Mechanized Squad Changes

[Gamer]

god knows anyone who ever climbed in the back of an original pattern infantry Brad could have pointed out the seating arrangement had obviously been designed by a graduate of a reputable clown college .

Your giving them too much education credit

[Abbott Shaull]

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....

[HorseSoldier]

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....

It is a rare, wise, and skilled junior enlisted soldier who has the presence of mind to ensure there's an officer between himself and hostile fire . . .

[copeab]

When an APC is disabled, does the crew become part of the infantry squad? I believe this was the practice in the US during WWII. If a halftrack was knocked out, the crew dismounted one of the MGs (a tripod was normally carried as cargo for such a situation) and fight along with the soldiers the halftrack had been carrying. What is the SOP for modern APC crews?

(On a related note, on most WWII tanks the coaxial gun could be dismounted from the tank and used by the crew away from it (again, a tripod was carried))

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by copeab

What is the SOP for modern APC crews?

A Mech Infantry and Stryker Infantry organization is significantly different.

In a Mech Infantry Platoon, the Bradley Commanders are the four senior most men in the Platoon: the PL, the PSG, and the two Section Sergeants (both senior E6s). If a vehicle is unusable, then that guy should take command, but let the Squad Leader of the dismounts lead his squad. "Hey, take your squad and secure that," as opposed to "SSG X, I need you, Y, Z, and A to go and establish a base of fire while B, C, and D do that."

In a Stryker unit, the Vehicle Commander is the dismounted Squad Leader, the PL, or the PSG depending on the truck. MTOE says that the Gunner is the Vehicle Commander, but they're usually an E5 or a Corporal (rarely a Specialist, but that's a very, very senior E4 in those cases). So if the vehicle is rendered inoperable, then the VC is already the guy in charge on the ground and there should be no conflicts with just incorporating that gunner and driver into the dismounts.

[HorseSoldier]

That BFV (XX1).pdf looks fairly accurate, but there are some things I'd be careful about. It looks like it dumbs down some things and is a little inaccurate with a couple others. Scouts are 11-series, not 19-series, something else multiplied the squad leader by 4

I was out of the conventional/Big Army world for the past while, but when did the scout platoon in a mech infantry battalion stop being 19Ds?

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by HorseSoldier

I was out of the conventional/Big Army world for the past while, but when did the scout platoon in a mech infantry battalion stop being 19Ds?

Since at least 2006 when I switched to the O side of the house.