As with any military organization, the scout platoon of 3SIR was highly structured and hierarchical. At the highest level, the platoon was under the direct orders of the battalion Intelligence Officer (S2), who heads the battalion's Intelligence Branch (S2 Branch).The scout platoon was basically divided into 3 sections, which in turn was subdivided into 6 teams of 5 men each and a platoon HQ. The platoon HQ consists of the Platoon Commander (PC), the Platoon Sergeant, and the platoon runner:
Each scout team consists of the following specialists:
- Team Commander
- Deputy Commander
- Signaler
- SAW* gunner
- Driver
*SAW= Section Automatic Weapon, the Ultimax 100 light machine gun
In addition, "micro-units" of two men each could be found within each team. For instance, during a mission, the Team Commander could work with the SAW gunner while the deputy commander conducts surveillance work with the signaler. Team drivers were assigned to the various infantry companies in 3SIR for use in patrolling missions.
Rank Structure
The Armed Forces is distinguished from other organizations by its clear-cut hierarchical rank structure. The following shows the rank structure of the scout platoon:
- Platoon Commander-- Lieutenant/ 2nd Lieutenant
- Platoon Sergeant -- 1st Sergeant/ 2nd Sergeant
- Platoon Runner-- Corporal
- Team Commander-- 3rd Sergeant
- Reconnaissance Trooper-- Corporal; the reconnaissance platoon is the only platoon in any regiment consisting of men that are either 3rd Sergeants or Corporals.*
*This however, does not mean that the degree of authority is highly formal within the scout teams. See account on internal relationships.
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