Information AboutPlatoon |
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Platoon is a term from Military Science . In an Army , a platoon is a unit of thirty to forty Soldier s typically commanded by a Lieutenant assisted by a Non-commissioned Officer . A platoon is formed by at least two Sections or Squad s (usually 3 or 4) and is smaller than a Company . Typically, there are three or four platoons per company. Most platoons are Infantry platoons; some carry other designations such as Mortar or Heavy Weapons Platoon s. A platoon is the smallest military unit led by a Commissioned Officer . The word is derived from the 17th-century French ''peloton'', meaning a small ball or small detachment of men, which came from ''pelote'', a ball. BRITISH ORGANIZATION In the British Army , the infantry platoon commander is a lieutenant or second lieutenant, assisted by a platoon sergeant (who usually actually holds the rank of Sergeant ). It is usually divided into three eight-man Section s. Specialist platoons may be led by a Captain , assisted by a Warrant Officer or Colour Sergeant . The Royal Electrical And Mechanical Engineers , Royal Army Medical Corps , Intelligence Corps and Royal Military Police also use platoons. The Household Cavalry , Royal Armoured Corps , Special Air Service , Royal Artillery , Royal Engineers , Royal Corps Of Signals and Royal Logistic Corps use Troop s instead, as do the Royal Marines . The equivalent unit in the Royal Air Force and Army Air Corps is the Flight . CANADIAN ORGANIZATION In the Canadian Forces , the infantry platoon commander is a lieutenant or second lieutenant, assisted by a platoon warrant (who usually actually holds the rank of Warrant Officer ). It is usually divided into three eight- to ten-person Section s and a heavy weapons detachment which will deploy either a GPMG , Carl Gustav , or 60mm mortar depending on mission requirements. Specialist platoons may be led by a Captain , assisted by a warrant officer. Some very large specialist platoons will actually have a lieutenant as the second-in-command. In many Corps , platoon-sized units are called Troop s instead. U.S. ORGANIZATION In the United States Army , a platoon is commanded by a platoon leader — a First or Second Lieutenant — assisted by a platoon sergeant, usually of the rank of Sergeant First Class (pay grade E-7). In infantry units, rifle platoons are generally made up of four nine-man squads (three rifle squads and one weapons squad). In the United States Marine Corps , platoon leaders are called "platoon commanders," but hold the same rank and function. In Marine infantry units, rifle platoons usually consist of three rifle squads. SEE ALSO REFERENCES |
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