If you've been playing the open beta for Battlefield 3, you will have noticed the absence of squads in the game, which makes it difficult—if not outright impossible—to join your friends and team up with them in the game's competitive Rush mode. This has, of course, resulted in significant complaints from players both new and old.
Players can breathe a heavy sigh of relief to know that DICE has fixed things. The developers have since responded that the functionality is limited in the Open Beta, but it will not be so once the game goes to retail.
According to the studio, the developers have added the ability to browse and join specific squads through the squad screen. You'll be able to see all the players that are in a specific squad as well as lone wolves. As a squad leader, you will also be able to create a squad, set it to private, and kick malcontents from the squad. In other words, the functionality will be exactly the same as in Battlefield 2 and Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
Over the console, players will also have the option to choose the active VoIP channel on the entire team, or limit it to your squad. You will also be able to invite your friends to the squad. Additionally, it will be possible to mute any player through the scoreboard.
Source: DICE