[Graebarde]

Originally Posted by The Rifleman

What you're saying is partially accurate, but you've got to remember that we are going back into time. The conversion of the divsions hadn't happened yet. For example, it was 98th Infantry Division (Training) as opposed to 98th Infantry Divsion (IT). The total army school system may have never happened. Part of the draw down in the 90s was that the army didn't need all this structure for just BCT. OSUT was only limited to combat arms 11, 13, and 19 series.

First they are NOT Infantry Division (Training) or (IT), they are designated as TRAINING divisions, with no branch indicated. And I realize the Twilight timeline the conversion to IT had not yet taken place, though it was '93 when the transition started. As for the army school system, it preceeds this period. The branch schools have been around since at least WW2. And the school system trained specialists, not combat arms other than the higher grades/ranks. OSUT for combat arms makes sense, since a company of clerks, cooks, drivers, mechanics, medics, etc does not make a lot of sense generally speaking. And the TD has the schools for the support courses. The BCT would be OSUT concept, with persons selected for the support courses taken out after phase one (BCT) probably, or perhaps one company in a battalion had only BCT for the REMFs.

Originally Posted by The Rifleman

Your numbers are fairly close. Yes, there are only two officers per company and only three NCOs per platoon. But key is that your company command section is intact. Thats your clerk, commander, first sergeant and supply. Each platoon is getting a very good platoon sergeant and two squad leaders. The brains of the operation - company, platoon are there! These are light infantry divisions, so your HHC doesn't have to be big. You aren't moving sabot rounds for tanks and thousands of gallons of fuel for bradleys. Also, having those few key staff people, the brains of the logistics are there!

The Platoon NCOs we had in the companies were Staff Sergeants and Sergeants or Corporals. The only training SFC we had, which would be a platoon sergeant, was the SDI. As for VERY GOOD, that is debateable as I saw some loosers along with the Excellent, but that's not the argument. Yes a conversion to the said light infantry division would be easier than to the heavy, that's a given.

Originally Posted by The Rifleman

So the numbers at battalion level would look like this -

Three Infantry Companies each:
Commander
XO
First sergeant E-8
PAK clerk E-5
Supply Sergeant E-6
Armorer E-5
3 enlisted basic trainees as RTOs

3x Infantry Platoons each:
Platoon Leader (vacant)
Platoon Sergeant E-7
2x Squad Leader E-6
1x Squad Leader E-6 (vacant)
8x Team Leader E-5 (vacant)
31 enlisted basic trainees as infantry

HHC
Commander
First Sergeant E-8
PAK clerk E-5
Supply sergeant E-6

Transportation section
Section Sergeant E-6
8 vehicle drivers E-4

Mess Section
Food Service NCO E-7
4 cooks E-4

Medic Section
Squad leader E-6
4 medics E-4

Maintanence Section
Motor Sergeant E-7
ULLS clerk E-5
Squad Leader E-6
4 mechanics E-4

Mortar Platoon
Platoon Leader (vacant)
Platoon Sergeant E-7
2 x Section Sergeants E-6
12 enlisted basic trainees as mortar crews

Battalion Staff
Commander
XO/S-3
S-1
S-2 (vacant)
S-4
Sergeant Major
Ops Sergeant E-8
PAK section Sergeant E-7
4 enlisted staff E-4
8 enlisted staff (vacant)
8 enlisted basic trainees as RTOs, vehicle drivers, staff

This is REALLY a light support for the battalion, especially at the mess level. Doesn't there need to be a mess team at each company level? See above the company breakout of NCOs, though Committee group could and probably would contribute some needed NCOs in the E5-E7 paygrades.

Originally Posted by The Rifleman

As we can see, the missing links are platoon leaders and E-5 team leaders. I am NOT a fan of raw, untrained LTs, but an even bigger pet peeve is "shake and bake" sergeants. The point is, its world war III. If infantry battalions didn't have an S-2 after 3 years of WWIII would it hurt? Probably not. How long do you expect brand new LTs to survive in combat and how much do they contribute, compared to those E7s and E6s ? I'd say not much. These platoons are going to be able to shoot, move, communicate from the direction and training provided by those seasoned senior NCOs.

Where I do see a big problem is the missing E-5s. You can train soldiers in groups of 10, but the E-5s really are the ones that catch mistakes and ensure that things are moving along. They only have 3 joes to watch. However, after the first few fights, natural leaders and soldiers that have a knack for infantry combat will quickly rise and they'll be your team leaders.

I agree with this assessment. See the Committee Group comment as to where SOME of the missing NCOs will come from. CG has the largest group of troops in the TD, and the 'experts' per se.

Originally Posted by The Rifleman

Also, look at the strength for one of these new LIDs. They are running at about 5,000 full strength, not the 12,000 LID of pre-war. Times are desperate. Also, think about this: its 2000 and the US itself is in turmoil. Can't send soldiers overseas because there is no fuel, no ships. There are invaders coming across mexico and in washington state. Where would new draftees even come from? How would we get them to ft benning or ft knox? Closing some of the basic training centers and turning them into divisions just makes sense.

TDs only have about 3000 cadre total of all ranks and specialties. Granted times are desperate, that's a given. Where do the draftee's come from? Refugee camps for one, since in the army at least they can get a meal and it's more secure.. debateable I know. There would not be a need to move them to Benning, Knox or anywhere else. The TDs would set up at places like McCoy, Chaffee, Shelby, and other reserve camps/forts as well as at the existing forts such as Lewis, Ord, Sill, Polk, Riley, Hood, and other places where the RA units have moved out to the front. Facilities are there, why waste them. The TDs are regionally allocated. But as with everything else in Twilight, once TDM occurs all bets are off.