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PAVN Organization

Since its inception, the infantry has been the backbone of the PAVN. Strongly influenced at first by China, the organization of PAVN's infantry units changed little over the decades. Infantry divisions are composed of three 2,500-man regiments, an artillery regiment (in PAVN, mortars and heavy machine guns are considered artillery), a tank battalion, and support elements. Each regiment has four 600-man battalions, in turn composed of four companies. On occasion infantry are organized into independent regiments, many of which trace their lineage back to ethnic minority units raised during the First Indochina War.

Vietnamese ground units run [from smallest to largest]: Squad, platoon, company, battalion, Regiment, Brigade, Division, Corps, military, army, Army Corps and Commander of the Defense Ministry.

• Squad: from 9 – 12 soldiers by the u.s. Captain, Commander and was promoted from corporal to Sergeant.
• Platoon: composed of 3 (or 4) Squad, led by an officer carrying the military ranks from second lieutenant to Lieutenant Lieutenant captain.
• Company: range from 3-5 platoon. Command consists of the leadership (BCH) often wear military rank from Lieutenant to captain.
• Battalion: there are 3 men and 1 synthetic division called the battalion. BCH are: Battalion Commander, battalion staff, political Deputy, Chief of staff and political Deputy battalion with the rank from captain to Lieutenant Colonel.
• Regiments: contained three battalions and a number of companies affiliated to the regiment of technical assistance missions such as reconnaissance, information and. .. BCH main Commander, Regiment, Regiment Deputy primary politics, Chief. There are also 4 ban maids: staff, political Committee, technical Committee and logistics Committee. BCH regiments and the Chairman of the Board are usually promoted from major to Lieutenant Colonel.
• Brigade: the bigger the regiment but smaller divisions. The Brigade was only subordinated to the army, the Corps, the Corps and military districts. The brigade structure consisting of from 5-7 battalion, and several travelers. BCH are: Chief Brigade, the Brigade's Deputy Chief, y, Chief and Deputy Chief of Brigade politics with military ranks from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel.
• Division: composed from 3-4 regiments and some battalions, some company owned; the Division has a structure larger than Brigade. BCH are: the Division Chief, Division, y main Deputy Minister, Chief of staff and Chief Political Division.

In the late 1980s PAVN's major combat services -- artillery, armor, air defense, and special operations -- were organized along standard lines, similar to armies elsewhere. Each consisted of a force whose commanding officer reported to the Military General Staff Directorate. A mystique surrounded the PAVN Special Operations Force, successor to the legendary Sapper Combat Arm of the First and Second Indochina Wars that specialized in sabotage and clandestine military operations. In 1987, the Special Operations Force consisted of two elements, the Sapper Command and the Airborne Command (the 305th Airborne Brigade). Reportedly there was a third element, an amphibious commando unit, about which little was known.