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1 [1] (December 4, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/goveswg0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Con as Wonal Research Be irdorininc th 41 ~bite s~ c. 1S14 Updated December 4, 2025 Defense Primer: Organization of U.S. Ground Forces Overyvew The Army is the U.S. military's primary ground force. Title 10, Subtitle B, Part I, Chapter 707, of the U.S. Code addresses the organization of the Army. The Marine Corps serves as the Navy's ground-focused fighting force. Title 10, Subtitle C, Part I, Chapter 807, Section 8063, addresses Marine Corps composition and functions. Yranizanions res of U.S. Ground The Congressional Budget Office's (CBO's), The U.S. Military's Force Structure: A Primer, 2021 Update, notes The Army and Marine Corps are generally organized as hierarchies of units, with each type of unit commanded by a noncommissioned or commissioned officer of a specific rank. These units are described from smallest to largest. CBO further describes such units, from smallest to largest, in part as follows (with certain additional information provided by CRS in brackets): Squad/Team/Section. A squad is led by a sergeant and consists around 4 to 12 personnel. [Squads can be further divided into teams or sections.] Platoon. A platoon is [led in the Army or commanded in the Marines] by a lieutenant and includes from 16 to 50 personnel. Heavy platoons have armored vehicles (such as tanks or infantry fighting vehicles, depending on platoon type). Company/Troop/Battery. A company is commanded by a captain and includes two to five subordinate platoons (usually three or four). It has about 60-200 personnel. Cavalry [air or ground] companies are called troops [Army only]; artillery [and air and missile defense] companies are called batteries. Battalion/Squadron. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and usually includes three to five combat companies and a support company. It has about 400-1,000 personnel. Cavalry battalions are called squadrons. Brigade Combat Team/Support Brigades/ Regiment/Group. An [Army] brigade is commanded by a colonel and generally configured as a brigade combat team (BCT) or a support brigade. A BCT has about 4,000-4,700 personnel, depending on [type]. [Army] cavalry brigades are called regiments; some types of support brigades are called groups. Marine Corps units at this level also are called regiments. (The term Marine Expeditionary Brigade [MEB] refers to a [regimental-size] task force which is larger [than an Army BCT]. Division. An [Army] division is commanded by a major general and includes two to five BCTs (usually four), an aviation brigade, an artillery brigade, an engineer brigade, and a logistics brigade. [Army] divisions consist of 12,000-16,000 personnel. [Marine divisions are also commanded by major generals. Each Marine division has three infantry regiments and one artillery regiment and consists of about 20,000 personnel.] Corps. Corps are commanded by a lieutenant general and include two to five divisions and numerous support brigades and commands. [Army] corps have about 40,000-100,000 personnel. The Marines do not have designated corps, although a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) is similar in size and also is commanded by a lieutenant general. Army. An army is the highest command level in a given theater of operations and typically has 100,000-300,000 personnel. It is an element of a joint command structure; the Army's component is commanded by a general. An Army's operational theater is established to support one or more corps ... and includes numerous support brigades and support commands. Arrny Brigades According to the CBO's The U.S. Military's Force Structure: Fiscal Year 2024 Update to Personnel Numbers and Costs, and its Interactive Force Structure Tool (May 2025), Army brigades are organized as follows.