What is "platoon"

Platoon \Pla*toon"\, n. [F. peloton a ball of thread, a knot or group of men, a platoon, from pelote a ball formed of things wound round. See Pellet.] (Mil.)

1. Formerly, a body of men who fired together; also, a small square body of soldiers to strengthen the angles of a hollow square.

2. Now, in the United States service, half of a company.

1630s, from French peloton "platoon, group of people," from Middle French peloton (15c.), literally "little ball," hence, "agglomeration," diminutive of Old French pelote "ball" (see pellet).

in baseball, "to alternate (a player) with another in the same position," 1967, from platoon (n.), which had been used in team sports since 1941.

n. (context military English) A unit of thirty to forty soldiers typically commanded by a lieutenant and forming part of a company. vb. (context baseball English) To alternate starts with a teammate of opposite handedness, depending on the handedness of the opposing pitcher

1. n. a military unit that is a subdivision of a company; usually has a headquarters and two or more squads; usually commanded by a lieutenant

2. a team of policemen working under the military platoon system

3. a group of persons who are engaged in a common activity; "platoons of tourists poured out of the busses"; "the defensive platoon of the football team"

Platoon is a 1986 American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone and starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, and Charlie Sheen. It is the first film of a trilogy of Vietnam War films directed by Stone, followed by Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven & Earth (1993).

Stone wrote the screenplay based upon his experiences as a U.S. infantryman in Vietnam, to counter the vision of the war portrayed in John Wayne's The Green Berets. Platoon was the first Hollywood film to be written and directed by a veteran of the Vietnam War.

Platoon won the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1986; it also won Best Director for Oliver Stone, as well as Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing. In 1998, the American Film Institute placed Platoon at #83 in their " AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies" poll.

A platoon is a military unit of around 15 to 30 soldiers.

Platoon may also refer to:

• Platoon (automobile), a system for reducing traffic congestion
• Platoon (film) (1986), a Vietnam War-era film directed by Oliver Stone
• Platoon (1987 video game), a video game based on the 1986 Oliver Stone film
• Platoon system, a technique used in baseball
• One-platoon system a technique used in football

Platoon is an action game developed by Ocean Software and published by Data East for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, PC DOS and ZX Spectrum in 1987-1988. The NES version was ported and published by Sunsoft in 1988. It was the first video game adaptation of the 1986 war film Platoon, followed by the 2002 game.

A platoon is a military unit typically composed of more than two squads / sections / patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but typically a platoon consists of around 15 to 30 soldiers. A platoon leader or commander is the officer in command of a platoon. This person is usually a junior officer — a second or first lieutenant or an equivalent rank. The officer is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant. A platoon is the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer.

Platoons normally consist of three or four sections (Commonwealth) or squads (US). In some armies, platoon is used throughout the branches of the army. In others, such as the British Army and other Commonwealth armies, platoons are associated with the infantry. In a few armies, such as the French Army, a platoon is specifically a cavalry unit, and the infantry use "section" as the equivalent unit.

A unit consisting of several platoons is called a company / battery / troop.

Grouping vehicles into platoons is a method of increasing the capacity of roads. An automated highway system is a proposed technology for doing this.

Platoons decrease the distances between cars or trucks using electronic, and possibly mechanical, coupling. This capability would allow many cars or trucks to accelerate or brake simultaneously. This system also allows for a closer headway between vehicles by eliminating reacting distance needed for human reaction.

Platoon capability might require buying new vehicles, or it may be something that can be retrofitted. Drivers would probably need a special license endorsement on account of the new skills required and the added responsibility when driving in the lead.

Smart cars with artificial intelligence could automatically join and leave platoons. The automated highway system is a proposal for one such system, where cars organise themselves into platoons of eight to twenty-five.

Platoon is a real-time strategy video game developed by Digital Reality and published by Monte Cristo for the PC Windows in 2002. It was also published by Strategy First as Platoon: The 1st Airborne Cavalry Division in Vietnam. Platoon is the second video game adaptation of the 1986 war film of the same title, following the 1987 game by Ocean Software. Despite it being marketed as "the first strategy game about the Vietnam War", the first such game was actually Domark Software's 1991 'Nam 1965-1975.