Sociology

Images of Organization Analysis of US Army - Organization as information processing brains.
All aspects of organizational functions depend on informational processing of one form or another and therefore such organizations have been equated to a centralized brain that regulates all activities in the body (Gareth, 2006). The USA Army structure is a chain of command starting from the President who is the commander in chief to the lowest workforce. The USA armed forces are organized by the Department of Defense of United States which supervises the complex structure of combined command and organizing functions with many parts reporting to different commanding officers.
                             
The command of the US Army is coordinated from the Secretary of Defense of the United States who is the overall commander of all US Army including those deployed outside USA. The US Defense Secretary heads the Department of Defense of the USA which is concerned with military matters and armed forces services. The responsibility of the Defense Secretary is to be the principal advisor of defense policy to the president and is also accountable for formulation of defense policy concerning all matters of direct and primary concern to Department of Defense for implementation of accepted policy. He is appointed by the President after being accepted by the Senate is an affiliate of the Cabinet. Those in command for armed forces outside USA are given title depending on the countries deployed which include, African command, Central command, European command, southern command, joint forces command, special operations command, strategic command, and transportation command (About.Com, 2010). The second in command is the Deputy Defense Secretary of USA.

The central building block of all army organization is the entire soldier. A group of soldiers organized to combat is known as a squad. When elements of the army composition become larger in size they contain many more soldiers. A company forms the minimum army element that can be specified destination and association with a higher headquarters at division and contingent level. Nine to ten soldiers form a squad which is under control by a sergeant or staff sergeant. A squad represents the smallest element in the army structure and the size of a squad depends on its purpose. A platoon is composed of sixteen to forty four soldiers who are commanded by a lieutenant with a NCO as second in command and a platoon is comprised of two to four squads (About.Com, 2010). A company is comprised of sixty two to one hundred and ninety soldiers and three to four platoons form a company. A company is under control by a captain with first sergeant as the commanders principle NCO as the second in command.

In the USA air force a single soldier is called an airman and two or more airmen form a flight. For air force corps and air crew two or more of them form a section. Two or more flights comprise a squadron which is the lowest rank of command with a headquarter element. A squadron is under commander of Lt Col (0-5), though smaller squadrons can be under command by majors, captains or even lieutenants (US Department of Defense, 2006). Squadrons are recognized both by purpose and numerically for example 49th security forces squadron. A group is comprised of two or more squadrons. Groups are usually founded upon assignment of squadrons to perform similar functions for example air craft maintenance squadron, supply squadron and transportation squadron can be assigned to logistics group. The group is under command of Col (0-6).a wing is comprised of two or more groups. In air force base there is only one Wing known as the Wing commander (Office of the Press Secretary, 2005). Objective Wings reorganize and combine responsibilities and make clear lines of command. They can also have operational missions like air attack, flying training or they can provide support to a geographically separated unit (GSU). Every wing must always conform to generally concept of one base, one wing, and one commander. Wing commanders are mostly ranked as 0-7 brigadier general.

A numbered air force is normally allocated for geological purposes and principally in time of war, such as 7th Air force. During periods of peace they are few in number head quarters and their main job is to organize and retain war plans. Air Force Wings are under command of MAJCOMs (US Department of Defense, 2006). Wings whose main mission is to fly combat fighters or bombers would likely be assigned Air Combat Command. MAJCOMs deployed overseas are normally organized by the country area such as Pacific Air Forces.  Air Force MAJCOMs receive commands directly from the Air Force headquarters. There is no put extent of the number of personnel to be assigned to any specific element. The extent of an element is solely relies on the mission and the type of unit.

In Marine Corps the smallest unit is the marine which consists of three men to a fire team who are under command by a Corporal. Three fire teams comprise a rifle squad which is under command of a sergeant.  Three rifle squads comprise a platoon which is under command by a Lt. Three platoons form a company which is under command by a Capt. Three companies comprise a battalion which is under command by a Lieutenant Colonel (Office of the Press Secretary, 2005). A regiment is composed of three battalions also known brigade. A division is comprised of three brigades and a marine Corp is made up three or more divisions. Marine Expeditionary Unit is comprised of about 2200 marine personnel and is mainly assembled just around reinforced battalion as a part of air squadron a by support group of MEU service. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is under command of a colonel is normally required to accomplish the routine forward deployments with fleets in the Oceans.

Through the centralize control the US Army has managed to have the most well coordinated army in the world. This coordination has further been enhanced with the advancement of the latest information and communication technology. As armies developed larger the unit recognition remained principally a matter of regiment. Brigades commanded by brigadier generals were invented as a strategic unit to overcome the normal army structure (US Department of Defense, 2006).