The tooth-to-tail ratio (T3R), in military jargon, is the amount of
military personnel
Military personnel are members of the state's armed forces. Their roles, pay, and obligations differ according to their military branch (army, navy, marines, air force, space force, and coast guard), rank ( officer, non-commissioned officer, ...
it takes to supply and support ("tail") each combat
soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer.
Etymology
The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...
("tooth"). While both "tooth" and "tail" soldiers may find themselves in combat or other life-threatening situations, and both may spend much time in non-combat duties, "tooth" soldiers are those whose primary function is to engage in combat. The ratio is not a specific measure but rather a general indication of a force's might in relation to the resources it devotes to supply, upkeep, and
logistics
Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...
. It may be measured for an entire national military, a single branch, a theater of operations, or down to individual formations.
Description
Tooth-to-tail ratio is often inversely related to its technological capabilities and subsequently its overall power. While a force with a high tooth-to-tail ratio will have more personnel devoted to combat, these soldiers will lack the support provided by the tail. Such support includes the logistics and
communication infrastructure on which modern forces depend. A force with a higher tooth-to-tail ratio may have more combat troops, but each will be less effective. The tooth-to-tail ratio of the
US military
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
has varied widely in its different conflicts.
References
Sources
*Den Beste, Steven (May 19, 2003)
"The Digital Warrior: A tribute to the men who make the Information Age military work"
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tooth To Tail Ratio
Military slang and jargon