United States Space Force Marines

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The First Battalion, U.S. Space Force Marines (1/1 SFM) exists from the start. It is a double-sized battalion consisting of six companies. Each frigate can transport 200 SFM personnel (one company), for a total of 1,200 SF Marines. This limits the total number of spaceborne SFM for quite some time. Nevertheless, another 600 SFM exist but are ground-based on Luna, Mars, and in parts of the asteroid belt for lack of ships on which to billet them. This "ground-pounder" battalion is not numbered and serves primarily as a training and replacement battalion until the early 22nd century.

By 2121 (The Lion in Paradise, Part I), the 1st Space Force Marines had grown into the rest of the rapidly expanding fleet, and two new divisions (2nd and 3rd U.S. Space Force Marines) had been spawned. The 1/1 split into the 1/1 and the 1/2, and the former "ground-pounder" battalion is absorbed as the 1/3. The other two divisions likewise had three battalions. It is interesting to note that this expansion necessitated that the Space Force Marine Intelligence Division change its name to the Space Force Marine Intelligence Directorate (see The Lion in Paradise, Part I).

Each battalion consists of three companies, which in turn consist of three platoons plus a Weapons Section. The TO&E indicates companies contain about 200 personnel (inclusive of HQ, but all Marines are riflemen, so...). This makes a battalion of U.S. Space Marines turn out at about 600 personnel, and a standard division of three battalions, 1,800. Thus by 2121, the USSFM are about 5,500 strong.

It should be noted that, due to my own confusion, battalions may be referred to as regiments prior to The Lion in Paradise. Eventually I will retcon the earlier books and stories to fix instances of that confusion.