View source for Brigade

{{Short description|Large military formation (3–6 battalions / 3,000–10,000 troops)}}
{{about|a type of military unit}}
{{Redirect2|Brigade Commander|armoured brigade|the video game|Brigade Commander (video game)|the Finnish Army training unit|Armoured Brigade (Finland)}}
{{Refimprove|date=March 2025}}
{{Military units}}

{{army units}}

{| class="floatright" style="border:1px solid black; background:white;float: right;text-align: center" cellpadding="3"
|-
! [[NATO Joint Military Symbology|NATO Map Symbols]]<ref name="auto1">{{cite book |title=APP-6C Joint Military Symbology |date=May 2011 |publisher=[[NATO]] |url=http://armawiki.zumorc.de/files/NATO/APP-6(C).pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921231042/http://armawiki.zumorc.de/files/NATO/APP-6(C).pdf |archive-date=2015-09-21 }}</ref>
|-
| 
|-
|-
| [[File:Military Symbol - Friendly Brigade or Wing (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]
|-
|a friendly brigade
|-
| [[File:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Brigade.svg|80px|  ]]<br />[[File:Military Symbol - Hostile Unit (Solid Diamond Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6A).svg|80px]]
|-
|a hostile brigade
|-
| [[File:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Brigade.svg|80px|  ]]<br />[[File:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Infantry (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]
|-
|a friendly infantry brigade
|-
| [[File:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Brigade.svg|80px|  ]]<br />[[File:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Combined Manoeuvre Arms (NATO APP-6C).svg|80px]]
|-
|a friendly combined-arms brigade
|-
| [[File:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Brigade.svg|80px|  ]]<br />[[File:Military Symbol - Hostile Unit (Solid Diamond Frame)- Armour (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]
|-
|a hostile armored brigade
|-
| [[File:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Brigade.svg|80px|  ]]<br />[[File:Military Symbol - Hostile Unit (Solid Diamond Frame)- Military Engineers (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]
|-
|a hostile engineer brigade
|}

A '''brigade''' is a major tactical [[military unit|military formation]] <!--"echelon" is too obscure a term to be used here without an explanatory lk -- but not to the Dab [[echelon]]: is military echelon --> that typically comprises three to six [[battalion]]s plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced [[regiment]]. Two or more brigades may constitute a [[Division (military)|division]].

Brigades formed into divisions are usually infantry or armored (sometimes referred to as combined arms brigades). In addition to combat units, they may include combat support units or sub-units, such as artillery and engineers, and logistic units. Historically, such brigades have been called brigade-groups. On operations, a brigade may comprise both organic elements and attached elements, including some temporarily attached for a specific task.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Brigades may also be specialized and comprise battalions of a single branch, for example cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, air defence, aviation, engineers, signals or logistic. Some brigades are classified as independent or separate and operate independently from the traditional division structure. The typical [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|NATO]] standard brigade consists of approximately 5,000 troops. However, in Switzerland and Austria, the numbers could start as high as 10,000 troops. The Soviet Union as well as its forerunners and successors have mostly used "regiment" instead of brigade, and this was common in much of Europe until after World War II.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

A brigade's commander is commonly a [[major general]],{{NoteTag|Brazil, Chile, Japan, and the [[Republic of China on Taiwan]]}} [[brigadier general]], [[brigadier]] or [[colonel]]. In some armies, the commander is rated as a [[general officer]]. The '''brigade commander''' has a self-contained headquarters and staff. The principal staff officer, usually a [[lieutenant colonel]] or colonel, may be designated chief of staff. Until the late 20th century British and similar armies called the position 'brigade-major' and most British brigades have a major as the chief of staff. Some brigades may also have a deputy commander. The headquarters has a nucleus of staff officers and support (clerks, assistants and drivers) that can vary in size depending on the type of brigade. On operations, additional specialist elements may be attached. The headquarters will usually have its own communications unit.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

[[File:Stryker Brigade Combat Team Organization.svg|thumb|Example of typical modern US brigade formation]]

In some [[gendarmerie]] forces, brigades are the basic-level organizational unit.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

==Origin==
Borrowed from the French cognate word ''brigade'', the term originates from the Italian noun {{lang|it|brigata}}, itself derived from the Italian verb {{lang|it|brigare}}, to contend or fight.<ref>{{cite book |title=New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary |date=1993 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford, UK |pages=283}}</ref> The word is first attested in England in the 17th century as a term for a larger military unit than the squadron or regiment. It was first adopted when armies began to consist of formations larger than a single regiment.  Previously each regiment, battalion, cavalry squadron, or artillery battery operated somewhat independently, with its own field officer (i.e., colonel, lieutenant colonel, or major) or battery commander (usually a captain) reporting directly to the [[field force]] or "army" commander. As such a "field army" became larger, the number of subordinate commanders became unmanageable for the officer in general command of said army, usually a major general, to effectively command. In order to streamline command relationships, as well as effect some modicum of tactical control, especially in regard to combined arms operations (i.e., those involving a coordination of infantry with cavalry and/or artillery forces), an intermediate level of command came into existence.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

The Swedish king [[Gustavus Adolphus]] improved the brigade as a tactical unit, introducing it in 1631 during a reorganization of the Swedish Army in the course of the [[Thirty Years' War]]. The invention of the brigade overcame the lack of coordination inherent in the traditional army structure consisting of independent regiments of infantry and units of supporting arms (viz., cavalry and artillery) acting separately under their individual commanding officers. Gustavus Adolphus accomplished this battlefield coordination by combining battalions of infantry with cavalry troops and artillery batteries into a "battle group", viz., {{lang|sv|brigada}} or "brigade" commanded by a senior colonel, or lieutenant colonel, appointed as a ''brigadier-general''.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

In France, Marshal [[Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne|Turenne]] (1611–1675) copied the brigade organization; he made it a permanent standing unit, requiring the creation in 1667 of a permanent rank of {{lang|fr|brigadier des armées du roi}} (literally translating to "brigadier of the armies of the king"). Unlike the Swedish brigades, French brigades at that time comprised two to five regiments of the same branch ({{lang|fr|brigade de cavalerie, brigade d'infanterie}} etc.). The rank, intermediate between colonel and {{lang|fr|maréchal de camp}}, disappeared in 1788 and should not be confused with that of {{lang|fr|général de brigade}}, which is equivalent to a brigadier general. (A modern {{lang|fr|général de brigade}} is referred to occasionally as {{lang|fr|brigadier}}.){{cn|date=March 2025}}

==By country==
===Argentina===
In the Argentinian Army, the typical brigade comprises an HQ company, two or three battalions (called "regiments" for historical reasons) of the brigade's main branch (infantry or armoured cavalry), which give the brigade its denomination (mechanized, armoured, airborne, mountain or jungle), plus one battalion of the other branch, plus one or two artillery groups, an engineers battalion or company, a signals company, and intelligence company, an army aviation section and a logistics battalion. Mountain brigades have also a special forces (called "Mountain rangers") company. The brigade is usually commanded by a brigadier general or a senior colonel, who may be promoted to general during his tenure as brigade commander.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

===Australia===
In the [[Australian Army]], the brigade has always been the smallest tactical [[Formation (military)|formation]], since regiments are either administrative groupings of battalions (in the [[infantry]]) or battalion-sized units (in the [[cavalry]]). A typical brigade may consist of approximately 5,500 personnel between two mechanised infantry battalions, an armoured regiment, an armoured artillery regiment, and other logistic and engineering units. The brigade is usually commanded by an officer holding the rank of brigadier, who is referred to as the "Brigade Commander".{{cn|date=March 2025}}

===Canada===
{{As of|2025}}, the [[Canadian Army]] has three Regular Force brigade groups, designated as Canadian mechanized brigade groups (CMBG): [[1 CMBG]], [[2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group|2 CMBG]], which contain the regular army's [[English language|Anglophone]] units, and [[5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group|5 CMBG]], the regular [[Francophone]] formation. These CMBGs each comprise
* One [[headquarters and signal]] regiment
* Two [[mechanized infantry]] [[Battalion#Canadian Army|battalion]]s
* One [[light infantry]] battalion
* One armoured regiment
* One [[mechanized artillery]] regiment
* One engineer regiment
* One [[combat service support]] (CSS) battalion.

Co-located with each CMBG is a [[field ambulance]], a tactical helicopter squadron, and a military police platoon. Regular Force CMBG's strengths are 5,000 personnel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sencanada.ca/en/Content/Sen/committee/371/defe/01evc-e|title=Committees|website=Senate of Canada|date=11 April 2016}}</ref> Canada also has ten Primary Reserve brigades (Canadian brigade group, CBG), 31 CBG through 39 CBG, and 41 CBG. The CBG formations are for administrative purposes.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

===France===
On 1 January 1791, France replaced the word "Regiment" that had been associated with the former Royal regime with the term "demi-brigade".<ref>p. 1755  Haythornthwaite,  Philip ''Napoleon's Line Infantry (Men at Arms Series, 141)'' Osprey Publishing July 28, 1983</ref>

France replaced its divisions with brigades in 1999 (so for example the [[2nd Armored Division (France)|2nd Armored Division]] became the [[2nd Armoured Brigade (France)|2nd Armored Brigade]]). It was decided in 2016 to again form two divisions ([[1st Armored Division (France)|1st]] and [[3rd Armored Division (France)|3rd]]) made up of four and three brigades for a total of seven brigades: two armored, two "intermediate", two light brigades (alpine and parachute) and the [[Franco-German Brigade]]. There is also an [[4th Airmobile Brigade (France)|airmobile brigade]] subordinated to the army aviation command.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

In peacetime, brigades serve primarily as force providers. The units deployed (battlegroups and task-forces) are battalion-size units provided by the regiments composing the brigades.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

===India===
In Indian army, a brigade consists of a HQ, three [[battalions]] along with supporting troops. It is commanded by an army officer of the rank of Brigadier (Single star commander).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indianarmy.nic.in/site/formTemplete/frmtempsimple.aspx?MnId=TqWSDHmc2ua6KzgEgvgO7w==&ParentID=RuQ+vVM57FirJYXrHRLBHA== | title=STRUCTURE OF ARMY | publisher=indianarmy.nic.in | access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref>

===Japan===
[[Brigades]] in the [[Japan Ground Self-Defense Force]] (JGSDF) are [[combined arms]] and are similar to divisions. There are eight brigades in the JGSDF, with some of them formed from former divisions. A brigade in the JGSDF consists of 3,000–4,000 soldiers and is led by a [[major general]].{{cn|date=March 2025}}

* [[File:JGSDF 1st Airborne Brigade.svg|23px]] [[1st Airborne Brigade (Japan)|1st Airborne Brigade]], at Camp Narashino in [[Funabashi]], [[Chiba Prefecture]]
* [[File:JGSDF 5th Brigade.svg|23px]] [[5th Brigade (Japan)|5th Brigade]], at Camp Obihiro in [[Obihiro, Hokkaidō|Obihiro]], responsible for the defense of North Eastern Hokkaidō
* [[File:JGSDF 11th Brigade.svg|23px]] [[11th Brigade (Japan)|11th Brigade]], at Camp Makomanai in Sapporo, responsible for the defense of South Western Hokkaidō
* [[File:JGSDF 12th Brigade.svg|23px]] [[12th Brigade (Japan)|12th Brigade]] ([[Air Assault]]), at Camp Soumagahara in [[Shintō, Gunma|Shintō]], responsible for the defense of [[Gunma Prefecture|Gunma]], [[Nagano Prefecture|Nagano]], [[Niigata Prefecture|Niigata]] and [[Tochigi Prefecture|Tochigi]] prefectures.
* [[File:JGSDF 13th Brigade.svg|23px]] [[13th Brigade (Japan)|13th Brigade]], in [[Kaita, Hiroshima|Kaita]], responsible for the defense of the [[Chūgoku region]].
* [[File:JGSDF 14th Brigade.svg|23px]] [[14th Brigade (Japan)|14th Brigade]], in [[Zentsūji, Kagawa|Zentsūji]], responsible for the defense of [[Shikoku]].
* [[File:JGSDF 15th Brigade.svg|23px]] [[15th Brigade (Japan)|15th Brigade]], in [[Naha, Okinawa|Naha]], responsible for the defense of [[Okinawa Prefecture]]
* [[File:Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade.png|23px]] [[Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade]], at Camp Ainoura in Sasebo, [[Nagasaki Prefecture|Nagasaki]]; amphibious force equipped to deploy from ships, where needed.

=== Myanmar ===
In Myanmar, a rough equivalent of a Brigade is called a Tactical Operation Command. It's just a rough equivalent as a Tactical Operation Command has 3 Infantry Battalions under its command, there're no such Brigade troops or anything, instead those units such as Military Engineer, Signal, Medical etc. are supposed to be organic to the battalions (sometimes called Regiments). A Tactical Operation Command HQ only consist of 4 Officers and 4 Other Ranks. Theoritically, a Tactical Operation Command of either a Light Infantry Division or a Military Operation Command should have 97 Officers (4+31+31+31) and 2478 (4+826+826+826) Other Ranks but this as of recent events, is far from reality <ref>{{Cite web |title=စစ်ကောင်စီရဲ့ အမာခံတပ်အင်အားတွေ ပြုန်းတီးလာနေပြီလို့ NUG ထုတ်ပြန် |work=Radio Free Asia |date=5 May 2024 |language=my |url=https://www.rfa.org/burmese/news/nug-pdf-3-years-anniversary-05052024091330.html}}</ref>

Tactical Operation Command Headquarters: 4 Officers, 4 Other Ranks

Tactical Operation Commander: Colonel

Chief of Staff (rough equivalent of [[Brigade major|Brigade Major]]): Major (GSO II)

GS: Captain (GSO III)

AQ: Captain (GSO III)

Sergeant (Clerk) (4x) 

GSO II and GSO III are called G2 and G3 in daily usages.<ref>{{Citation |title=INDEX |date=2009-12-31 |work=Building the Tatmadaw |pages=247–254 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1355/9789812308498-014 |access-date=2024-06-22 |publisher=ISEAS Publishing|doi=10.1355/9789812308498-014 |isbn=978-981-230-849-8 |url-access=subscription }}

Found on page 80/95 (depending on how you count)

"While the MOC is equivalent to the LID, as both command ten battalions, the ROC is much smaller in size, with merely four battalions; thus it is the regiment level with a brigadier general as commander. It is a position between LID/MOC commander and Tactical Operation Command (TOC) commander, who commands only three infantry battalions with a small TOC HQ of Coordination officer, GS, AQ and 4 sergeant (clerks). Yet, the ROC commander enjoys financial, administrative, and judicial authority while the MOC commander does not have judicial authority."</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-25 |title=ဖွဲ့စည်းပုံဘာသာရပ် by Burma Military Secrets - Issuu |url=https://issuu.com/burmamilitarysecrets/docs/_dc81211f2389a6 |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=issuu.com |language=en |quote=Specific ranks such as Coordination Officer being Major as well as GS and AQ being Captains are found in here }}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Norway===
The main core of the Norwegian Army is the [[Brigade Nord]], consisting of eight battalions of which four are combat battalions (one infantry, one mechanized infantry, one artillery and one armored) and the rest are various types of support battalions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://forsvaret.no/fakta/organisasjon/Haeren/Brigade-Nord |title=Brigade Nord – Forsvaret.no |access-date=2020-09-17 |archive-date=2017-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701062535/https://forsvaret.no/fakta/organisasjon/Haeren/Brigade-Nord |url-status=dead }}</ref> {{Update inline|date=August 2025|reason=Development in Norways Brigade-system}}

The brigade is intended to be combat ready at all times. The combat battalions have a significant portion of professional soldiers (specialists). The fairly large size of the combat ready support contingent is also intended to complement the [[Heimevernet]] (translates as "Home Defense") which is a large reserve infantry force, as well as act in a support capacity for an international cooperation force (e.g. NATO) in case of an invasion.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

===Pakistan===
A brigade is under the command of a brigadier and comprises three or more battalions of different units depending on its functionality. An independent brigade would be one that primarily consists of an artillery unit, an infantry unit, an armour unit and logistics to support its actions. Such a brigade is not part of any division and is under direct command of a corps.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

There are 7 independent armoured brigades, seven engineering brigades and eight air defense brigades. Independent armoured and infantry brigades are capable of extended operations without necessarily being reliant on a higher HQ for short-term logistic or intimate support. They can be used in counter-attack, exploitation of an advance, or rapid movement to reinforce formations under pressure.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

=== People's Republic of China ===
Prior to major restructures of the [[People's Liberation Army Ground Force]] (PLAGF), forces were designed around the [[Division (military)|division]] as the basic operational unit in a similar fashion to [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] divisions, from which much of the [[People's Liberation Army]] (PLA) is designed. In 2003, the [[United States Army]] pivoted from division-centric warfare to combined-arms-centric warfare in response to the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|U.S. War in Iraq]] creating the [[brigade combat team]] (BCT). The [[Russian Federation]] followed suit reorganizing their forces and [[Military doctrine|doctrine]] to switch from division-centric warfare to the use of [[battalion tactical group]]s (BTGs). Finally, the PLAGF, as part of a larger restructuring, underwent the so-called "brigade-ization" making PLAGF divisions a largely administrative echelon and moving forces into [[combined arms]] brigades (CA-BDE).{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Structured very similarly to U.S. Army BCTs, the PLAGF combined arms brigade places [[Maneuver warfare|maneuver]], [[artillery]], [[Anti-aircraft warfare|air defense]], [[reconnaissance]], [[Military engineering|engineer]] and [[Military police|protection]], and [[Military logistics|logistics]] and sustainment under a single brigade-level command. The PLAGF distinguishes three distinct types of combined arms brigades: light (motorized), medium (mechanized), and heavy (armoured). These distinctive types are more indicative of the role of the organization within its parent unit than the composition and equipment which vary and overlap between types. A light combined arms brigade may be designed as an [[Airborne forces|airborne]], [[Mountain warfare|mountain]], or [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious]] combined arms brigade.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

A combined arms brigade typically comprises the following organic units wherein the maneuver battalions vary between [[Motorized infantry|motorized]], [[Mechanized infantry|mechanized]], or [[Armoured warfare|armoured]] depending on the type of CA-BDE.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

* 1 [[headquarters]] unit
* 4 [[Maneuver warfare|maneuver]] battalions (CA-BNs)
* 1 [[reconnaissance]] battalion
* 1 [[artillery]] battalion
* 1 [[Anti-aircraft warfare|air defense]] battalion
* 1 [[Military engineering|operational support]] battalion
* 1 service support ([[Sustainment (military)|sustainment]]) battalion<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN33195-ATP_7-100.3-000-WEB-1.pdf |title=Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 7–100.3 Chinese Tactics |publisher=Headquarters, United States Army |year=2021 |edition=9798457607118 |location=Washington, D.C. |pages=37–38 |language=en}}</ref>

===Republic of China===
An NRA Brigade, {{lang|zh|旅}} ({{lang|zh-Latn|lǚ}}), was a military formation of the [[Republic of China (1912–49)|Chinese Republic]]'s [[National Revolutionary Army]]. Infantry and cavalry brigades comprised two infantry regiments. After the 1938 reforms, the brigade was dispensed with within the infantry division in favour of the regiment to simplify the command structure.<ref>Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) 2nd Ed., 1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung, Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.</ref>

===United Kingdom===
Brigades, with a field not a regional administrative role, have usually been of a named type and numbered since the 19th century (e.g. cavalry brigade or infantry brigade). Since the end of World War II, brigade numbers have been unique and not by type. Brigades in divisions do not usually command their combat support and combat service support units. These remain under divisional command, although they may be permanently affiliated with a particular brigade (as a "brigade group"). Historically, infantry or cavalry/armoured brigades have usually comprised three or four combat-arm battalions, but currently larger brigades are normal, made larger still when their affiliated artillery and engineer regiments are added.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Until 1918, the chief of staff of a brigade was known as a [[brigade major]]. Before 1922, British Army brigades were normally commanded by general officers holding the rank of brigadier-general (equivalent to a "one-star" rank in the US Army); after that date, the brigade commander was an appointment for officers with the rank of brigadier, which were then classified as field officers not general officers. This is universally the case today.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

From 1859 to 1938, "brigade" ("brigade-division" 1885–1903) was also the term used for a battalion-sized unit of the [[Royal Artillery]]. This was because, unlike infantry battalions and cavalry regiments, which were organic, artillery units consisted of individually numbered [[artillery battery|batteries]] that were "brigaded" together. The commanding officer of such a brigade was a [[lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]]. In 1938, the Royal Artillery adopted the term "regiment" for this size of unit, and "brigade" became used in its normal sense, particularly for groups of anti-aircraft artillery regiments commanded by a brigadier.<ref>Maj-Gen Sir John Headlam, ''The History of the Royal Artillery'', Vol II (1899–1914), Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1937.</ref>

In the Second World War, a tank brigade comprised three tank regiments and was equipped with [[infantry tank]]s for supporting the infantry divisions. Armoured brigades were equipped with [[cruiser tank]]s or (US [[Lend-Lease]]) medium tanks and a motorised infantry battalion. The armoured divisions included one or more armored brigades.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

===United States===
[[File:Flickr - The U.S. Army - Wisconsin Army National Guard.jpg|thumb|A U.S. infantry brigade of around 3,200 personnel, formed into eight [[battalion]]-sized groups]]

====Army====
{{main|Brigade (United States Army)}}
In the [[United States Army]], a brigade is smaller than a [[Divisions of the United States Army|division]] and roughly equal to or a little larger than a [[Regiment (United States Army)|regiment]]. During the [[American Civil War]] infantry brigades contained two to five regiments with the idea being to maintain a unit with a strength of 2,000 soldiers<ref>{{cite book|author=John J. McGrath|title=The Brigade: A History-Its Organization and Employment in the U.S. Army|publisher=Combat Studies Institute Press|place=Fort Leavenworth, KS|date=2004|page=17}}</ref> and were usually commanded by a brigadier general or a senior colonel. During World War I the division consisted of two brigades of two regiments each.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

More recently, the U.S. Army has [[Transformation of the United States Army|moved]] to a new generic [[brigade combat team]] (BCT) in which each brigade contains combat elements and their support units. After the [[Transformation of the United States Army#2013 reform|2013 reform]], BCT personnel strength typically ranges from 4,400 personnel for infantry BCTs, to 4,500 personnel for [[Stryker]] BCTs, to 4,700 personnel for armoured BCTs. This formation is standard across the active U.S. Army, [[United States Army Reserve|U.S. Army Reserve]], and the Army [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]].{{cn|date=March 2025}}

The brigade commander is usually a colonel, although a [[lieutenant colonel]] can be selected for brigade command in lieu of an available colonel. A typical tour of duty for this assignment is 24 to 36 months. ''Separate'' brigades, viz., brigades not permanently assigned to a [[division (military)|division]], were commanded by brigadier generals.<ref>'' The Brigade: A History: Its Organization and Employment in the US Army'', Chapter 6, The Early Modern Brigade, 1958–1972, ROAD Brigades and Airmobile Brigades, p. 63 and Appendix 1, Divisional Versus Separate Brigades, p. 159. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120916224402/http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/Brigade-AHistory.pdf] . Retrieved 21 December 2016.</ref>

A brigade commander has a headquarters and staff to assist them in commanding the brigade and its subordinate units. The typical staff includes:{{cn|date=March 2025}}

* a brigade [[executive officer]], usually a [[Major (rank)|major]]
* a brigade [[Sergeant major#United States Army|command sergeant major]]
* a personnel officer ([[S1 (military)|S1]]), usually a [[Major (rank)|major]]
* an intelligence officer ([[S2 (military)|S2]]), usually a major
* an operations officer ([[S3 (military)|S3]]), usually a major
* a logistics officer ([[S4 (military)|S4]]), usually a major
* a plans officer ([[S5 (military)|S5]]), usually a major
* a communications officer ([[S6 (military)|S6]]), usually a major
* a medical officer, usually a major
* a legal officer ([[Judge Advocate General's Corps|JAG]]), usually a major
* a brigade [[chaplain]], usually a major

In addition, the headquarters includes additional junior staff officers, [[non-commissioned officer]]s, and [[Enlisted rank|enlisted]] support personnel in the [[Military Occupational Specialty|occupational specialities]] of the staff sections; these personnel are ordinarily assigned to the brigade's [[headquarters and headquarters company]].{{cn|date=March 2025}}

[[Functional brigade]]s are those from the combat support or combat service support arms.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

====Marine Corps====
In the [[United States Marine Corps]], brigades are designated as [[marine expeditionary brigade]]s (MEB) and are usually commanded by a brigadier general. The MEB is a mid-level [[marine air-ground task force]] (MAGTF) essentially forming a "demi-division".{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} The MEB organizational structure consists of a minimum of three regimental-equivalent-sized units and a command element (a regimental combat team, a composite marine aircraft group, a marine logistics regiment, and a MEB headquarters group). Each [[marine expeditionary force]] (MEF) contains a MEB, available for deployment on [[Expeditionary warfare|expeditionary duty]]. The MEB is the intermediate MAGTF between the MEF and the [[marine expeditionary unit]] (MEU).{{cn|date=March 2025}}

Along with the marine infantry regiments, the MEU, (while smaller than an army brigade), are the USMC organizational equivalents of army brigades. The MEU consists of three battalion-equivalent-sized units and a command element (a battalion landing team, a marine medium tilt-rotor squadron (reinforced), a combat logistics battalion, and a MEU headquarters group). The marine infantry regiments, combined with the marine artillery regiments, comprise the bulk of the marine divisions. An example of a MEB is [[Task Force Tarawa]] ([[2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (United States)|2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade]]) during the [[Iraq Conflict|Operation Iraqi Freedom]] campaign.{{cn|date=March 2025}}

==See also==
* [[Artillery brigade]]
* [[Brigade de cuisine]]
* [[International Brigades]]
* [[Military organization]]
* [[Mixed brigade]]

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{in lang|fr}} ''Nouveau Larousse illustré'', undated (early 20th century)

{{Military and war}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Brigades| ]]
[[Category:Military units and formations by size]]