ARTICLES

ased on older equipment. The infantry sub-unit is only partially covered by
B-GL-321-007, LAV Company Tactics (Interim) (2003), a manual intended as an interim
tactical introduction to the LAV III (the final version discussed in this manual has yet to
materialize 12 years later) and does not cover tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP)
for light infantry companies. The new B-GL-309-003, The Infantry Section and Platoon in
Operations (2013) provides details on platoon and section employment while briefly
summarizing the battalion and company.
Alongside this doctrine is the Army’s field force review initiative, Force 2013. Issued in 2010
and 2011, this series of policy documents and presentations was a comprehensive revision of
the Army’s force structures for both generation (training) and employment (operations) under
the aegis of the Managed Readiness Plan. With respect to the infantry, Force 2013 stipulated
interim establishments for six mechanized infantry battalions and three light infantry
battalions, each of three rifle companies, a combat support company and an administration
company. These battalions, regardless of role (mechanized or light) are symmetrical in
manning in both generation and employment, with the difference between the two simply
being the nature of the vehicle (if any) that their rifle companies are equipped with.
The structures, created in 2011, were described as interim until the implications of new vehicle
projects, the CCV and the TAPV, on doctrine and establishments were determined. 2
The mechanized infantry battalions, with companies equipped with a mix of LAVs and the
now-defunct CCV, are established at 833 personnel all ranks for employment, with many of
these positions filled through out-of-unit and reserve augmentation for operational purposes
only, leaving the force generation strength for garrison training of these battalions set at 593.
The light battalions possess one additional soldier (a parachute rigger) for 834 personnel all
ranks for employment, but are reduced to 560 personnel in garrison for training purposes.
(Originally also at 593 personnel, the three light battalions lost a rifle platoon’s worth of
positions each to provide positions for other Army initiatives.)
The Force 2013 rifle company, established at 176 personnel for operations and 138 for training,
consists of large headquarters (with a company operations cell and company weapons
detachment) and a complete echelon with supply, maintenance, medical and messing elements.
The company possesses three 40‐soldier platoons, each possessing a headquarters, a weapons
detachment (consisting of four soldiers for a mechanized company and seven for a light company)
and three 10‐person rifle sections. This structure, based on the mechanized platoon, is
the same for any variant of the rifle company, whether equipped with LAV, CCV, TAPV or in
the light role. This organizational concept was deliberately established to simplify any rerolling
for operations and is reflected in doctrine in The Infantry Section and Platoon in Operations. 3
Regardless of role, all battalion combat support companies and administration companies are
organized in the same way. The combat support company, with a reconnaissance (recce)
platoon, a sniper group and a signals platoon, is established at 86 personnel all ranks in
garrison with augmentation bringing up strength to 122 for operations. The administration
company, with supply, transport and maintenance platoons, is allocated 62 personnel in
garrison and augmented to 92 for operations (the lower establishment is due to the large rifle
56 THE CANADIAN ARMY JOURNAL VOLUME 16.2 2016