III

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Arc III Asami-chan’s War College 2

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Lecture: Ranks and units

organised by ANBU command for educational purposes

Lecturer: Minami Asami

Well, I don’t have much time today as I am supposed to be somewhere else. So we will get over with this quickly. Take the info sheet and listen.

The sheet has three columns. The first column gives you unit designations, the second strength numbers, and the third the commanding officer. Nothing complicated.

Army (Army Reserve included): Ranks and units 

Team, squad, and platoon are the smallest unit types. You will encounter them frequently. Teams and squads are usually led by experienced chunin, or even genin, but in reality, the chain of command is more fluid than it should be the case. Higher-ranking officers leading teams or squads is far from uncommon.

Now we get to the company, the battalion, the regiment. All three are a rare sight since the end Third Great Ninja War as they aren't needed any more.

The company and battalion are regarded as the smallest units that can operate autonomously without additional support. The regiment is primarily an ad hoc formation. Strength numbers vary depending on the situation.

The brigade and division exist purely for administrative purposes. While the brigade had seen some use during the war, the division has long since fallen out of favour. Too cumbersome, too immobile, too inflexible. The division only persists for traditional reasons. So far, no hidden village has ever succeeded in fielding a full division. Forces were spread thin across all fronts during the wars and didn't allow such a concentration of force.

ANBU: Ranks and units

The basic structure is more or less the same. Differences are minor. Compared to the Army, we ANBU enjoy higher ranks and our unit sizes are smaller as our manpower is limited. 

Now the interesting part, how you get promoted? I will be gracious and give you some personal advice. Officially, you need leadership, skill, intelligence and whatever else, but that's all bullshit. Forget it, just forget it.  

You require neither leadership, nor skill to advance. What you need are either strength or connections.

If you are a powerful, the higher-ups won’t be able to ignore you in the long run. Become strong and you will get promoted along the way. But if you aim high, you need clan connections. Without them, you are fucked hard. 

Nepotism and clientelism are the bane of Konoha’s existence. They plague the military and bureaucracy. Posts are not filled based on merit, but based on lineage. Commanding positions are only given to candidates backed by influential clans. Most of them are mediocre at best, not to say outright incompetent. No matter how talented you might be, you need the right blood running through your veins.

The Army is the traditional territory of combat-related clans like the Akimichi, the Sarutobi, the Senju, the Hyuga, and the Nara. They produce a steady supply of high-ranking officers.

The Intelligence Division is dominated by the Yamanaka and other minor clans. 

Uchiha and Aburame controlled the ANBU in the past, but times have changed since the Uchiha massacre. 

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