Does anyone know when OSUT for m1 crewman and cavalry scouts will be moved to Benning? I know the move is to be completed by 2011, but will they start running OSUT at benning for armor before then?
Consolidation and maneuver area. The first, to supposedly save money, the second, because Benning supposedly has more area to rumble around. But if that's the case, why not go to Ft. Hood, Texas? At least, it wouldn't be Armor being subjugated to infantry -
"Shoot, Move, and Communicate" will become "Be a good target, while dragging along!" as it was in WWI.
H-h-h-h-m-m-m-m, I think I can give some input on this being a old anti-tank gunner with the TOW.
1. There are some Infantrymen on these boards who have served their entire tour as Light and never served in a Mech unit. That was not the case in the 1980's when there were more Armored Divisions around. The Army would usually flip you between one and the other in the 1980's so you had a balance in assignments.
2. You need to expose Infantrymen to the differences in manuever and tactics between a light unit and a mech unit earlier as part of their training as well as familiarize them with Armor tactics. I know it sounds stupid but I observed in peacetime that some enlisted men would go into a panic while facing a company of M1 tanks closing fast on their position for the first time. Their radio tranmissions would get garbled, they would rush around and issue confusing orders or otherwise make a fool of themselves. I think exposure to a well trained Armored OPFOR is a very good idea for IET and for Infantry Officers.
3. The Infantry anti-tank elements need to practice against a well trained armor force opposing them. You know it's not so easy to engage a M1 company as they approach that knows how to use terrain for cover.
I think it has more to do with BRAC than anything else. They're moving Armor AIT to Benning because of a lack of training area alotted to AIT units on Knox. Since everything else seems to be screwed up, this is all I can see them doing it for. Saving money to.... another good point.
To respond about why not Ft Hood: It's not a TRADOC post, and we all know the amount of money, research, etc. it would take for them to say "Hey, let's move Armor to Hood". Hood is a "Real Army" Post, subject to all kinds of deployment issues. Besides having two divisions plus sitting there, that post has over 100,000 people living, working, and stationed there. Not feasible. Fort Hunter Ligget, CA is a whole lot more feasible. Has lot's of space, nice rolling hills, some forested areas, ranges, and it's relatively secluded. It wouldn't take much to designate it as a TRADOC post, seeing how it's primarily used for training Army Reserves and National Guard. And, it's not that far from NTC. Hmmmmmm.......... infinite possibilities.........
He couldn't be going to Benning. They haven't even broke ground on facilities for Armor OUST yet. They look to be moving things in late 2009 to mid 2010.
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left." ~ Anonymous
There's just a few little problems with what he's telling you. First off 19D go through what is called ONE station unit training. They don't do BCT in one place and AIT in another. Second Benning isn't ready to do BCT or anything else for Armor/Cav Soldiers right now.
According to the Army Training Requirements and Resources your friend is full of it. They have OSUT going on at Knox not at Benning for 19D. Either he's going Infantry and thinks he's going to be a Scout or he is just full of it. Either way Benning is not hosting OSUT there for Armor/Cav at this time. It won't be until atleast 2009. I live and work on Ft Knox... they aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left." ~ Anonymous
yes i know all of that, i was just passing along information given to me. im enlisting in jan for 19d and i was worried that they have changed it and that i would have missed out on the osut expience...
