United States Infantry
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| United States Infantry | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | United States Infantry |
| Caption | U.S. infantry patrol, 21st century |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Close combat, maneuver, security |
| Size | Varies: squads to divisions |
| Garrison | Fort Benning (Georgia), Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell (Kentucky) |
| Battles | American Revolutionary War; War of 1812; Mexican–American War; American Civil War; Spanish–American War; World War I; World War II; Korean War; Vietnam War; Operation Desert Storm; Operation Iraqi Freedom; Operation Enduring Freedom |
United States Infantry is the land combat arm of the United States Army charged with close combat, maneuver, and holding ground. It traces institutional lineage through the Continental Army, the United States Continental Army, and the 19th- and 20th-century expansions that fought at Saratoga, Gettysburg, and on the Western Front at Meuse-Argonne. Infantry sustained doctrinal evolution through campaigns in Normandy, Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, and Khe Sanh.
History
The infantry's antecedents served under George Washington during the American Revolutionary War and reorganized for the War of 1812 under leaders such as Andrew Jackson. Mid-19th century conflicts including the Mexican–American War and the American Civil War produced reforms echoing in the campaigns of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. Expansion during the Spanish–American War and reforms by Winfield Scott preceded mobilization for World War I under commanders like John J. Pershing, whose forces fought in the Meuse–Argonne Offensive. In World War II infantry formations executed campaigns planned with input from George C. Marshall and fought in operations from Operation Torch to Operation Overlord and the Pacific War island-hopping campaigns. Cold War and post-Cold War conflicts—Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), Iraq War—shaped counterinsurgency and combined-arms integration influenced by thinkers such as William S. Lind and institutions like the National Training Center.
Organization and Structure
Infantry forces are organized from squads to divisions: squads led by noncommissioned officers often reporting to platoons commanded by lieutenants within companies led by captains in battalions commanded by lieutenant colonels. Brigades (including Stryker Brigade Combat Teams and Infantry Brigade Combat Teams) fall under divisions such as the 1st Infantry Division and the 82nd Airborne Division. Higher command interfaces include corps like III Corps and theater commands such as United States Central Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command. Institutional alignment for training and doctrine is overseen by centers including United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and schools at Fort Benning (Georgia) and the United States Army Infantry School.
Roles and Tactics
Infantry executes close-quarters fighting, deliberate assaults, defensive operations, patrolling, reconnaissance in force, and urban operations. Tactics evolved through combined-arms coordination with Armored Brigade Combat Teams, aviation support from United States Army Aviation Branch, and fire support from Field Artillery, integrating lessons from Battle of the Bulge, Plei Me, and Ramadi. Special operations interplay with units such as United States Army Rangers and Delta Force for raids and direct action. Counterinsurgency doctrine drew on manuals produced after operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and field reports from commanders such as David Petraeus.
Training and Doctrine
Basic and advanced infantry training occurs at Fort Benning (Georgia) and other centers, with initial entry at Basic Combat Training and specific pathways through One Station Unit Training. Doctrine is codified in field manuals and publications developed by TRADOC, the Army Capabilities Integration Center, and the Combined Arms Center. Live-fire exercises at facilities like the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center replicate scenarios informed by historical analyses of Operation Market Garden and Hamburger Hill. Professional military education includes schools such as the United States Army War College and Warfighter exercises coordinated with allies including NATO partners.
Equipment and Weapons
Infantry equipment ranges from individual arms—M4 carbine, M249 light machine gun, M240 machine gun, M17 pistol, M320 grenade launcher—to squad support like the Javelin (missile) and systems such as the M2 Browning in vehicular mounts. Personal protection includes helmets like the Advanced Combat Helmet and body armor platforms fielded alongside night-vision devices such as the AN/PVS-14. Mobility and support incorporate vehicles including the Stryker, Humvee, and M2 Bradley, while indirect fires are delivered by M777 howitzers and close air support from F/A-18 and AH-64 Apache platforms. Communications link infantry to higher echelons via systems developed by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-sponsored programs and acquisition offices like Program Executive Office, Soldier.
Notable Units and Campaigns
Historic units include the 1st Infantry Division ("The Big Red One"), the 101st Airborne Division at Normandy and Operation Market Garden, and the 82nd Airborne Division at Sicily and Operation Overlord. Regiments such as the 7th Cavalry Regiment and the 506th Infantry Regiment gained renown in Little Bighorn-era campaigns and in the European Theater under leaders like Norman Schwarzkopf Jr.. Campaigns highlighting infantry adaptability include Gallipoli-era analyses, amphibious assaults at Okinawa and Iwo Jima, mountain warfare at Korea’s Chosin Reservoir, jungle operations in Vietnam's Ia Drang Valley, and urban counterinsurgency in Fallujah and Mosul.
Modern Developments and Future Trends
Recent transformations emphasize networked infantry within Multi-Domain Operations concepts promoted by U.S. Army Futures Command and TRADOC, integrating unmanned systems such as the MQ-1 Predator-class derivatives, squad-level robotics, and artificial intelligence research from DARPA and Army Research Laboratory. Force design changes include modular brigade structures, modernization programs like Next Generation Squad Weapon and soldier lethality initiatives led by Program Executive Office, Soldier, and doctrine updates reflecting gray-zone competition with adversaries including People's Republic of China and Russian Federation. Emphasis on urbanization, cyber integration with United States Cyber Command, and sustainment under contested logistics frameworks continues shaping training, procurement, and alliances with partners like United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan.