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This article gives an overview of some of the terms used to describe military units in armed forces across the world. Whilst it is recognised that there will be differences between armies of different nations, it seems that a large proportion are modelled on the British and/or American models. Readers interested in the detailed specifics of a national army (including the British and American) should consult the relevant entry for that country. Note that units larger than battalion size are usually referred to as " formations".
| Name | No. of personnel | No. of subordinate units | Officer in charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army group | Many | 2+ armies | General or Field Marshal |
| Army | Many | 2+ corps | General |
| Corps | 30,000+ | 2+ divisions | Lieutenant General |
| Division | 10,000–20,000 | 2-4 brigades | Major General |
| Brigade | 2000–5000 | 2+ regiments or 3–6 battalions | Brigadier GeneralA Brigadier General or one-star general is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. The rank is equivalent to the US Navy rank Rear Admiral (lower half), for, BrigadierBrigadier is a rank in the British military and the Australian Army ranking above Colonel and immediately below Major General. It was introduced in 1928 to replace the rank of Colonel Commandant that had briefly replaced the rank of Brigadier General in 1 (UK) or ColonelColonel ( Ger: Oberst is a military rank, usually the highest below general grades, and just above Lieutenant Colonel. The word is pronounced similarly to "kernel". In the US military, a colonel in the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps is equivalent to a c ( US Army) |
| RegimentA regiment is a military unit, typically consisting of around 500-700 soldiers. The term came into use in Europe around the end of the 16th century, when armies evolved from a collection of retinues following knights to a more formally organized structure ( USMC) | ? | 4 battalions | ColonelColonel ( Ger: Oberst is a military rank, usually the highest below general grades, and just above Lieutenant Colonel. The word is pronounced similarly to "kernel". In the US military, a colonel in the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps is equivalent to a c |
| RegimentA regiment is a military unit, typically consisting of around 500-700 soldiers. The term came into use in Europe around the end of the 16th century, when armies evolved from a collection of retinues following knights to a more formally organized structure (UK) | 500–700 | 4–6 squadrons | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Battalion | 300–1000 | 2–6 companies | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Company or Squadron | 100–300 | 3–6 platoons or troops | Captain or Major |
| Platoon or Troop | 30–40 | 2+ squads or sections | First or Second Lieutenant |
| Squad or Section | 8–12 | 2+ fireteams | NCO ( Corporal to Staff Sergeant) |
| Fireteam | 4–5 | n/a | NCO ( Lance Corporal to Sergeant) |