Squad

Chain of Command
Latvian platoon at Camp Lejune.jpg
Unit Soldiers Commander
Fireteam 4 NCO
Squad/Section 8–13 Squad Leader
Platoon 26–55 Platoon Leader
Company 80–225 Captain/Major
Battalion 300–1,300 (Lieutenant) Colonel
Regiment/Brigade 3,000–5,000 (Lieutenant) Colonel/
Brigadier (General)
Division 10,000–15,000 Major General
Corps 20,000–45,000 Lieutenant General
Field army 80,000–200,000 General
Army group 400,000–1,000,000 Field Marshal
Army Region 1,000,000–3,000,000 Field Marshal
Army theater 3,000,000–10,000,000 Field Marshal
Standard NATO military map symbol for a friendly infantry squad.

In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer (NCO) that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition (Australian Army, Canadian Army, and others) this organization is referred to as a section. In most armies a squad consists of eight to thirteen soldiers, and may be further subdivided into fireteams.

Contents

Organization

United States

In the United States Army, a squad is composed of two fireteams of four or five soldiers each, as well as a squad leader who is a Staff Sergeant. A Military Police squad is composed of three teams of three. In the United States Marine Corps, a squad is typically composed of three fireteams of four Marines and a squad leader who is typically a Sergeant or Corporal. In the US Air Force Security Forces a squad is made up of three fire teams of 4 members each lead by a Senior Airman or Staff Sergeant and either a Staff Sergeant or Tech Sergeant squad leader.

Fire Service in the United States

A squad is often referred to in Emergency Services. A squad is normally a light rescue vehicle or pumper/engine that responds to calls for Emergency Medical Service.

Chinese National Revolutionary Army to 1949

The squad, 班, or section was the basic unit of the National Revolutionary Army, and would usually be 14 men strong. An infantry squad would ideally have 1 light machine gun and 10 rifles

Leadership

A squad is led by an NCO known as a Squad Leader. His second in command is known as an Assistant Squad Leader. In Britain and the Commonwealth, these appointments are known as Section Commander and Section 2IC ("second in command"), respectively.

Typical ranks for squad leaders are:

Other military uses

A squad can also be an ad hoc group of soldiers assigned to a task, for example, a firing squad.

The Canadian Forces Manual of Drill and Ceremonial defines a squad as "a small military formation of less than platoon size which is adopted to teach drill movements. (escouade)"[1] However, the Manual provides direction for drill movements to be taught in "movements," "parts," or "stages."[1] The format of the commands in the manual has given rise to a prevalent belief in the CF that these stages are called "squads." This groupthink has such strength that phrases such as "for ease of learning, this movement is broken down into 'squads,'" are commonly used during periods of drill instruction. In actuality, were the lesson being given to a platoon, company or parade, the word "squad" would be replaced by the appropriate formation. Thus, these stages, parts, or movements should not be referred to as "squads."

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Canadian Forces Manual of Drill and Ceremonial. Retrieved 13 June 2010.

See also

Fireteam · Squad · Section · Platoon · Troop/Company/Battery · Battalion/Squadron · Regiment · Brigade · Division · Corps · Field army · Army group · Region · Theater