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In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted rank member of an armed force who has been given authority by a officer ....
 (NCO) that is subordinate to an infantry
Infantry

Infantry are soldiers who are primarily trained for the role of fighting on foot. A soldier in the infantry is known as an infantryman. Infantry units have more physically demanding training than other branches of armies, and place a greater emphasis on fitness, physical strength and aggression....
 platoon
Platoon

A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four Section or squads and containing about 30 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organised into a company , which typically consists of three, four or five platoons....
. In countries following the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
 tradition (Australian Army
Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force....
, Canadian Army
Canadian Forces Land Force Command

Land Force Command , often also called the Canada Army, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces.The current size of Land Force Command is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers....
, and others) this organization is referred to as a section
Section (military unit)

A section is a small infantry military unit first introduced in the British Army. A section generally consists of about seven or eight soldiers, with a junior-Non-commissioned officer as commander....
. In most armies
Army

An army , in the broadest sense, is the land-based armed forces of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as an air force....
 a squad consists of eight to fourteen soldier
Soldier

A soldier is a general English term that refers to a land component of national armed forces.In most societies of the world, "soldier" is also a general term for any member of the land forces including Commissioned officer and non-commissioned officers....
s, and may be further subdivided into fireteam
Fireteam

A fireteam is a small military unit of infantry. It is the smallest unit in the militaries that use it and is the primary unit upon which infantry organization is based in the British Army, Royal Air Force Regiment, Royal Marines, United States Army, United States Marine Corps, Air Force Security Forces, Canadian Forces, and Australian Army....
s.

he United States Army
United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
, a squad is composed of two fireteams of four or five soldiers each, as well as a squad leader who is a Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant

Staff Sergeant is a Military rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company....
.






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In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted rank member of an armed force who has been given authority by a officer ....
 (NCO) that is subordinate to an infantry
Infantry

Infantry are soldiers who are primarily trained for the role of fighting on foot. A soldier in the infantry is known as an infantryman. Infantry units have more physically demanding training than other branches of armies, and place a greater emphasis on fitness, physical strength and aggression....
 platoon
Platoon

A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four Section or squads and containing about 30 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organised into a company , which typically consists of three, four or five platoons....
. In countries following the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
 tradition (Australian Army
Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force....
, Canadian Army
Canadian Forces Land Force Command

Land Force Command , often also called the Canada Army, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces.The current size of Land Force Command is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers....
, and others) this organization is referred to as a section
Section (military unit)

A section is a small infantry military unit first introduced in the British Army. A section generally consists of about seven or eight soldiers, with a junior-Non-commissioned officer as commander....
. In most armies
Army

An army , in the broadest sense, is the land-based armed forces of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as an air force....
 a squad consists of eight to fourteen soldier
Soldier

A soldier is a general English term that refers to a land component of national armed forces.In most societies of the world, "soldier" is also a general term for any member of the land forces including Commissioned officer and non-commissioned officers....
s, and may be further subdivided into fireteam
Fireteam

A fireteam is a small military unit of infantry. It is the smallest unit in the militaries that use it and is the primary unit upon which infantry organization is based in the British Army, Royal Air Force Regiment, Royal Marines, United States Army, United States Marine Corps, Air Force Security Forces, Canadian Forces, and Australian Army....
s.

Organization


United States
In the United States Army
United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
, a squad is composed of two fireteams of four or five soldiers each, as well as a squad leader who is a Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant

Staff Sergeant is a Military rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company....
. A Military Police squad is composed of three teams of three. One Sergeant and three soldiers per team with a Staff Sergeant as the squad leader(typical). In the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing Military power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver Marine Air-Ground Task Force....
, a squad is typically composed of three fireteam
Fireteam

A fireteam is a small military unit of infantry. It is the smallest unit in the militaries that use it and is the primary unit upon which infantry organization is based in the British Army, Royal Air Force Regiment, Royal Marines, United States Army, United States Marine Corps, Air Force Security Forces, Canadian Forces, and Australian Army....
s of four Marines and a squad leader who is typically a Sergeant or Corporal.

Chinese National Revolutionary Army to 1949
The squad
Squad

In military terminology, a squad is a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer that is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries following the British Army tradition this organization is referred to as a section ....
, ?, or section was the basic unit of the National Revolutionary Army
National Revolutionary Army

The National Revolutionary Army was the National Army of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the National Army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of Single-party state beginning in 1928....
, and would usually be 14 men strong. An infantry squad would ideally have 1 light machine gun and 10 rifles.

Leadership

A squad is led by an NCO known as a Squad Leader. His second in command is known as an Assistant Squad Leader. In Britain and the Commonwealth, these appointments are known as Section Commander and Section 2IC ("second in command"), respectively.

Typical ranks for squad leaders are:
  • Australian Army: Corporal
    Corporal

    Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
  • Brazilian Army: In the Brazilian Army, a Squad (Esquadra, in Portuguese) is led by a Corporal
    Corporal

    Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
    , with 3-10 soldiers. It is the smallest unit in the infantry and cavalry, equivalent to a U.S. Army Fireteam. Grupo de Combate (in Portuguese) is a subdivision of the platoon and commanded by a 3rd Sergeant, same to U.S. Army squad.
  • British Army: Corporal
    Corporal

    Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
  • Canadian Army: Sergeant
    Sergeant

    Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
     or Master Corporal
    Master Corporal

    Master Corporal , in the Canadian Forces, is an appointment of the rank of Corporal in the Canadian Forces Land Force Command and Canadian Forces Air Command....
  • Danish Army: Sergeant
    Sergeant

    Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
  • Estonian Defence Forces: Seersant or Nooremveebel
  • Finnish Army: Alikersantti or Kersantti (Corporal
    Corporal

    Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
     or Sergeant
    Sergeant

    Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
    )
  • German Army: Feldwebel
    Feldwebel

    Feldwebel is a Germany military rank which has existed since at least the 18th century with usage as a title dating to the Middle Ages. The word Feldwebel is usually, but incorrectly, translated as Sergeant....
     or Oberfeldwebel (previously Unteroffizier
    Unteroffizier

    Unteroffizier is both a specific military rank as well as a collective term for non-commissioned officers of the German military that has existed since the 19th century....
    )
  • Israeli Defence Force: Sergeant
    Sergeant

    Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
     (Samál) or Staff Sergeant
    Staff Sergeant

    Staff Sergeant is a Military rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company....
     (Samár)
  • Norwegian Army: Corporal
  • Spanish Army: Cabo 1º, Cabo mayor, Sargento or Sargento 1º
  • Swedish Army: First Sergeant
    Sergeant (Sweden)

    Obtaining the rank in Sweden It is awarded after completing 11 months of level 7 conscript training or after compleating a minimum of 6 months of basic military training followed by one year training at the Specialist Officers School....
  • Swiss Army: Wachtmeister
    Wachtmeister

    Wachtmeister was a Germany, Austrian and Switzerland military rank of non-commissioned officers. It was also adopted into Russian Army vakhmistr and was used as Sergeant-grade rank in cavalry , then Special Corps of Gendarmes and Cossack Host and Cossack Leib Guard units....
     (before 2004: Korporal
    Korporal

    Korporal is a rank in the Norway Norwegian Army and Royal Norwegian Air Force. It is the equivalent of corporal.There are three categories of korporal:...
    )
  • U.S. Army: Sergeant
    Sergeant

    Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
     or Staff Sergeant
    Staff Sergeant

    Staff Sergeant is a Military rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company....
  • U.S. Marine Corps: Sergeant
    Sergeant

    Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
     or Corporal
    Corporal

    Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....


Other military uses


A squad can also be an ad hoc group of soldiers assigned to a task, for example, a firing squad.

In the Canadian Army, the term "squad" can actually refer to a portion of a drill movement. This is generally used when a group of soldiers is learning a new drill movement, as it is easier to learn step-by-step, rather than all at once.

See also

Military science
Military science

Military science is the process of translating national defence policy to produce military capability by employing military scientists, including: theorists, researchers, experimental scientists, applied scientists, designers, engineers, test technicians, and military personnel responsible for prototyping....
 Squadron
Squadron

A squadron is a small military unit or formation of cavalry, Armoured forces, aircraft , or warships....
 Death squad
Death squad

A death squad is an armed squad that kills civilians, terrorists or guerillas. These groups tend to commit extrajudicial punishment assassinations / extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances of persons....
 Organization of Canadian Army rifle sections during World War II
Organization of Canadian Army rifle sections during World War II

During the Second World War, Canada utilized the ?Rifle Section? as its smallest organized formation of combat infantry soldiers. The section was lead by a corporal armed with a submachine gun , with the second in command being a Lance-corporal who had the responsibility of positioning the two-man Bren light machine gun team The Bren team was res...