Guides
Army unit sizes and the ranks that lead them
From a team of four Soldiers to a corps of up to 40,000: what each Army unit holds and which officer or NCO usually leads it.
Who leads an Army unit, and how big is it?
Army battalion
300 to 1,000 Soldiers
| Usually led by: a lieutenant colonel, with a command sergeant major | |
| Made of | 3 to 5 companies |
Figures given by the Army on army.mil.
The Army ties its ranks to the size of the unit each one usually leads, and publishes the ladder on army.mil. A team of about four Soldiers is led by a sergeant. A squad of eight to sixteen, two or three teams, is led by a staff sergeant. A platoon of 16 to 44, two to four squads, is led by a lieutenant with a sergeant first class as platoon sergeant. A company of 60 to 200 is commanded by a captain with a first sergeant. A battalion of 300 to 1,000 is commanded by a lieutenant colonel, a brigade of 1,500 to 3,200 by a colonel, each with a command sergeant major. A division of 10,000 to 16,000 is commanded by a major general and a corps of 20,000 to 40,000 by a lieutenant general. Cavalry, artillery and Special Forces use other names for some of these levels, such as troop, battery, squadron and group.
What is this rank called in another service?
Army Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) in the Navy
Commander
| Pay grade | O-5 |
| Group | Mid-grade officer |
| Abbreviation | CDR |
Equivalence follows the pay grade, the rule the services use between them.
Ranks and pay tables read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The ladder
| Unit | Soldiers | Made of | Usually led by | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 4 Soldiers | the smallest element | a sergeant | E-5 |
| Squad | 8 to 16 Soldiers | 2 to 3 teams | a staff sergeant | E-6 |
| Platoon | 16 to 44 Soldiers | 2 to 4 squads | a lieutenant, with a sergeant first class as platoon sergeant | O-1 |
| Company | 60 to 200 Soldiers | 3 to 5 platoons | a captain, with a first sergeant | O-3 |
| Battalion | 300 to 1,000 Soldiers | 3 to 5 companies | a lieutenant colonel, with a command sergeant major | O-5 |
| Brigade | 1,500 to 3,200 Soldiers | 3 or more battalions | a colonel, with a command sergeant major | O-6 |
| Division | 10,000 to 16,000 Soldiers | 3 brigades | a major general | O-8 |
| Corps | 20,000 to 40,000 Soldiers | 2 to 5 divisions | a lieutenant general | O-9 |
Other names for the same level
The Army notes several: ground or air cavalry units call a company a troop, field artillery and air defense artillery call it a battery; an armored or air cavalry battalion is a squadron; an armored cavalry brigade is a regiment; Special Forces brigades are groups and Ranger units regiments. A battalion task force is a battalion with additional companies attached.
Quick check: 2026 basic pay
O-5, over 18 years
$11,713.80 / mo
| Over a year | $140,566 |
| Lowest rate of the grade | $7,295.40 |
| Highest rate of the grade | $12,394.80 |
DFAS table effective January 1, 2026; basic pay only.
Three corps
The Army has three corps headquartered in the continental United States, I, III and XVIII Corps, according to its ranks page. A corps provides command, control and logistical support for two to five divisions and the framework for multinational operations. In other services the units differ: the Navy speaks of ships, squadrons and fleets, the Air Force of flights, squadrons, groups and wings. The Army ranks page lists each rank with its insignia.