3d Squadron: Training Today‘s Tank Commanders New Fort Knox Unit Retrains TCs for New Assignments And Refreshes the Rusty

In Korea, there are M48A5s. At Fort Bragg, there are M551 Sheridans. Some units have M60A3s, others MGOAls. We have the M1, the “improved product” IPMls, and soon, the 120-mm-gunned MlAls ‘will be joining the force. As a result, tank commanders rotating to new units often face the problem of learning an entirely different weapon system. And those soldiers who have served for awhile away from TO&E units - for example, in recruiting, ROTC assignments, as Reserve advisors, and as drill sergeants - need to regain their technical and tactical skills before rejoining new units as tank commanders. Gaining units do not have the time or resources, the ranges and ammunition, to retrain these soldiers for their new assignments. The Armor Force’s newest squadron was formed to solve these problems. It is the 3d Squadron, 2d Armor Training Brigade at Fort Knox, and it has a dual mission: recertifying soldiers who have been reassigned from one model of tank to another; and retraining 19E/K NCOs and branch 12 officers who have been away from tanks for two or more years. Originally, the Tank Commander’s Certification course (TC3) was established to fulfill this mission, and the 1st Armor Training Brigade became the lead unit to perform the task. But the chain of command soon realized that there was a conflict: 1st Brigade’s major mission is to train AIT soldiers in Skill Level 10 while the TC3 course focused on Skill Level 30/40 tasks. It was very difficult for the same unit to handle both majormissions. Soldiers assigned to 3d Squadron, 2d ATB, load ammo in preparation for range firing. The Fort Knox unit‘s main mission is reorienting soldiers who have been away from tanks. Then anew idea took shape: establish a separate unit to instruct TC3 and the Scout Commander Certification Course (SC3). The Army Training and Doctrine Command approved the concept, and soon the 2d Armor Training Brigade (Armor Leader) formerly the Center/School Brigade, had anew squadron. Equipment and personnel came from the 1st Brigade and other Fort Knox units to the newly established 3d Squadron, which was to instruct the TC3, the SC3, and M3 CFV transition course, and the first week of the precommand course. As a result, all Armor leader courses at Skill Level 3 and above were consolidated under the control of the 2d Armor Training Brigade (Armor Leader). The 3d Squadron was activated on 29 August 1985 with only a commander, executive officer, command sergeant major, and an S3 NCOIC assigned - the Squadron even had to “borrow” personnel to fill out the staff an&eolor gwrdfor its activation ceremony. Now, it has over 300 soldiers and civilians. The squadron also had no equip ment at its activation; there was one M151 on loan from the 2/6 Cav. Today, it has over 100 vehicles, including IPMls, M60A3s, MGOAls, M113Als, M901s, and M3s. In support, its tactical fleet includes M151s, M35A2s, CUCVs, HEMMTs, and M88s. The Squadron is organized with an HHT, two line companies, and two line troops. A and B Companies are responsible for instructing the TC3, and C Troop has responsibility for SC3. D Troop has administrative control, to include housing Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course (ANCOC) and Master Gun- 38 ARMOR The Magazine of Mobile Warfare ner (MG) students. The squadronis organized internally as a J-Series unit, with a consolidated squadron maintenance organization, contact teams to the companies/troops, a personnel action center (today, 1st Battalion’s PAC provides this service), a consolidated supply action center and a support platoon. In addition to the normal responsibilities of an HHT, 3d Squadron HHT is responsible for over 40 combat vehicles that support other Armor School courses. The squadron has myriad responsibilities, including the welfare of all students, instruction to students in the TC3 and SC3 courses, maintenance of equipment, and participation in and discussion of changes in tactics and gunnery doctrine as they affect the TC3 and SC3. The TC3 was established for sergeants through command sergeant majors and second lieutenants through colonels, who have been away from tanks two or more years and are being reassigned to a tank unit. The course is designed around the Tank Commander Gunneo Skills Test (TCGST) for each specific tank, (i.e., M60A1, M60A3, M1 and soon the MlA1). An additional skill indicator (ASI) is awarded to the student for the vehicle on which he was trained. After a student graduates from TC3, his gaining unit receives a competent tank commander, able to command and control the tank to which he is assigned. This relieves the unit of the responsibility of having to train newly-arrived tank commanders on the gaining unit’s equipment. Although the course revolves around the TCGST, other pertinent subjects, such as conduct of fire, armament accuracy checks, and tactical tables, are covered. The Unit Conduct-of-Fire Trainer (U-COFT), a video display simulator, is used to augment conduct-of-fire training. An intermediate gunnery table is fired, consisting of tasks from the appropriate FM 17-12 for each weapons system. The concept of instruction for the TC3 is radically different from other courses taught at the Armor School. A formal student chain of command is established to assist the unit with ensuring that all student administrative needs are met. Students are formed into three- or four-man tank crews and are assigned to a tank of an instructor. Whenever instruction is tank-oriented, the crew will receive the instruction from the same instructor on “their tank.” They keep the same instructor and vehicle for the duration of the course. This linking of instructor, tank, and crew has resulted in an exciting training atmosphere. First, the students and instructor get to know one another, then build upon this rapport to establish a close working relationship. The instructor can see the student’s weak areas, if any, and give additional instruction as required. Conversely, the students are less inhibited in asking for additional help. Since the students are assigned as crews to specific tanks, they become responsible for the maintenance of their tanks. This close’ relationship between the students, instructor, and tank provides great benefit to both the students and the unit. Because the students perform all preventive checks and services under the guidance of their instructor, meticulous maintenance habits are relearned. To date, no crew has had to employ a tank in a degraded condition unless the classroom lesson specifically calls for degraded operation. The idea of having a single unit responsible for the welfare and instruction of the student, as well as the maintenance of equipment and the organization of training areas and ranges, has resulted in untold benefits to both the students of TC3 and to the squadron. But most importantly, this concept is providing competent, well-trained armor and armored cavalry leaders to our force.

ZELL holds a BAfrom Massachusetts Maritime Academy and an M A from American Technical University. Commissioned through OCS, he has served in Armor and Engineer units at Fort Hood, Fort Knox, and the FRG, and has been assigned as platoon leader, company and squadron executive officer, battalion maintenance officer, Armor company commander, brigade S4 and battalion S3. At Fort Knox, he served in the Gunnery Branch, Weapons Department. This article was written when heservedasXO of the 3d Squadron, 2d Armor Training Brigade. A graduate of AOB, AOAC, and CAS, he is currently the 53 of the 498th Support Battalion, 2d AD, in the FRG. ARMOR The Magazine of Mobile Warfare 39