Information on the US military branch of Infantry. Basic history and branch detail including examples of current infantry units and requirements and paths to becoming a member of the infantry. Made for an ROTC branch brief to better understand the different job opportunities outside of Army ROTC.

1. Infantry
CDT COUTURE
November 2012 {UNCLASSIFIED}

2. Agenda
✤ Tasks To gain a greater knowledge on the US Army
Infantry branch.
✤ Conditions A classroom of highly motivated MSIIs.
✤ Standards All MSIIs will be knowledgable on the US Army
Infantry branch.
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3. References
✤ Army Officer’s Guide 51st Edition
✤ FM 7-8
✤ FM 1-02+
✤ +FM 101-5-1
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4. Outline
✤ Basic Branch Knowledge
✤ Creation
✤ Types of Infantry
✤ Officers and Enlisted
✤ Questions
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5. Mission
The mission of the infantry is to close with
the enemy by means of fire and maneuver
to defeat or capture him, or to repel his
assault by fire, close combat, and
counterattack.
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6. Definition
■ Attack over approaches that are not feasible for heavy forces.
■ Make initial penetrations in difficult terrain for exploitations by armor and mechanized
infantry.
■ Retain existing obstacles and difficult terrain as pivots for operational and tactical
maneuver.
■ Seize or secure forested and built-up areas.
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■ Control restrictive routes for use by other forces.

7. Officer
Basic Information
]Information Enlisted
Officer
]Information
✤ Active 14 June 1775
✤ Nickname Queen of Battle
✤ Motto Follow Me
✤ Branch Color Light Blue
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8. {UNCLASSIFIED}

9. South Vietnam in December 1967
Creation
✤ Made to meet the demands of
the Revolutionary War
✤ Originally had men from British
Army
✤ French and Prussian influence
{UNCLASSIFIED}

10. Light Infantry
✤ Lack of heavy weapons and armor.
✤ Reduced vehicle usage.
✤ Surprise, stealth, violence of action
✤ Increased in 1980s to make an easily
deployable force that deploys for a
shorter amount of time.
✤ Reduced in 90s, successful in
Afghanistan.
✤ 10th Mt Division
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11. Air Assault
Infantry
✤ Rappel and air transportation
✤ Seize and hold key terrain using
helicopter assets
✤ Can sometimes be classified as light
infantry.
✤ 101st Airborne Division (only division
sized helicopter force)
✤ Other units perform air assault
capabilities
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12. Airborne
Infantry
✤ Usually light infantry classification
✤ Moved by aircraft to be dropped into
battle - vertical envelopment
✤ Lack supplies for long term
✤ Sensitive to weather conditions
✤ Used a lot in WWII.
✤ “Paratrooper” 82nd Airborne Division
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13. Mechanized
Infantry
✤ Armored personal carriers (APCs) or
infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs)
✤ Vehicles are hard shelled and
protected (As opposed to a jeep)
✤ Use weapons attached such as anti-
tank guided missiles
✤ Greatest firepower but requires more
combat supplies
✤ Most infantry units have at mechanized
capabilities
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14. Ranger Infantry
✤ Graduate from US Army Ranger
School and Airborne School
✤ Trained for parachute, special
operations helicopter, small boat, or
dismounted
✤ Ranger Recon also trained in scuba
and free-fall parachuting
✤ Increasing use as special ops
✤ 75th Ranger Regiment (light infantry)
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15. Infantry Officer
✤ Leadership and Adaptability
✤ Highly competitive ROTC OML
✤ Coordinate employment of new
infantrymen
✤ No women
✤ Land combat
✤ Only Active Duty or Guard
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16. Infantry
Enlisted
✤ 14 weeks of training before becoming
an infantryman or indirect fire
infantryman
✤ Training is mostly FTX
✤ Discipline and high moral
✤ Require ASVAB of 87+ for Combat
✤ ASVAB of 31+ for entry level
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17. Questions?
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