ColonelReb, Good Morning.

You are now talking about 2 separate, but interrelated things here. And with all due respect to you, I am not "half correct". If anything I am 100% correct... make that 101% correct! You are correct when you say that a crew historically had 10 soldiers assigned to it, thats why it is (or was) technically referred too as a "decina" which literally means 10 in Italian.

But for many, many decades already that tradition is no more. As I stated you would be amazed at how many crews have way less than ten made men in their ranks. But they have a crew mainly composed of associates of different value and "rank" for lack of a better word. It is not uncommon to have some crews with only 2-3 made guys. There are even capos who have NO made guys in their crew. They were given a capo rank for status only, and serve a different purpose for the boss than "running" a crew.

Now nobody starts out as a boss. They are ALL soldiers. So who ever was a friend of those men often became associates in the soldier's crew. As a guy rises up in the hierarchy he takes those men with him. If he becomes a capo those associates are now direct with a capo. If he doesn't rise, then they are direct with a soldier. So many associates are "registered" with the hierarchy. Its called putting your guys "on record" (I'm sure you've heard the term).

This going "on record" is done with all assets (your associates and any racket operations you have going). that a soldier may have. So most (not all) associates are technically with the soldiers.

Members of my own family were all "on record" associates of several different borgatas at a very young age. As several of my family and personal friends were elevated within these families to soldiers, capos posts and higher, other blood family were in their "official" crew. Other of my blood family who were associates came along for the ride and several of them were later elevated (inducted) themselves. Others remained as associates. If and when a made member wanted to promote one of his associates he went to his capo, or the capo went to the boss and put the associates name in. If not, then the associate remained just that, and associate. But he was still a member of that particular crew. He just wasn't a button-guy.

Some remained "technically" under a soldier, those who were direct with our brood who had later rose higher remained direct with their man even though he was now a boss. So some associates are direct with soldiers, some with capos or bosses direct. But ALL are technically "with a crew". Even those associates who are with soldiers are still "under" a particular crew and capo. They only "report" to their particular man for logistical purposes.
---
Your last statement about Jimmy Burke is "half correct" as you say. He could very well remain under Paulie if Paul wanted it that way. Or Paulie could now ask DeSimone to "service" Burke. THAT is the word thats used. To "service" a guy means that a soldier is now in charge of that associate. So although ALL men affiliated with a crew are technically "with" the capo (soldiers and associates alike), if the capo has a lot of guys and is very busy, he will assign certain soldiers to handle matters for him including certain associates.

If the capo runs a small crew, or he wants to keep certain associates close because they are close fiends, big earners, or for whatever reason, then he does so. Its entirely up to those capos as they see fit.

What I am telling you here IS the way it actually works. There are no two ways about it. I have lived it and have seen it for myself. This is not something I pull from the sky.