Structure of the American Army

The largest division of the American Army is the Field Army. It is commanded by Generals and consists of two to five corps. The Army is then further divided into Corps; Divisions; Brigades; Battalions; Companies; Platoons and Squads.

A Corps is made up of two to five Divisions. A Lieutenant General who is assisted by a Command Sergeant Major and extensive Corps staff commands it. A Corps usually contains 20 000 to 40 000 soldiers who make up a deployable level of command that is required in order to synchronize and maintain combat operations. The Corps provide the framework for multinational military operations with command, control, and logistical support.

A Division consists of three tactical maneuver Brigades and a division base of combat support and combat service support elements. These are all under the control of a Major General who is assisted by two Brigadier Generals or One Stars. These Brigadier Generals act as Assistant Division Commanders and are in charge of Maneuvers and Support. A Division is made up of 10 000 to 16 000 soldiers who perform major tactical operations. A Division is capable of conducting sustained battles and offensive engagements. Five sub-divisions categorize it. These are Light Infantry; Mechanized Infantry; Armor; Airborne and Air Assault.

A Brigade is made up of three or more Battalions. The 1 500 to 3 200 soldiers in a Brigade are all under the control of a Colonel or Brigadier General. A Brigade is a large unit that can be employed on independent or semi-independent operations. In combat operations, Infantry, Armor and Cavalry Brigades all have a Field Artillery Battalion, Engineer Battalion and Combat Service Support Battalion.

A Battalion consists of three to five Companies. These are commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel who is assisted by a Command Sergeant Major. A Battalion holds 300 to 1 000 soldiers. This appendage of the army is both tactically and administratively self-sufficient and is capable of independent operations in battle.

A Company is made up of three to four Platoons that are commanded by a Captain assisted by a First Sergeant. It contains 60 to 200 soldiers who have 15 to 25 vehicles and form a cohesive tactical unit that performs battlefield functions by itself. A Company is capable of receiving and controlling additional combat, combat support or service support elements.

A Platoon comprises three to four Squads. It contains 16 to 44 soldiers in total who are commanded by a Lieutenant assisted by a Platoon Sergeant. These soldiers form a basic combat unit that is capable of maneuvering in the conduct of combat operations.

A Squad is composed of four to ten soldiers. A Staff Sergeant commands these soldiers. However, in infantry, a Squad is made up of nine soldiers and a squad leader. Generally, Mechanized Infantry Squads are each assigned to a tactical vehicle.

The American Army also has many additional unit types. These consist of groups such as Armored Cavalry Regiments; Engineer Brigades; Medical Brigades; Quartermaster Groups and Transportation Groups.

There are six main branches of the Army. These are the Infantry Branch; the Armor Branch; the Artillery Branch; the Air Defense Artillery Branch; the Aviation Branch and the Engineer Branch.

There are also divisions of the army which have non-combat-oriented responsibilities. Ordinance division members are responsible for munitions and maintenance while Quartermaster division members are responsible for food supplies, laundry, and cleanliness. Medical division members are responsible for the oral and physical health of the soldiers and Signal division members are the experts in communications. The Intel division is responsible for military intelligence while the MP division provides law enforcement for (Haynes 1954)the soldiers.

In World War II, most enlisted soldiers received a salary of $23/month before 1943. After 1943, privates were offered $50/month. At the end of the war, most of the surviving soldiers were given a $250 discharge bonus. If veterans wished to attend post-secondary education, the United States Government paid it for. Wounded veterans also received compensation for their disabilities.

However, many of the soldiers who were enlisted were drafted. This was thanks to Grenville Clarke who proposed the first peacetime draft legislation in 1940, which was passed and renewed by Congress in 1941. These soldiers were not well trained by today’s standards, and were by no means professional soldiers. Many eligible men did not want to join the army and this prompted the “Draft Dodgers” movement of men who illegally immigrated to Canada to avoid being drafted.

-Kat Kovalcik