Battalion facts for kids
A battalion is a military group, like a team of soldiers, that usually has between 500 and 1500 people. It's often made up of several smaller groups called companies. A battalion is usually led by a commander, often called a Lieutenant Colonel. Several battalions can form a bigger group like a regiment or a brigade.
A battalion is often the smallest military unit that can move and operate on its own. It doesn't always need to be part of a much larger group to do its job.
Who Leads a Battalion?
A battalion has several important people who help run it. Here are some of the key roles:
- Commanding Officer (CO): This is the main leader of the battalion. They are usually a Lieutenant Colonel or sometimes a full Colonel.
- Second-in-Command (2i/c): This person is the CO's helper and takes charge if the CO is not available. They are often a Major or a Lieutenant Colonel.
- Adjutant: This officer helps with the daily organization and paperwork for the battalion.
- Quartermaster (QM): This person is in charge of all the supplies, like food, equipment, and uniforms, that the battalion needs.
- Medical Officer: This officer is a doctor who takes care of the soldiers' health.
- Padre: This is a chaplain who provides spiritual support and advice to the soldiers.
- Intelligence Officer: This officer gathers and understands information that is important for the battalion's missions.
- Signals Officer: This officer makes sure all the communication systems, like radios, work correctly.
- Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM): This is a very experienced non-commissioned officer who helps maintain discipline and training among the soldiers.
Images for kids
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Australian 11th (Western Australia) Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, posing on the Great Pyramid of Giza on 10 January 1915
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Organization of Soviet Motor Rifle Battalion late 1980s
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1980s Soviet tank battalion and company
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1980s Soviet 122mm artillery battalion
See also
In Spanish: Batallón para niños
