The Roles and Weapons with the Squad

[tankersteve]

Faceman,

The squad is the smallest maneuver element. It is a pretty pure system in the U.S. Army, although a tad small, especially once you take casualties.

The medic is in the platoon, not the squad. However, 1 man in each fireteam usually is a Combat LiveSaver (CLS) and has additional training and an advanced aid bag. Nowadays, the intent is everyone is CLS qualified, but only 2 kits per squad.

No snipers at this level - that is specialized training that is usually at the company or battalion level. SDMs are an interesting point - many are in the squad, doing double duty as a rifleman.

M240s are at the platoon level as well - they are attached where needed. However, in the mech platoon, squads have the option of bringing an M240 in lieu of an M249. They don't have separate MG crews.

Is this an ideal organization? Probably not. The four-man fire team is nice in 2 buddy pairs, but in a complex urban environment, 2 men is a little light to hold a position/pull security. So now we put the whole fire team there, which isn't a great use of manpower.

I would like to see the squad become 11 men, with 3x 3-man fire teams - no extra rifleman - and a squad leader with a SDM to walk with him. The SDM would carry either an M16A4 or an M14 with an alloy stock/rail system (mission dependent). Three maneuver elements are key in the assault. 2 can suppress, with the SDM, and the 3d team, with the squad leader assaults.

Or, attach a MG team and 1 fire team (plus SDM) to suppress, with 2 fire teams (and SL) on the assault.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Tankersteve

[reed11b]

I would like to see the squad become 11 men, with 3x 3-man fire teams - no extra rifleman - and a squad leader with a SDM to walk with him. The SDM would carry either an M16A4 or an M14 with an alloy stock/rail system (mission dependent). Three maneuver elements are key in the assault. 2 can suppress, with the SDM, and the 3d team, with the squad leader assaults.

Or, attach a MG team and 1 fire team (plus SDM) to suppress, with 2 fire teams (and SL) on the assault.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Tankersteve

Does this arraingment have 3 x LMG's per squad as well Steve?
Reed

[Rifleman]

tankersteve,

If we're going to wish, we might as well wish big because it doesn't cost a thing. As long as we're wishing, let's just wish for the 13 man USMC squad with it's three four-man fire teams.

The 2nd Marine Raider Battalion tried a squad with three three-man fire teams in the early days of WWII. Later the three fire team squad was adopted by the entire USMC but they found it necessary to add a man to each fire team for sustainability. So, I believe the basics of the squad organization that you propose have already been tried and found to be lacking in sustained combat.

But let's be realistic: the Army light infantry isn't going to get a bigger squad. So, it seems to me the question shoud be how to best organize and use the nine men (on paper) that the squad has. This has been pretty well hashed out in other threads.

Maybe it's because of Army personel issues, or maybe it's because of Army vehicle size considerations, but I think that brigades will get a third battalion before squads get more men.

[William F. Owen]

tankersteve,

If we're going to wish, we might as well wish big because it doesn't cost a thing. As long as we're wishing, let's just wish for the 13 man USMC squad with it's three four-man fire teams.

Why not wish for two 15 man squads of 3 x 5 man fireteams? They could re-organised (as per METT_C) as 3 x 10 man squads or 5 x 6 man patrols. Just my same old, same old...