Platoon

A Platoon is a military unit used by the UNSC Marine Corps to organize its combat forces. Normally, a Platoon is composed of several squads or fire teams. A platoon can contain at least 30 to 50 troops.

Composition
Platoons are a sub-unit of a Company, several of which form a Battalion. Multiple Battalions compose a Regiment, with several Regiments in a Division. Brigades are not often used by the Marine Corps, but are organised as ad hoc units for specific deployments. Depending on their purpose, a Platoon can have a varying number and specialty of its personnel. Using a US Marine Corps platoon as an example, a Rifle Platoon usually encompasses three squads of riflemen, as well as a Navy medical Corpsman, a Platoon Commander (usually a Second Lieutenant or First Lieutenant) and a Platoon Sergeant (usually a Staff Sergeant or Gunnery Sergeant). If the UNSC uses a Weapons Platoon, then the squads are replaced by mortar section, assault section and medium machine gun section.

ODST platoons seem to have fewer members than the regular Marine units, possibly because they aren't as easily defeated in battle, making it more efficient to deploy them in smaller forces.

Known UNSC platoons

 * First Platoon
 * 105th Drop Jet Platoon
 * Fifth Platoon
 * Fourteenth Platoon