Questions about U.S. Marine ranks and their duties.

[SlowwHand]

You know, someone might actually believe you if it wasn't so abysmally written, Felch.

And you're incorrect, reg.

[Felch]

You know, someone might actually believe you if it wasn't so abysmally written, Felch.

I believe it. I've run sophisticated simulations, thousands of them. Some of the newer ones aren't so cut and dry on what makes a veteran, but the earlier models were all very clear that a barracks in the unit's home city would guarantee it. Them's the truths, I tell ya.

[SlowwHand]

Ah. Civ. Ok, gotcha.

[MrFun]

It all depends on circumstances. The first thing that you need to realize is that for every combat troop, there are at least 10 support personnel. They're there, still available targets.
I was in Supply. I've read idiots here bad mouth Supply. No, no one ever wanted to cut a Supply line. Why did they give me that M-16?
And another thing, if someone served in time of no conflict, so what? They made themselves available. They served. I bring it up because that's a frequent topic of conversation in veteran organizations. I'm on the "a veteran is a veteran" side, and I have a service medal and an Outstanding Unit citation.

kudos to you

So would a major be in charge of supplies, overseeing everyone working in supplies, at whatever base they're assigned to? Or no?

[MrFun]

Ah. Civ. Ok, gotcha.

[SlowwHand]

Yes, a Major can be in charge.

[Dinner]

~1/2 of army folks are combat arms I think so slowwy's 10:1 figure is kinda off the mark.

No, they really aren't.

[Ben Kenobi]

Depends on how you regard actual 'front-line' combat. 10:1 is about right. Slowwy's spot on here.

I was in Supply. I've read idiots here bad mouth Supply. No, no one ever wanted to cut a Supply line. Why did they give me that M-16?
And another thing, if someone served in time of no conflict, so what? They made themselves available. They served. I bring it up because that's a frequent topic of conversation in veteran organizations. I'm on the "a veteran is a veteran" side, and I have a service medal and an Outstanding Unit citation.

I think the best way to define it is by the commitment on the vet's side. Did he enlist? Did he serve out his time? Then he's a vet.

[kentonio]

Feeling a bit hurt that people don't think your non-combat service makes you a real vet? Why not comfort yourself in the knowledge that you didn't have to watch your friends get their limbs blown off, and that you don't need to spend the rest of your life waking up screaming or unable to discern between friends and enemies.

[SlowwHand]

Bitter? Pulled that right out of your ass, didn't you?

[onodera]

Rank doesn't determine your duties. There is a strong correlation between ranks and positions, but it's not 100%, and there are many more positions than ranks. What does a Senior VP do? No one can answer that.

[Dr Strangelove]

Historically a major commands a battalion. A lieutenant commands a platoon, a captain commands a company, a colonel commands a regiment, a brigadier general commands a brigade, a major general commands a division, a lieutenant general commands a corps and a general commands an army. However there today an army isn't just a field force so ther are a lot of officers who don't command an actual formation, but have administrative formations. For them their rank denotes their pay scale and who where they sit on the totem pole.

[regexcellent]

No, they really aren't.

So, tell me, what proportion of Army personnel are in the following branches for their MOS:

Infantry
Armor
Field Artillery
Air Defense Artillery
Aviation
Special Forces

[The Mad Monk]

Historically a major commands a battalion. A lieutenant commands a platoon, a captain commands a company, a colonel commands a regiment, a brigadier general commands a brigade, a major general commands a division, a lieutenant general commands a corps and a general commands an army. However there today an army isn't just a field force so ther are a lot of officers who don't command an actual formation, but have administrative formations. For them their rank denotes their pay scale and who where they sit on the totem pole.

GDW's Striker agrees with this.

[regexcellent]

Historically a major commands a battalion. A lieutenant commands a platoon, a captain commands a company, a colonel commands a regiment, a brigadier general commands a brigade, a major general commands a division, a lieutenant general commands a corps and a general commands an army. However there today an army isn't just a field force so ther are a lot of officers who don't command an actual formation, but have administrative formations. For them their rank denotes their pay scale and who where they sit on the totem pole.

Lieutenant Colonel commands a battalion, not a Major. The rank of Major is derived from the original Sergeants Major.