Battalion

A Battalion is a Military Unit. It is composed of around 500-1500 men. It is often made up of two to seven companies and is under the command of a Lieutenant Colonel or another officer. More than one Battalion often makes up a regiment or a brigade. In the United States Army,Battalions are made up of a Headquarters Company (Or Headquarters Troops for Cavalry Squadrons and Headquarters Batteries for Artillery Battalions) and several support Companies (Or Support Troops/Support Batteries). In a United States Marine Corps Battalion there is a Headquarters and Service Company and several Support Companies assigned to it. There are several types of Battalions in the United States Army. They include Intelligence Battalions,Engineer Battalions,Artillery Battalions,Aviation Battalions,Etc.

Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols

A Battalion is often the smallest military unit able to do movement on their own without being part of a larger unit. The battalion is often part of a regiment,group or a brigade.

Depending on the Region and Country/Service in which the Battalion is assigned to,there are several important people in a Battalion Headquarters and they include the following:

• Commanding Officer (CO) The Commanding Officer of a Battalion is always a Lieutenant Colonel or even a full Colonel
• Second-in-command (2i/c) The Second-In-Command is often a Major or a lieutenant Colonel if the Battalion is commanded by a full Colonel
• Adjutant The Adjutant is either a Captain or a Major
• Quartermaster (QM) The Quartermaster is either a Captain or a Major
• Regimental Medical Officer (RMO) Army Medical Services usually employs either a Captain or a Major as the Regimental Medical Officer
• Regimental Administrative Officer (RAO) Adjutant General's Corps employs either a Captain or a Major as the Regimental Administrative Officer
• Padre Royal Army Chaplains Department employs a Chaplain to provide support to members who may be experiencing mental, emotional and physical trauma while they are in service.
• Regimental Intelligence Officer (RIO) The Regimental Intelligence Officer is either a Lieutenant or a Captain
• Regimental Signals Officer (RSO) Royal Corps of Signals employs either a Lieutenant or a Captain as the Regimental Signals Officer
• Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) In Bermuda a Regimental Sergeant Major is usually a Warrant Officer Class 1
• Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (RQMS) The Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant is usually a Warrant Officer Class 2

Other websites

• French Infantry of the Napoleonic Wars
• The Battalion Commander's Handbook Archived 2012-12-12 at Archive.today, 1996, By Major General Richard A. Chilcoat, US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania