Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100-200 soldiers.
US Army
In the United States military, a company is formed of three to six platoons and is typically commanded by a captain. Several companies form a battalion.
By tradition, an artillery "company" is always called a battery. An armored or cavalry "company" is often called a troop.
Line combat companies are identified by letter - for example, A Company, 1st Battalion, 15th Rifle Regiment. The letters are usually pronounced using the NATO phonetic alphabet or, before that, the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, resulting in names such as Charlie Company and Easy Company.
British Army
The British Army also identifies its rifle companies by letter (usually, but not always, A, B and C) within an infantry battalion. The Intelligence Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Military Police and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers all have individually numbered companies. The Royal Marines has companies designated by letter.
The Household Cavalry, Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Engineers, Royal Corps of Signals, Army Air Corps, Special Air Service and Royal Logistic Corps have squadrons instead of companies (although the Royal Engineers and Royal Signals had companies until after the Second World War, except in armoured divisions). The Royal Artillery has batteries. The defunct Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Pioneer Corps and Royal Army Ordnance Corps had companies; the Royal Corps of Transport had squadrons.
British companies are usually commanded by a major, the Officer Commanding (OC), with a captain as Second-in-Command (2i/c). Until after the Second World War, the company commander of an infantry company was usually a captain, although companies of other corps were often under majors even then. The company headquarters also includes a Company Sergeant Major (CSM) and a Company Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS).
Disambiguation
Some companies were well enough known that they have been identified with their company letter. Examples include:
See also
