someone at work asking

Squad - 9 to 10 soldiers. Typically commanded by a sergeant or staff sergeant, a squad or section is the smallest element in the Army structure, and its size is dependent on its function.

Platoon - 16 to 44 soldiers. A platoon is led by a lieutenant with an NCO as second in command, and consists of two to four squads or sections.

Company - 62 to 190 soldiers. Three to five platoons form a company, which is commanded by a captain with a first sergeant as the commander's principle NCO assistant. An artillery unit of equivalent size is called a battery, and a comparable armored or air cavalry unit is called a troop.

Battalion - 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Four to six companies make up a battalion, which is normally commanded by a lieutenant colonel with a command sergeant major as principle NCO assistant. A battalion is capable of independent operations of limited duration and scope. An armored or air cavalry unit of equivalent size is called a squadron.

Brigade - 3,000 to 5,000 solders. A brigade headquarters commands the tactical operation of two to five organic or attached combat battalions. Normally commanded by a colonel with a command sergeant major as senior NCO, brigades are employed on independent or semi-independent operations. Armored cavalry, ranger and special forces units this size are categorized as regiments or groups.

Division - 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Usually consisting of three brigade-sized elements and commanded by a major general, divisions are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures. The division performs major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and engagements.

Corps - 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers. Two to five divisions constitute a corps, which is typically commanded by a lieutenant general. As the deployable level of command required to synchronize and sustain combat operations, the corps provides the framework for multi-national operations.

Army - 50,000 + soliders

5!

Really no quick answer to this.
It depends on the unit. Branch of service, etc.

example: a training platoon in boot camp would have been anywhere from 83 in my platoon to 65 in some others. An infantry platoon in an active force is supposed to be 3 squads of 13 men plus one platoon leader and senior staff nco for a grand total of 38. In the Marines anyway. Army has a different arrangement and I don't know exactly what it is. I'm sure one of them can tell you.

Companies are supposed to have 4 platoons. Battalions have 4 companies. Regiments have 2 or 3 Battalions and Divisions have 2 or 3 regiments. You can do the math. Just add two for each level as there is always a senior enlisted and an officer in charge of each level. Then of course support staff which ranges to lord knows how many. (i.e. sections like admin., operations, etc.)

That being noted, it rarely if ever works out that way. Just the nature of the business. Some units end up short of people, some end up with more.

cool-thanks

USMC Rifle Bn- 998

The numbers change as you go up because of support personel as well.  A rifle company(Army) will have 130 or so trigger pullers, but you also have folks like motor pool, admin, supply etc.  As the units get bigger, the logistics slice gets bigger, because the more the unit is self-sustaining.  So in the next higher unit, (Battalion), you could have a whole company of support (the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, or HHC) in addition to the company's, and some will have another company for service, (Headquarters Service Company, or HSC) in addition to that.  

As the unit grows to the Division size, the division has it's three line Brigades, but other brigade sized units such as DIVARTY (Divisional Artillery), CAB (Combat Aviaiton Brigade, the 101st has two of them), DISCOM (Division support command), MP, ADA, Chem, Engineer, Signal, Medical, and on and on.

Generally speaking, the bigger the unit, the longer it's "logistics tail", because it has to provide that support for it's smaller units.  

Also a line unit often won't fight as a "pure" company.  Units in the US Army can "task organize" as required.  So company sized and larger will swap platoons/companies, etc to get the right mix for the mission.  When you see a tank and a Brad working together, they are almost always a "task force" where some of the platoons have been traded, so the rifle company now has a tank platoon, and the tank company now has a rifle platoon.  As long as that "company sized task force" exists, the commander has what is in effect a mixed company.  It allows a great deal more firepower and flexibility at a lower level.

This task organizing, is also done with support units to maintian support of those units that are task organized.

So in the end, the size of a company from one operation to the next can vary greatly just due to how it's organized for that particular fight.

One way to remember the approximate numbers though is 10-100-1000-10,000.  Squad-company-battalion-division.  This was actually the way many acient armies were organized, and where terms like "Centurion" (for the leader of a century or 100) in the Roman Army come from.  While not completely the same number wise, the organization isn't too far off from today.

Ross

Quoted: Squad - 9 to 10 soldiers. Typically commanded by a sergeant or staff sergeant, a squad or section is the smallest element in the Army structure, and its size is dependent on its function. A fire team is the smallest element, a squad being 2 four man fire teams and one squad leader = 9 personnel. Platoon - 16 to 44 soldiers. A platoon is led by a lieutenant with an NCO as second in command, and consists of two to four squads or sections. Company - 62 to 190 soldiers. Three to five platoons form a company, which is commanded by a captain with a first sergeant as the commander's principle NCO assistant. An artillery unit of equivalent size is called a battery, and a comparable armored or air cavalry unit is called a troop. Battalion - 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Four to six companies make up a battalion, which is normally commanded by a lieutenant colonel with a command sergeant major as principle NCO assistant. A battalion is capable of independent operations of limited duration and scope. An armored or air cavalry unit of equivalent size is called a squadron. Brigade - 3,000 to 5,000 solders. A brigade headquarters commands the tactical operation of two to five organic or attached combat battalions. Normally commanded by a colonel with a command sergeant major as senior NCO, brigades are employed on independent or semi-independent operations. Armored cavalry, ranger and special forces units this size are categorized as regiments or groups. Division - 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Usually consisting of three brigade-sized elements and commanded by a major general, divisions are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures. The division performs major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and engagements. Corps - 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers. Two to five divisions constitute a corps, which is typically commanded by a lieutenant general. As the deployable level of command required to synchronize and sustain combat operations, the corps provides the framework for multi-national operations. Army - 50,000 + soliders

In the Aus army, Corporals command squads/sections.  US Sgt's are not equivalent in rank to Aussie Sgt's.

A Regiment in Aus is approximately the same size as a brigade.  Squadrons are "sub units" of a Regiment, approx company size.

Yup, fiftycalibre hit it on the nose as far as Corprals leading squads. In the Marine Corps anyway. So Fifty, I gotta ask, what is the current situation w/gun owners down there? Are all guns banned or range use only or what? I have to ask the same of some Canadiens around here also. Take care. Coondog

Quoted: Yup, fiftycalibre hit it on the nose as far as Corprals leading squads. In the Marine Corps anyway. So Fifty, I gotta ask, what is the current situation w/gun owners down there? Are all guns banned or range use only or what? I have to ask the same of some Canadiens around here also. Take care. Coondog

Guns not banned, just regulated.

Ill make a thread on it tomorrow.

T/O for a Marine Rifle Squad, is to have a Sergeant as the SQD LDR, CPLs as Fire Team LDRS.
Oftentimes, there are not enough SGTs.
Though at times, you might have too many.