Marines could increase some rifle squads to 15

via Business Insider India

*The Marines are expanding rifle squads to include up to 15 troops as warfare becomes more technical.

*Marine Corps infantry squads could soon expand from 13 troops to 15 as warfare gets more technical. The change is expected to come soonest for rifle squads on Navy ships.

*Squad leaders are taking on a host of new responsibilities like drones and cyber to help the service prepare for the future fight.

Marines operating at sea could soon form the biggest rifle squads in the modern military as top leaders move toward expanding their size to 15-person teams.

Rifle squads deployed with Marine expeditionary units could plus up to 15 as soon as 2020, Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said Wednesday. The extra personnel will help squad leaders deal with new responsibilities they're taking on as warfare grows more technical.

"If we take it to 15, that's difficult for one person, I think, to command and control," Neller told reporters during a Defense Writers' Group event in Washington, D.C. "That's why we added those two other people - to help that squad leader whose workload is increasing."
Marine officials announced in May that the traditional 13-person squad would drop to 12, including new assistant squad leader and squad-systems operator billets. Both of those Marines will come from the infantry ranks.

A 12-person squad will be the minimum size grunts can expect across the infantry, said Lt. Col. Eric Dent, Neller's spokesman. But if operational demands require it, leaders will have the ability to flex the size to 15 by adding an additional rifleman to each of the three fire teams.

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A hardcore rant is on the tip of my tongue but I'm gonna "sit down, chill out and wait"...wait for an explanation.

I will say this.

When you see whipsaw decision making.

When you see vacillation on something this important....it bodes ill for any organization and especially a warfighting organization.

I'll wait but I expect to be dazzled.