# A troop = How many people? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833 "2004-05-12T19:00:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![singersargent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@singersargent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singersargent)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/1 "2004-05-12T19:00:10Z")
I repeatly seeing the word troop in the news to define the number of soldier performing some action. A troop contains how many soldiers? And while we’re on the subject how many soldiers are in a battilion? Please clear this up for this civilian… ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/2 "2004-05-12T19:04:25Z")
This has always confused me. But I’ve come to the conclusion that troop=one service member. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/3 "2004-05-12T19:11:15Z")
Troops, I believe, refers to collective military personnel. e.g., “1000 troops” is 1000 soldiers, marines, or what have you. [Dictionary dot com](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=troops) also says a troop is the equivalent of a U.S. platoon in European armies. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/4 "2004-05-12T19:25:18Z")
The word “troop” has several military meanings. In the sentence, “The troops were issued ammunition.” it refers to individual soldiers. In the cavalry “troop” used to mean the organizational level equivalent to a “company” in the infantry and at different times consisted of different numbers of men. In the infantry a battalion consists of three rifle companies and a headquarters company pluss assigned support elements like, transportation, ordnance, signal corps, engineers, quartermaster, supply, intelligence, etc. The battalion itself has ~800 people. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/5 "2004-05-12T20:12:14Z")
In the media, unless they are referring to cavalry ‘troops,’ they mean one soldier / sailor / marine. In the Army, you will hear units of soldiers as: squad, platoon, company, battalion, brigade, regiment, division, etc… A ‘group’ in Army terms is usally a brigade size element of a support unit. (For instance, I’m a transporter, and I’m not serving in a combat arms unit, so my battalion’s higher is a group.) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/6 "2004-05-12T20:38:12Z")
I like to refer to them as a “Gaggle of Gomers.” For the USMC only. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/7 "2004-05-12T20:48:38Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Troops, I believe, refers to collective military personnel. e.g., “1000 troops” is 1000 soldiers, marines, or what have you. > > [Dictionary dot com](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=troops) also says a troop is the equivalent of a U.S. platoon in European armies. Doesn’t ‘European’ armies imply many armies? So _all_ of them feature the troop as an organisational unit? How odd! Here in the UK the term troop, as far as the military unit is concerned, I think ‘troop’ is restricted to special forces (SAS) and, IIRC, the Royal Marines. It’s not commonly used with regular infantry units. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/8 "2004-05-12T21:26:11Z")
This [web page](http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/blarmychainofcommand.htm) gives a good overview of the different sizes of units in the U.S. Army. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/9 "2004-05-12T22:05:35Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > In the media, unless they are referring to cavalry ‘troops,’ they mean one soldier / sailor / marine. Yes, but why? The word is identified as a collective noun in most every definition with which I’m familiar. Is the singular meaning as “troop=one soldier” a common military application, or a media bastardization? It’s just jarring to hear newscasters refer to “5 more troops killed” when they mean 5 _people_, and not the collective (as in 5\*the number in a “troop”). ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/10 "2004-05-12T22:51:51Z")
Yeah, it would be better if media used the term “troop **er** ” instead. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/11 "2004-05-12T23:01:26Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Yeah, it would be better if media used the term “troop **er** ” instead. Nah that won’t work either. “Trooper” can also refer to an individual cavalryman or paratrooper. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/12 "2004-05-12T23:45:34Z")
Unit size varies according to operational needs and number of people available. A Seabee battalion used to be 782 men, but that can swell in wartime or shrink in peacetime. A squad used to be 13 men and a platoon was 3-4 squads, depending on the function of the platoon. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/13 "2004-05-12T23:51:00Z")
> [@Quixotic](#): > > Yes, but why? The word is identified as a collective noun in most every definition with which I’m familiar. Is the singular meaning as “troop=one soldier” a common military application, or a media bastardization? It propably comes from the same source as “Grunts” or “Doughboys.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![unlimitedrobert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@unlimitedrobert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unlimitedrobert)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/14 "2016-11-29T17:52:10Z")
> [@singersargent](#): > > I repeatly seeing the word troop in the news to define the number of soldier performing some action. > > A troop contains how many soldiers? > > And while we’re on the subject how many soldiers are in a battilion? > > Please clear this up for this civilian… I learned that a troop comprises three to five platoons. The platoon contains from two to four squads or sections, each of which could have anywhere from eight to 14 soldiers ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/15 "2016-11-29T18:58:17Z")
> [@unlimitedrobert](#): > > I learned that a troop comprises three to five platoons. The platoon contains from two to four squads or sections, each of which could have anywhere from eight to 14 soldiers That’s the definition of a “company”. Next step up from a company is a battalion, then a regiment, then a brigade. A troop used to be a designation for a company of cavalry in the USA. Some armies may still use the designation, but not the American military. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/16 "2016-11-29T21:11:07Z")
Perhaps relevant to the generally-understood numerical qualities of a “Troop,” is that both the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the USA have minimums of **five** (for the establishment of a troop). > **[Scouts BSA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_Scouting_(Boy_Scouts_of_America))** > > On my honor, I will do my best, > To do my duty, to God and my country, and > To obey the Scout Law; > To help other people at all times; > To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. > -Scouts BSA Handbook > Scouts BSA (previously known as Boy Scouts, the official name until 2019) is the flagship membership level of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for boys and girls between the ages of typically 10 and 17. It provides youth training in character, citizenship, and mental and ... > **[Girl Scouts of the USA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_Scouts_of_the_USA)** > > Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. Founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, it was organized after Low met Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, in 1911. Upon returning to Savannah, Georgia, she telephoned a distant cousin, saying, "I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we're going to Gir... ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/17 "2016-11-29T21:28:51Z")
Troop is another word for Company. Air Calvary or Armored units. A Battery is an artillery company. But, each branch of the military uses different terminology. My dad was in a Air Force maintenance squadron. > **[How the U.S. Army Is Organized](https://www.liveabout.com/u-s-army-military-organization-from-squad-to-corps-4053660)** > > Learn the various organizational elements in the U.S. Army's structure, including the number of soldiers, functions and ranks of commanding officers. > [@](#): > > Company. A company contains three to five platoons and a total of 60 to 200 soldiers. It’s commanded by a captain with a first sergeant as the commander’s principal NCO assistant. If the element is an artillery unit, it’s called a battery rather than a company. If it’s armored or air cavalry, it’s called a troop. A company is a tactical sized unit and can perform a battlefield function on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/18 "2016-11-29T21:40:34Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > That’s the definition of a “company”. Next step up from a company is a battalion, then a regiment, then a brigade. A troop used to be a designation for a company of cavalry in the USA. Some armies may still use the designation, but not the American military. True except that the designation is still used in the US military. The reconnaissance units of US Army Brigade Combat Teams are called squadrons (battalion size) and subdivided into troops (company size units). IOW they use traditional cavalry organization nomenclature. The other components of the brigade use infantry, armor or artillery nomenclature for the various levels of unit, as the case may be. The tendency of recent years to refer to individual soldiers or the number of them as ‘troops’ is to abbreviate. At one time you could say ‘men’ or ‘servicemen’, but now that’s less accurate, such inaccuracy highly frowned upon, and 'servicemen and women ’ is significantly longer. Also it seems there’s more sensitivity now about saying ‘soldier’ referring to ground forces which include members of the USMC, although Marines are also ‘soldiers’ by a dictionary definition (‘one engaged in military service and especially in the army’; they are engaged in military service and while the Marines isn’t ‘the [US] Army’ it is basically ‘an army’ with a small ‘a’). ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/19 "2016-11-29T21:51:30Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > That’s the definition of a “company”. Next step up from a company is a battalion, then a regiment, then a brigade. A troop used to be a designation for a company of cavalry in the USA. Some armies may still use the designation, but not the American military. True except that the designation is still used in the US military. The reconnaissance units of US Army Brigade Combat Teams are called squadrons (battalion size) and subdivided into troops (company size units). IOW they use traditional cavalry organization nomenclature. The other components of the brigade use infantry, armor or artillery nomenclature for the various levels of unit, as the case may be. The tendency of recent years to refer to individual soldiers or the number of them as ‘troops’ is to abbreviate. At one time you could say ‘men’ or ‘servicemen’, but now that’s less accurate, such inaccuracy highly frowned upon, and 'servicemen and women ’ is significantly longer. Also it seems there’s more sensitivity now about saying ‘soldier’ referring to ground forces which include members of the USMC, although Marines are also ‘soldiers’ by a dictionary definition (‘one engaged in military service and especially in the army’; they are engaged in military service and while the Marines isn’t ‘the [US] Army’ it is basically ‘an army’ with a small ‘a’). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833/20 "2016-11-29T22:24:55Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I like to refer to them as a “Gaggle of Gomers.” For the USMC only. I’d go with a “golly”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-troop-how-many-people/244833.md?page=2)