My campaigns wartime platoon reorganization...

[natehale1971]

in my campaign the Battalion commander had carried out a major reorganization of his command. He condensed the basic platoon down as follows, and the Company was composed of four to five of these platoons. Company Headquarters Section contained the majority of the support assets that kept the company paperwork and maintenance going. When i can find the rest of the notes on the Battalion i'll be posting it on it's very own thread. This thread is to help me make the platoon reorganization better and more flexible.

Would the vehicles assigned to the platoon be a seperate section or an organic part of the individual platoon sections


US Army Platoon Organization (emergency wartime organization):

Section One
2LT <name>, Platoon Commander
SGT <name>, Plt Cmdr Radio-Telephone Operator
SGT <name>, Combat Field Medic
SGT <name>, Fire Team Leader
SPC <name>, Grenadier
PFC <name>, Automatic Rifleman
PV2 <name>, Rifleman
SPC <name>, MG Gunner
PFC <name>, MG Assist. Gunner
PV2 <name>, MG Ammo Bearer
SPC <name>, Designated Marksman

Section Two
SFC <name>, Platoon Sergeant
SPC <name>, Plt Sgt Radio-Telephone Operator
SPC <name>, Combat Field Medic
SGT <name>, Fire Team Leader
SPC <name>, Grenadier
PFC <name>, Automatic Rifleman
PV2 <name>, Rifleman
SPC <name>, MG Gunner
PFC <name>, MG Assist. Gunner
PV2 <name>, MG Ammo Bearer
SPC <name>, Designated Marksman

Section Three
SSG <name>, Squad Leader
SPC <name>, Radio-Telephone Operator
SPC <name>, Combat Field Medic
SGT <name>, Fire Team Leader
SPC <name>, Grenadier
PFC <name>, Automatic Rifleman
PV2 <name>, Rifleman
SPC <name>, MG Gunner
PFC <name>, MG Assist. Gunner
PV2 <name>, MG Ammo Bearer
SPC <name>, Designated Marksman


Overwatch Recon & Sniper Section:
SGT <>, Spotter
SPC <>, Sniper
PFC <>, Flanker


Embedded Journalism / Combat Correspondent Section:
<name>, Field Correspondent
<name>, Cameraman
<name>, Producer *
<name>, Sound & Lighting Technician *



SPC <>, Anti-Armor Gunner
PFC <>, Anti-Armor Asst. Gunner
PV2 <>, Anti-Armor Ammo Bearer


SPC <>, Mortar Gunner
PFC <>, Mortar Asst. Gunner
PV2 <>, Mortar Ammo Handler

[Abbott Shaull]

Hmmm Looks to be a reinforced platoon. I don't ever remember our platoon having more than one medic, maybe a 2nd one from the aid station. Nice that the 2nd fire team are now MG teams assigned to each squad.

As for assigning vehicles.

If they are tracked or mounted then they should be assigned.

If they are used from transportation sub-unit and to only motorized, then no. In WWII many Infantry units were motorized, would be loaded in Duece and half and taken to predetermine distance behind the front and the troop would dismount and go to the front from there. Then the transportation would go back and get the next unit making it was up on foot.

[natehale1971]

Hmmm Looks to be a reinforced platoon. I don't ever remember our platoon having more than one medic, maybe a 2nd one from the aid station. Nice that the 2nd fire team are now MG teams assigned to each squad.

As for assigning vehicles.

If they are tracked or mounted then they should be assigned.

If they are used from transportation sub-unit and to only motorized, then no. In WWII many Infantry units were motorized, would be loaded in Duece and half and taken to predetermine distance behind the front and the troop would dismount and go to the front from there. Then the transportation would go back and get the next unit making it was up on foot.

Sounds good... I saw the reorganization of the divisions into a leaner more combat capable force as important, especially since support forces needed to be absorbed by combat forces to bring them as close to combat capable as possible. Thus the appearence of field training 'schools' that would create new riflemen or direct combat support (ie medics) for those who had moral objections to engaging in direct combat. I had felt this allowed platoons and their 'squads' to become as self-sufficient as possible during long range patrols (namely after seeing saving private ryan, and the make up of the group sent out to find PVT Ryan)...

I added a sniper overwatch & scout section with the three man composition since i had read that many nations have added a thrid position as 'flanker' to their sniper teams to protect the sniper and spotter whiel they where focused on their targets. I saw these overwatch/recon teams as perfect when supported by each of the designated marksman from the individual sections when they really needed to rip enemy positions with precision marksmanship and gunfire... i have thought of a section that would have a mortar team and anti-armor team... but i don't know. i need help with that aspect with advice from actual combat infantrymen who'd know if that would really make a platoon more self-sufficient or not.

[pmulcahy11b]

Just a slight note: When I was in the Army, and you were a PV2 for more than a few months after arriving at your first unit, you were either pogue or you'd been demoted at some point. The T2K situation may alter things, but that's my two cents.

OT aside: I knew a guy who'd been demoted to E-none so many times that he took some blank name tag tape and made himself sew-on PV1 rank. (A PV1 has no stripes.) His superiors didn't think it was funny...

[natehale1971]

Just a slight note: When I was in the Army, and you were a PV2 for more than a few months after arriving at your first unit, you were either pogue or you'd been demoted at some point. The T2K situation may alter things, but that's my two cents.

OT aside: I knew a guy who'd been demoted to E-none so many times that he took some blank name tag tape and made himself sew-on PV1 rank. (A PV1 has no stripes.) His superiors didn't think it was funny...

ROFLOL! That's just too good! Reminds me of some really funny things when i was in as well.

I have a feeling that during the war the ranks of PVT and PV2 would be held by those draftees that where there 'just to fill in the ranks' as it where. Promotion to higher ranks would end up being career military or those draftees who would actually be damn good at their jobs.

Does anyone have suggestions about the Mortar and Anti-Armor assets being directly assigned to the platoon level with this reorganization that i'm using Or does any have any suggestions for improving it Or should I keep it the way it is

[pmulcahy11b]

Does anyone have suggestions about the Mortar and Anti-Armor assets being directly assigned to the platoon level with this reorganization that i'm using Or does any have any suggestions for improving it Or should I keep it the way it is

We're (I'm guessing) talking about light infantry here, so the way we did it at the 82nd was that we had a 60mm mortar team attached to us from the Weapons Platoon, and everyone carried four rounds in addition to his normal gear. We also had a machinegun team attached to us (gunner and 2 A-gunners) that were part of the platoon. Antiarmor assets consisted of just about everyone carrying an M-136, and one squad member with a Dragon (these were pre-Javelin days) and two other troops carrying spare rounds. (I kept getting the Dragon in my younger days -- when I first got to the 82nd, I was the only one in the platoon with a C2 designator.) The TOW guys had HMMWVs with TOW launchers on them, and they scooted around as needed; the same as the 81mm mortar teams.

[natehale1971]

We're (I'm guessing) talking about light infantry here, so the way we did it at the 82nd was that we had a 60mm mortar team attached to us from the Weapons Platoon, and everyone carried four rounds in addition to his normal gear. We also had a machinegun team attached to us (gunner and 2 A-gunners) that were part of the platoon. Antiarmor assets consisted of just about everyone carrying an M-136, and one squad member with a Dragon (these were pre-Javelin days) and two other troops carrying spare rounds. (I kept getting the Dragon in my younger days -- when I first got to the 82nd, I was the only one in the platoon with a C2 designator.) The TOW guys had HMMWVs with TOW launchers on them, and they scooted around as needed; the same as the 81mm mortar teams.

THank you Paul,

I think I'll create a Heavy weapons section then, composed of a motar team, and anti-armor team... i'll spend some time thinking of how to set them up... hum... might be fun coming up with the two additional sections, or put the heavy weapons team with the platoon vehicle section, since they would be held in reserve carrying all the platoon equipment and supplies.

[Abbott Shaull]

On thing you could do is take the MG team and make them a fire team which would be the anti-tank team of the squad. Then make the two AT teams into MG teams that could be attached to any section as needed.

[Eddie]

Nate, your real name is Richard, isn't it

[Abbott Shaull]

Also as I remember to, I think by 2000 many of the enlisted would be holding the rank of E-4. Only Privates and Private First Class would be those who were busted recently, in many cases like in any war, they would receive their rank quickly back. Any E1, E2, or E3 one would encounter would be more than likely be a local recruit.

[pmulcahy11b]

On thing you could do is take the MG team and make them a fire team which would be the anti-tank team of the squad. Then make the two AT teams into MG teams that could be attached to any section as needed.

That's a good point -- in the example I gave, notice that there is no separate AT team -- the Dragon gunner is simply a squad member who is qualified (or at least knows how) to use a Dragon, and other squad members are carrying extra ammo for him. He still carries a rifle and has duties as a rifleman.

A million years ago when I was in the Guard (this was early 1980s), we didn't have SAWs, so our "automatic riflemen" were M-60 gunners without A-gunners. Assuming we had enough blanks available, four other members of the squad would be carrying as many as two extra belts of ammo for the M-60s each.

[natehale1971]

Nate, your real name is Richard, isn't it

Yes it is... if you're Eddie T from the Stargate SG1 website, it's great to see you again. Even if you've become an officer.

[natehale1971]

Also as I remember to, I think by 2000 many of the enlisted would be holding the rank of E-4. Only Privates and Private First Class would be those who were busted recently, in many cases like in any war, they would receive their rank quickly back. Any E1, E2, or E3 one would encounter would be more than likely be a local recruit.

I understand that, but in my campaign we used that those who still held the ranks of E1 to E3 where normally held by draftees who just didn't have the want/desire or ability to advance higher in the ranks. Since this was wartime instead of peacetime miltiary force with the 'Up or Out' requirements... it wasn't a problem to still be a private after 4+ years.

It goes with the addition of the following letters at the end of their SSN...

RA (Regular Army, regular volunteer 'career' soldier)
AUS (Army of the United States, draftee)
OR (Officer reserves)
ER (Enllisted reserves)
NG (National Guard)
USN (US Navy)
USMC (US Marine Corps)
USAF (US Air Force)
USCG (US Coast Guard)

[Abbott Shaull]

ROFLOL! That's just too good! Reminds me of some really funny things when i was in as well.

I have a feeling that during the war the ranks of PVT and PV2 would be held by those draftees that where there 'just to fill in the ranks' as it where. Promotion to higher ranks would end up being career military or those draftees who would actually be damn good at their jobs.

Does anyone have suggestions about the Mortar and Anti-Armor assets being directly assigned to the platoon level with this reorganization that i'm using Or does any have any suggestions for improving it Or should I keep it the way it is

By 2000 there would be many Draftees who entered service as late as 1998 who would be now would be NCO.

[Abbott Shaull]

I understand that, but in my campaign we used that those who still held the ranks of E1 to E3 where normally held by draftees who just didn't have the want/desire or ability to advance higher in the ranks. Since this was wartime instead of peacetime miltiary force with the 'Up or Out' requirements... it wasn't a problem to still be a private after 4+ years.

It goes with the addition of the following letters at the end of their SSN...

RA (Regular Army, regular volunteer 'career' soldier)
AUS (Army of the United States, draftee)
OR (Officer reserves)
ER (Enllisted reserves)
NG (National Guard)
USN (US Navy)
USMC (US Marine Corps)
USAF (US Air Force)
USCG (US Coast Guard)

In wartime they are very particular to make sure enlisted personnel get their regular promotions, and IIRC after one year in service in enlisted you were E-3 and after 2 years you should be E-4. As long as there weren't other circumstances that would prevent.

One thing about the military it would take them awhile even after 1998 to realize that re-inforcement wouldn't be on the way. Most commanders would want their enlisted, if killed to be of the rank they had earned.