Sullivan Cup – a New Tradition with Deep Roots retired CSM George DeSario and retired LTC Mike Turner

The U. S. Army Armor School at Fort Benning, GA, hosted a precision-gunnery competition May 7-10 that brought back memories and created excitement that will last a lifetime. During the week, 15 Abrams crews competed for the Sullivan Cup, named in honor of retired GEN Gordon Sullivan, the Army’s 32nd Chief of Staff. The Abrams crew from 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, won the cup. While all 60 competing crewmen received recognition and prizes, the winners also received engraved M1911.45-caliber pistols and were inducted into the Order of Saint George. Competition’s roots The Canadian army hosted a tank-gunnery competition in 1963 at the Bergen-Hohen Training Area and the Canadian Army Trophy – the CAT Shoot – was established. A crew from Belgium won that first competition with M47 Patton tanks. The 1977 CAT Shoot was the first time a U. S. crew placed as high as sixth. Finally, in 1987, an Abrams platoon from the Spearhead Division led the way, and the United States claimed its first Canadian Army Trophy. When Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1991, preparation for precision gunnery on a much more serious level began, ending formal gunnery competition for U. S. Armor forces. The Sullivan Cup While events like Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, and the Base Realignment and Closure-directed move of the Armor School to Fort Benning kept a force-wide gunnery competition in the “too hard to do box” for a few years, it was never far from the minds of our mounted force’s leadership. Several months ago, the Armor School leadership team decided the time was right and committed to plan, prepare for and execute the inaugural Sullivan Cup. 15 crews Our great mounted force committed as well. The 15 crews came from across the force and represented all four Armor brigade combat teams from 1st Cavalry Division (with the 1st ABCT crew coming out of Kuwait); 2nd and 4th ABCTs, 1st Armored Division; 1st and 3rd ABCTs, 3rd Infantry Division; 1st and 3rd ABCTs, 4th Infantry Division; 1st ABCT, 2nd Infantry Division; 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment; 81st ABCT, Washington Army National Guard; and 316th Cavalry Brigade and 194th Armor Brigade from the Armor School. This was a serious competition, testing crew proficiency on a lot more than gunnery. Crews participated in events including the Army Physical Fitness Test, breaking and replacing a section of track, small-arms marksmanship, a scenario in the Close Combat Tactical Trainer and, of course, day and night precision gunnery. After 10 years of war – much of it with tankers performing other than mounted missions – we know that regaining, then maintaining, core competency is paramount. If the performance of these crews is an indication, we can rest assured we will get there. It’s true these crews were the best from their units, and their skill level might paint too rosy a picture for some. To the contrary, their performance represents what they and their leaders can and will do given the opportunity to focus on being mounted warriors. It’s worth noting that the senior tankers in this competition were sergeant first class tank commanders. No doubt officers had some involvement at home station, but this was noncommissioned officers and young enlisted Armor crewmen doing what they do best. The leadership and vision required to make an event like this happen goes back to the competition’s namesake. It continues with the Armor School commandant, BG Tom James, retired CSM Ricky Young and current Armor School command sergeant major CSM Miles Wilson. The 316th Cavalry Brigade had primary action responsibility, with 1st Squadron doing the heavy lifting. Tough tasks require a team effort, and Fort Benning and the Maneuver Center of Excellence team stepped up big time. – A New Tradition with Deep Roots – by retired CSM George DeSario and retired LTC Mike Turner 24

Acronym Quick-Scan ABCT – Armor brigade combat team The Sullivan Cup 2012 champions, “the best tank crew in the Army,” are SFC Ryan Dilling, tank commander; SGT Zachary Shaffer, gunner; PFC Mark Backer, loader; and PFC Kyle Braun, driver. For more information and photos of the event, see the Website https://www.benning.army.mil/armor/sullivan/media. html. Retired LTC Mike Turner serves as second vice president for the Cavalry and Armor Association. He served in Armor and Cavalry units for 27 years, retiring in 2004 as executive officer to the Chief of Armor. Retired CSM George DeSario serves as first vice president of the Cavalry and Armor Association. He served in Cavalry and Armor units for 27 years and retired in 2005 as Thunderbolt 7 at the U. S. Army Armor Center and Fort Knox, KY. 25