A platoon is a military unit, typically composed of two to four
sections or squads and containing about 30 to 50
soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of
three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer — the platoon leader or platoon
commander, usually a lieutenant. He is usually assisted by a senior non-commissioned officer — the platoon sergeant.
In some armies, platoon is used throughout the branches of the Army. In others, such as the British Army, most platoons are
infantry platoons, while some carry other designations such as tank, mortar, or heavy weapons
platoons. In a few armies, such as the French Army, a platoon is specifically a cavalry unit, and the infantry use
"section" as the equivalent unit.
The word is derived from the 17th-century French peloton, meaning a small ball or small detachment of men, which came from pelote,
(originally from Latin 'pillula', meaning 'little ball'). The word peloton now means the
pack of riders in a bicycle race, which moves as a unit.
British organization
Standard
NATO code for a friendly infantry platoon.
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
sections and Platoon Headquarters. Specialist platoons may be led by a
Captain, assisted by a Warrant Officer or
Staff Sergeant.
Generally speaking where a Corps uses the term company for its sub units
these will be sub-divided into platoons, where Squadron is used the sub-divisions will be
Troops. Thus 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, Honourable Artillery Company, Royal Artillery,
Royal Engineers, Royal Corps of Signals
and Royal Logistic Corps use troops instead.
The exceptions are the Royal Marines who use the term troop, and the Royal Air Force and Army Air Corps where it 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 sections and a heavy weapons detachment which will
deploy either a GPMG, Carl Gustav, or 60 mm
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 troops instead.
Singapore organization
In the Singapore Army, a platoon is a Lieutenant
billet. In practice, usually a Second Lieutenant is appointed the platoon commander,
and will eventually be promoted to this rank. A typical infantry platoon consists of three seven-man sections of riflemen and a machine gun team, both commanded
by Third Sergeants, a platoon sergeant and a
medical orderly for a total of 27 soldiers.
Thai organization
In the Royal Thai Army, a platoon is commanded by a Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant assisted by a Platoon Sergeant,
usually of the rank of sergeant major. In infantry units, rifle platoons are generally
made up of fifty man squads (three rifle squads, one machine gun squad and command squad).
United States organization
In the United States Army, a platoon is commanded by a Platoon leader, usually a Second Lieutenant or
First Lieutenant, assisted by a Platoon
Sergeant, usually of the rank of Sergeant First Class. Tank platoons consist
of 4 tanks. 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, platoons are commanded by a platoon
leader, usually Second Lieutenant, even though the position is intended for a First Lieutenant. The billet of Platoon Sergeant is
a position intended for a Staff Sergeant, but it is often held by a Marine ranking from Corporal to Gunnery Sergeant. In Marine
infantry units, referred to as regiments, rifle platoons usually consist of three rifle squads of 13 men each, usually lead by a
Sergeant or Corporal, with a Navy corpsman, a Platoon Commander, and a Platoon
Sergeant. Each squad is further divided into 3 fireteams. A weapons platoon replaces the 3
squads with a 60 mm mortar section, an assault section, and a medium machine gun section. The assault section consists of
dual-purpose rockets such as the FGM-172 SRAW.
See also
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References
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