After reading your post, it seems like we're going back over old ground as you're making the same "terminology" argument you did before.

Yes, the Chicago mob is called "The Outfit," just like other families have been called "The Office," "The Arm," "The Partnership," etc. But they're all LCN families.

If the Outfit really had a difference in terminology, the FBI would acknowledge that in their reports and indictments. But, from what I've seen, a made guy in Chicago is the same as anywhere else. There isn't a difference in "member" and "soldier." A guy is made or he isn't. Everyone else is going to be an associate of some type.

And no offense but I'll take published FBI figures over anecdotal rumor posted on an internet forum. When the feds say 28-30 members and a little over 100 associates, that's good enough for me.