Land Force Command

Land Force Command, more commonly known as LFC and to foreign power as the Uto-American Army is the largest military branch of Utocratic North America compared to Air Command and Fleet Command, with several million personnel active at any time, even during peace, its generals and marshals responsible for a far greater percentage of the national defense budget and human lives than the more prestigious Uto-American Navy.

When deployed, the LFC uses a combined arms doctrine in which the enemy's forward defenses are broken by overwhelming force, at which point, fresh, uncommitted mobile operational reserves are sent to exploit the strategic depth of an enemy front.

As such, a term of enlistment in the Army currently lasts for 12 years, with the first two years serving for basic training, either as an officer or enlisted. All recruits enlist as basic entrants to the service and are then directed onto an officer or enlisted track following evaluation of their skills.

The initial 2 years are spent to ruthlessly weed out those incapable of being Terran Soldiers, while simultaneously exposing the recruits to a myriad of different combat conditions from close quarters combat on space stations, arctic warfare, combat in an entirely toxic atmosphere, and the training regimes capstone exercise, a full combat drop from orbit. Fatalities were expected and frequently occurred during this training period, with as much as 10% of the class dying or being injured beyond repair (either physically or psychologically). A recruit may at any time be permitted to leave training during their first 2 years, as the service has no desire for those who themselves think they are incapable, though "washouts" carry with them severe social stigma, inability to achieve high citizenship tiers and also are barred from reentry. During times of national emergency, a Draft may also be instituted and citizens forced into the training program. Even then however standards are not relaxed and a recruit may still opt to abandon the program, though in this case they will be relegated into forced labor positions to support the war effort and markedly lower tiers of citizenship.

Those recruits who make it through training will graduate as a unit at the Company level (approximately 1,000 soldiers) Each of the Companies in turn will be combined to form a battalion (10,000 soldiers), which in turn form brigades (100,000 soldiers) and finally a full division, made up of 10 brigades for around 1 million soldiers. Each company of the Uto-American Army is specialized, so there may be an entire company of Armored soldiers, another light infantry, another of Atmospheric Aircraft pilots and so on. The companies are then organized into various battalions to serve that battalions over all purpose (be it support, armored, artillery, atmospheric etc) and then slotted into Brigades. While a Brigade is nominally intended to be able to deploy on its own initiative and fight under any condition, it is the Division that is the principle unit organization of the Uto-American Army, and Fleet Command designs its massive troop transports with this in mind.

The Divisions are formed brand new from the massive pools of recruits who graduate, with most recruits rising in authority based on ability. The Division will then spend anywhere from 2 to 5 years training as a cohesive unit before it is approved for combat operations. It rare, but not unheard of for a division to never be approved for combat at all, though in the few instances where this happens results in the general and his staff being thrown in prison for squandering resources, and punishments of varying severity for the entire division ranging from prison to tier reduction. For even the lowliest of privates. During time of war companies that sustain too many casualties are disbanded and slotted into a replacement company drawn from a graduating recruit class. Something considered non ideal but necessary to keep the division combat ready during war.The most skilled of the new recruits will be either Company commanders at the Captain rank or the companies Squad NCO, a Staff Sergeant. Higher ranking soldiers, Major for the officers and Platoon/Company Senior NCO's Sergeant First Class and above, are granted to soldiers who sign another 10 year term of service at the end of their previous term of enlistment. In the case of the NCO's this is done to insure the newly minted Captains and Lieutenants have a steadying experienced hand to teach things that cannot be taught in training. Promotion for officers during their first 10 years is rare and only comes upon their approval of a second term, which can be denied if the service decides it has no use for such soldiers in higher ranks. The 10 year term is by no means a solid one, as all soldiers ultimately serve at the needs of the Union, and in time of war a term of enlistment can be extended, especially if a unit needs to be transported from one end of the Union to the other.

Promotion is based on need and ability with far more turnover in the enlisted ranks then the officers. The Ranks of Staff Sergeant, Sergeant and Corporal often frequently being given and lost based on need, or happenstance. The Army also has a special rank of Warrant Officer. Warrant Officers are members of the Army who are given broad authority within the service but are not considered part of the regular combat formations and may not have even gone through basic recruit training. A Warrant officer may, for example, be the captain of a massive divisional troop transport, a scientist in an Army run research lab, or an intelligence operative attached to the Army. All ranks are ultimately granted at the needs of the Army and there is no solid rules governing promotion, with commanders given broad authority to pick the ranks of their subordinates, with the caveat that should their picks fail to handle the responsibility the failure will fall in equal measure both on the officer who failed, and the officer who confirmed them for that position.

The Divisions themselves are often frequently organized into Army groups that can range in size from a 3 divisions to 900 if necessary. The size of an Army Group itself is based solely on the needs of the moment and not any set standard. Regardless of size however they are all commanded by a 4 star general, with General Ranks below that being given to a division commander as a reflection of that particular commanders ability. The Uto-American Army has no sub organization between Division and Army group such as Corps or Regiments. Such ad hoc formations are created on the fly as combat dictates, where multiple divisions within an Army group are required to coordinate with each other. In which case the senior ranking division commander would command the overall operation.

At the end of a Divisions 10 years of service the unit flags and standards are retired and presented to a new graduating class of recruits to carry on the legacy should Land Force Command determine a units legacy is worth continuing. It again rare for such a dishonor be given to a unit, but over the years many divisions have been permanently retired, their failures deemed too great to overlook and thus be foisted onto a new graduating class. Those soldiers in the retiring division deemed suitable for higher rank are permitted to serve another term of service, this time as the divisions senior cadre of officers and NCO's, thus allowing a continuity of tradition between the soldiers of the prior term and the new. It is very rare for any soldier to be permitted a third term of enlistment, and was usually a privilege granted to those at the General Officer rank, or its equivalent NCO Rank of Sergeant Major.

RANKS

Recruit:
Basic entry for anyone joining the Army. All higher ranks are conferred on the title during training such as "Recruit Private" or "Recruit Lieutenant". They will be given formal Rank they hold a the end of the training as far to the Captain upon graduating Land Force training.

Private:
Lowest grade of soldier available. Often gain unfair reputation as a "punishment rank" despite repeatedly told by the Land Force the contrary, on account of being given worst peacetime jobs or most dangerous wartime mission on regular basis.

Private (Second Rate):
Also known as Seccie, is considered the standard rank for the masses of soldiers. those who held this rank are often seen as exceptional in many way and often trusted to at least do the task they are told to despite holding no formal responsibility

Private (First Rate):
Also known as Firstie, is considered an expert in whatever his task is and will often tasked with supervising other lower ranked privates. as well as given better privileges and accommodation

Corporal:
Lowest level of NCO. A Corporal is usually the second in command of a squad, the smallest Land Force formation ranging from 10-20 soldiers

Sergeant:
Squad Commander

Staff Sergeant:
Squad commander, but considered more competent/senior to a Sergeant. First Rank where an enlisted soldier may appear in Battalion, Brigade or Division staff.

Sergeant First Class:
Senior NCO in a Platoon, advisor to the Platoon Commander, or member of a unit staff. May also a senior NCO of a Company.

Master Sergeant:
Senior NCO in a Company or Battalion. May also appear in Army Group staff.

Sergeant Major:
Senior NCO in a Brigade, Division or Army Group formation

Lieutenant:
Platoon Commander

Captain:
Company Commander

Major:
Assistant Battalion Commander

Lieutenant Colonel:
Battalion Commander

Colonel:
Brigade Commander

Brigadier General:
Junior Division Commander

Major General:
Senior Division Commander. Those held rank above Major General are part of General Staff

Lieutenant General:
Either a senior Division or junior Army Group Commander

General:
Commander of an Army Group or strategic support unit commander, such as recruit training, R&D, logistic etc.

Marshall of the Land Force Command:
Overall Commander of the Land Force Command that doubles as the member of National Council