Grenadier: The Armed Force

In any organization, a clear-cut hierarchy of personnel is necessary to ensure that things run smoothly at all levels. The armed forces is no exception. For thousands of years, military forces worldwide have maintained a strict structure of rank to ensure smooth operations and the maintenance of order in stressful environments. In fact, rank structure is one of the most defining characteristics of an organized military and serves a number of purposes. In order to build and maintain this discipline, newer soldiers often need direction and correction from more experienced members of the military. To do this, soldiers are assigned ranks according to their experience in combat or through training. Soldiers are then placed in command of those who
are less experienced and thus hold a lower rank. They can use this authority to enforce disciplinary measures to ensure a basic sense of order and discipline throughout the force. Much like in the civilian world, the military also uses rank structure to assign levels of responsibility to soldiers. Those of a lower rank would be equivalent to entry-level employees, while higher ranked enlisted members would be equivalent to mid-level management who supervise day-to-day operations. Commissioned officers, meanwhile, are more like corporate management and often do more to direct the force on a larger scale. This division of responsibility ensures that the most experienced soldiers take on the biggest and most complicated roles and members contribute to every level of the overall mission according to their qualifications

In Alpha Company 1st Platoon our rank structure is set up by a soldiers job in the platoon along with rank starting with a PVT (E-1) up to a PFC (E-3) which are known as riflemen. A riflemen is a versitile element in a fire team equipped with a M4 and a variety of different hand gernades a riflemen is the backbone of the fight. a riflemen's duties are as followed executing the orders of his Fire Team and Squad Leaders, maneuvering and providing cover fire with his element, and completing his mission at whatever cost. Although a riflemen holds the lowest rank in the army they have a very high powered posistion as far as there job goes. A grenadier is also a great member consisting of a SPC (E-4) Armed with an M4 and M203 grenade launcher, the Grenadier can deliver 40mm smoke and explosive rounds at point and ‎area targets from medium to long distances.
Although capable of providing support fire for the Squad/Fire Team, the Grenadier is a rifleman first and is expected to perform all the duties of a rifleman. In most missions each Fire Team is assigned one Grenadier. An automatic riflemen also known as a sawgunner who's rank is consisted of a senior PFC or SPC combines devastating firepower with quick maneuverability. The Automatic Rifleman is essential in providing overwhelming volumes of suppressive fire from medium to long range. No Fire Team is complete without the Automatic Rifleman. A sawgunner provides a Fire Team with a belt-fed light machine gun. The M249's high rate of fire, and large ammunition capacity gives a Squad/Fire Team a weapon that maintains a consistent rate of fire to provide cover for an advancing unit. A team leader which consists of a SPC or SGT plays a vigorous role in the army along with a major priority in any rank structure. A team leader controls the movement of his fire team and the rate and placement of fire by leading from the front and using the proper commands and signals. By maintaining accountability of his men,weapons and equipment he ensures that his soldiers maintain unit standards in all
areas. A squad leader which is normally a SGT is responsible for what the squad does or fails to do. He is a tactical leader that leads by example. He also controls the maneuver of his squad and its rate and distribution of fire. He manages the logistical and administrative needs of his squad requests. He issues ammunitoin, water,rations, and special equipment. A squad leader also maintains equipment accountability and directs the maintenance of the squads weapons and equipment. He inspects the condition of the soldiers weapons, clothing and equipment. He also keeps the Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant informed on status of squad. A platoon sergeant which is a senior nco in the patrol and second in the succession of command.
He helps and advises the patrol leader, and leads the patrol in the patrol leaders absence. Supervises the patrol's administration, logistics, and maintenaance. He prepares and issues paragraph 4 of the patrol OPORD. He duties of a platoon sergeant are as followed. He organizes and controls the patrol CP IAW the unit SOP, patrol leaders guidance, and METT-TC factors. He receives squad leaders requests for rations, water, and ammunition. Work with the company 1st SGT and XO to request resupply. He directs the routing of supplies and mail. He directs the patrol medic and patrol aid-litter teams in moving casualties to the rear. Monitoring the morale,discipline and health of patrol members. Supervising task-organized elements of patrol. support elements during raids or attacks. Secures patrols during night attacks and Coordinates and supervises company-directed patrol resupply operations. He also ensures that supplies are distributed the patrol leaders guidance and direction. A platoon sergeant ensures that ammunition, supplies and loads are properly and evenly
distributed. A platoon leader is responsible for what the patrol does or fails to do. This concludes tactical employment, training, administration, personnel management and logistics. He does this by planning, making timely decisions, issuing orders, assigning tasks and supervising patrol activities. He must know his men and how to employ the patol's weapons. He is responsible for positioning and employing all assigned or attached crew-served weapons and employment of supporting weapons. The platoon leader establishes time schedule using backwards planning. Consider time for execution, movement to the objective and the planning and preparation phase of the operation. He takes initiative to accomplish the mission in the absence of the orders. Keeps higher informed by using periodic situation reports. He also plans with the help of the platoon sergeant, squad leaders and other key personnel. The rank structure goes back to the 1700’s. The rank structure was put into place so that the soldiers had someone that was there to give out orders; also the rank structure was there to teach the newer enlisted respect. If the rank structure was not in place, there would be no order or discipline in the army. The United States ARMY is the World’s strongest army. And it is all because we have order and discipline threw out all of the ranks.When we know that the person out ranks us we need to show the proper respect that they have earned through being in the military and doing their job. As a soldier that has had a lot of mistakes with respecting the rank structure, I know how hard it may be. But all in all you want to respect the persons rank. It does not do anything to the person that you are disrespecting.I have always lived by the saying; respect is earned, not given. Well I realized something. A specialist and above has earned the respect that must be shown. If you do not see that they deserve respect. Guess what, the army feels and knows that they do deserve the respect of all their subordinates. So let us all do our selves a favor. Just bite your tongue and drive on.