One thing that hasn't been pointed out. The difference between M2 and M113 Mech Battalions was the M113s were suppose to support the troops form the rear and not be in the middle of the fire fight. While the M2 were made with the mind set they would move forward with the troops.
I can understand the confusion. 28 seats for dismounts in M2 platoon as oppose to the old M113 where there 36 seats for dismounts. There was a similar issue when the Marine purchased the LAV-25 in that it had 7 dismounts too. The new Strykers ICV have gone back to 9 seats...
If you were to use the M2 Mechanized Platoon as in V1 from what the GDW had access to the M2 Platoon would be organized into 2 strong squads or three week squads depending on the organization used from unit to unit. Also remember while mounted the Platoon Leader and Plt Sgt would each command a Bradley with one of them having E-5 who would jump into the commander seat when the dismounts left the Bradleys, while one of them would take command of the dismount element.
One thing to remember is regardless of the vehicle, in theory the dismount element would have access to M60/M240 and anti-tank weapons as well as ammo stored aboard for the M4/M16s/M249s. The ICV/IFVs were in theory to add their firepower and to help make up lack of man-power of organized weapon squad on foot.
Since 2003 I believe lot of stuff has been standardized much more so than before due day in and day out operations in Iraq. Which helps since before Desert Shield/Storm it was largely theory and with 100 hours of practice it was hard to figure what work and didn't with the M2 Platoon organization. Also in 2003 they had realized the both in the Army and Marine Corps, that Mechanized units would have to rely on more vehicle than what was in the standard platoon.
With the Marine Corps, it depends the LAV-25 units would be spread out like M2 unit, but this was more of recon/rapid reaction force type unit. The Marine Corps also had the Amphibious Assault vehicles in which they could carry Squad plus in them, and they were used in the pushed to Baghdad. There were stories of Company Command being in HMMWVs and 2 or 3 of these vehicles and other HMMWVs being used to carry Platoons of the rifle company. One commander recounted how in one fire fight his driver panic and turned the HMMWV where his side of the HMMWV was expose to enemy fire....
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