what do armor officers do? other than "make powerpoint presentations" as i read in another thread haha, the goarmy descriptions a pretty vauge...
thanks

When I was in, 2nd Lt.s were bounced from position to position (Scout Plt. Ldr., Mess Officer, Tank Plt. Ldr., Adjutant, etc.) within the battalions at about six month intervals "to get them experience," which meant that, just about the time they got their feet on the ground and were worth something, they'd be shuttled off to a new position. Unless the individual really had his head on straight to start with, this system made them pretty much worthless, and at best, ladder climbers. In the 2 years I was with the same armor unit Scout Platoon, we had 3 different 2nd Lt.s, and only one of them was worth much. He was prior service Navy enlisted, and strack as could be. He made CO of a whole tank company as a 1st Lt., no small accomplishment - -

I don't know about today...but for the time, pretty much right on target 'ghost, even in my part of Germany. "Target, Target...Cease Fire!!

Mark

If you want the tactical take on what an armor officer does here it is in a nutshell.

1. Armor officers are the only officers that actually lead from the front. Doctrinally, armor officers control movement by being in the lead tank in all formations.
2. Armor officers are the only officers that get fired if they don't "Q1" (as in qualify first attempt with their tank). This basically means if you can't lay steel on target you will not make it as an armor officer (even (especially) battalion commanders are expected to qualify on their tank Q1). I have seen two officers relieved on two differnt occassions for "Q2ing".
3. Armor and Infantry officers are typically the first choice when battalion and higher command positions in combat arms units are selected. That is because they lead from the front and it is expected that you know how to fight the combined arms fight.

As far as power point goes...sometimes it is a necessary evil. However, if you are good at leading you will stay in tanks. I was in for twelve years and only spent two years without wearing green tabs.

Smokin cobra joe - Target cease fire.
Armor Officer's understand the team dynamic as they start their careers in qualifing a crew and are used in a wide variety of positions over the span of their careers. Having both Armor Command and Infantry Operations experience, I can say that often the best think on your feet officers come from Armor billets.

quote:

Originally posted by smokincobrajoe:
...
3. Armor and Infantry officers are typically the first choice when battalion and higher command positions in combat arms units are selected. That is because they lead from the front and it is expected that you know how to fight the combined arms fight.

IN and AR officers are the only officers that compete directly against eachother for BN and BDE commands (and that is a recent change- like in the last 2 years or so).

The other combat arms branches (FA, ADA, EN, AV, I don't think I missed any) compete to command battalions of their own branch. IN and AR compete to command combined arms battalions and recon squadrons. IN officers compete to command IN battalions.

IN and AR officers compete to command BCTs (IN, Stryker or Heavy)- starting this year, EN and FA officers will compete with them. Until now, EN officers competed to command EN BDEs, and FA officers competed to command DIVARTYs and FA BDEs.

What do they do? I know a LTC who is the commander of the 1/221st in the Nevada Guard and the only thing he does is hit on the women in the unit

Smokincobrajoe:

Even though I read your comments back in February, I was just re-reading so-to-speak...concerning your #2...

>2. Armor officers are the only officers that >get fired if they don't "Q1" (as in qualify >first attempt with their tank). This basically >means if you can't lay steel on target you >will not make it as an armor officer (even
>(especially) battalion commanders are expected >to qualify on their tank Q1). I have seen two >officers relieved on two differnt occassions >for "Q2ing".

My time was on M60A1s...my first qual range was Range 80 at Grafenwoehr, GE (Jul/Aug 1972); second trip to Graf they were reemodeling Range 80, so we used Range 42 (Jul/Aug '73). I was Loader first trip and TC second trip...on the Battalion CO's tank, HQ66. My entire time there, the Battalion CO did not fire his tank at TCQC. Also, during my time, when we got the the TCQC range, we had one day run and one night run for qual...and, in my time, I saw one crew not make it...later was determined that their trunnion pins had been bent during a "run-in" with an M88...the main gun would not hit the same place twice no matter what they did. They went downrange with our section leader's tank and did well, but I don't recall them getting to use that tank for a "second" qual run (memory is slightly fuzzy on that one).

Of course, things probably changed since the 70's, concerning qualification runs, huh?

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by FALightFighter:

quote:

Originally posted by smokincobrajoe:
3. Armor and Infantry officers are typically the first choice when battalion and higher command positions in combat arms units are selected. That is because they lead from the front and it is expected that you know how to fight the combined arms fight.

The other combat arms branches (FA, ADA, EN, AV, I don't think I missed any)

Hmmmmmm, having spent 10 years in Armor, (Gnr, TC, PSG, & Master Gunner) and then 10 years in Army Aviation, (93P OpsSgt, Bde/Bn Level) and also school trained as a 67U. I will tell you Army Aviation is NOT a combat Arms branch!!!…. No matter how much they think, act and talk like they are... Aviation to me is the premier POUG branch of the Army. Sure they have their place. But when was the last time you saw a helicopter take and hold ground????…. I rest my case.