded By:

    lieutenant general icon

    Lieutenant General

    2-5divisions

    45,000 Soldiers

    A corps includes two to five divisions with anywhere between 20,000 and 45,000 soldiers. A lieutenant general is in command. The corps is the highest level of command that can provide operational direction for actual combat. Higher levels are concerned with administration rather than operations. The current active corps are I Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington; III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas; and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

    pistol prep
    birthday run
  • FIELD-ARMY

    Commanded By:

    general icon

    General

    4+divisions

    90,000 Soldiers

    A field army consists of two or more corps and is run by a general or lieutenant general. First Army serves as a mobilization, readiness and training command; Third Army, or U.S. Army Central, commands all Army forces for U.S. Central Command; Fifth Army, or U.S. Army North, commands all Army forces for U.S. Northern Command; Sixth Army, or U.S. Army South, commands all Army forces for U.S. Southern Command; Seventh Army, or U.S. Army Europe, commands all Army forces for U.S. European Command; Eighth Army commands all U.S. Army forces in South Korea; and Ninth Army, or U.S. Army Africa, commands all Army forces for U.S. Africa Command.

    airborne review
    forward formation
  • ARMY-GROUP

    Commanded By:

    general icon

    General

    4-5field armies

    400,000 Soldiers

    A group consists of four or five field armies and between 400,000 and 1 million soldiers. They’re commanded by a general and are considered self-sufficient for indefinite periods. They’re usually responsible for planning and directing campaigns in particular geographic areas. To differentiate them from field armies, groups are usually written with Arabic numerals (example - 12th Army Group) as opposed to having their number written out.

    standing out
    soldier salute
  • ARMY-REGION

    Commanded By:

    general icon

    General

    3+field armies

    999,999+ Soldiers

    These are only used in times of large-scale war, such as World War II. They usually consist of three or more field armies, with about 1 million to 3 million soldiers. They’re generally headed by a four- or five-star general.

    wernberg movement
    troop return

Select A Unit From the Menu to Learn More:

TEAM

4 Soldiers

Four soldiers make up a team — a noncommissioned officer and three junior enlisted soldiers. Teams with special functions may also include officers or warrant officers. An infantry fire team might include two riflemen, one of whom is the team leader; a grenadier and an automatic rifleman, who is used when small reconnaissance or special missions are required. Teams can serve as a base-of-fire or as a maneuver element.

SQUAD

Commanded By:

staff sergeant icon

Staff Sergeant


10 Soldiers

Two teams make up a squad, which has four to 10 soldiers. In an infantry squad, the teams divide duties: one serves as a base-of-fire element, while the other serves as the maneuver element. A staff sergeant is often in charge.

PLATOON

Commanded By:

army lieutenant icon

Lieutenant


2-3squads


36 Soldiers

A platoon consists of a few squads and up to a few dozen soldiers. They’re generally run by a lieutenant, often with a noncommissioned officer as second in command. An infantry platoon might include a weapons squad, which is divided into two M240 machine gun teams, and two close-combat missile teams armed with Javelin missiles.

COMPANY

Commanded By:

captain icon

Captain


3-4platoons


200 Soldiers

A company has anywhere from a few dozen to 200 soldiers. It’s a tactical-sized unit that can perform a battlefield function on its own. A company consists of three or four platoons and is generally commanded by a captain. It can also go by different names, depending on the function: Company-sized artillery units are called batteries, while in armor and air cavalry units, they are called troops.

BATTALION

Commanded By:

lieutenant colonel icon

Lieutenant Colonel


4-6 COMPANIES


1,000 Soldiers

Battalions consist of four to six companies and can include up to about 1,000 soldiers. They can conduct independent operations of limited scope and duration and are usually commanded by a lieutenant colonel. There are combat arms battalions, as well as combat support and combat service support battalions. An armor or air cavalry unit of equivalent size is known as a squadron.

BRIGADE

Commanded By:

colonel icon

Colonel


2-3battalions


5,000 Soldiers

A brigade consists of a few battalions and anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers. A colonel is generally in command. For historical reasons, armor and Ranger units of brigade size are called regiments, and the equivalent Special Forces units are called groups. In 2016, the Army reorganized its brigades into brigade combat teams, which are autonomous modular brigades that most commonly include one combat arms brigade and its assigned support and fire units.

DIVISION

Commanded By:

major general icon

Major General


3-4brigades


15,000 Soldiers

Usually commanded by a major general, divisions are made up of three or four brigades and include 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Current divisions include airborne, armored, infantry and mountain divisions. Each can conduct major tactical operations and sustained battlefield operations. They are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures.

CORPS

Commanded By:

lieutenant general icon

Lieutenant General


2-5divisions


45,000 Soldiers

A corps includes two to five divisions with anywhere between 20,000 and 45,000 soldiers. A lieutenant general is in command. The corps is the highest level of command that can provide operational direction for actual combat. Higher levels are concerned with administration rather than operations. The current active corps are I Corps at Fort Lewis, Washington; III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas; and XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

FIELD-ARMY

Commanded By:

general icon

General


4+divisions


90,000 Soldiers

A field army consists of two or more corps and is run by a general or lieutenant general. First Army serves as a mobilization, readiness and training command; Third Army, or U.S. Army Central, commands all Army forces for U.S. Central Command; Fifth Army, or U.S. Army North, commands all Army forces for U.S. Northern Command; Sixth Army, or U.S. Army South, commands all Army forces for U.S. Southern Command; Seventh Army, or U.S. Army Europe, commands all Army forces for U.S. European Command; Eighth Army commands all U.S. Army forces in South Korea; and Ninth Army, or U.S. Army Africa, commands all Army forces for U.S. Africa Command.

ARMY-GROUP

Commanded By:

general icon

General


4-5field armies


400,000 Soldiers

A group consists of four or five field armies and between 400,000 and 1 million soldiers. They’re commanded by a general and are considered self-sufficient for indefinite periods. They’re usually responsible for planning and directing campaigns in particular geographic areas. To differentiate them from field armies, groups are usually written with Arabic numerals (example - 12th Army Group) as opposed to having their number written out.

ARMY-REGION

Commanded By:

general icon

General


3+field armies


999,999+ Soldiers

These are only used in times of large-scale war, such as World War II. They usually consist of three or more field armies, with about 1 million to 3 million soldiers. They’re generally headed by a four- or five-star general.

Other Military Services

There are a few distinct exceptions in the structure of each military service.

Select a service to learn more.