Posted on Feb 7, 2022
Can an armor officer be put in charge of an Infantry division?
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19A: Armor Officer
11A: Infantry Officer
Assignments
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 10
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I would say, yes! He has so much experience working through his positions over the years.
He would also have a Deputy Commander/Executive Officer, Chief of Staff, a G3 Operation Officer, and a BUNCH of other special staff officers and S2 Intel cell to help him if he was not sure on the 3 courses of action to take when planning for an attack or maneuver. If they have time, they would weigh the pros and cons when picking the right course of action. MSG (Join to see) MAJ Ken Landgren SGM Jeff Mccloud PFC (Join to see)
He would also have a Deputy Commander/Executive Officer, Chief of Staff, a G3 Operation Officer, and a BUNCH of other special staff officers and S2 Intel cell to help him if he was not sure on the 3 courses of action to take when planning for an attack or maneuver. If they have time, they would weigh the pros and cons when picking the right course of action. MSG (Join to see) MAJ Ken Landgren SGM Jeff Mccloud PFC (Join to see)
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LTC Stephen Conway
MAJ Ken Landgren it was definitely different than being an MP in charge of a platoon of Humvees. There is no such thing as a dumbass tanker. TCG St was hard for me.
My mother came to see me at dugway Proving Ground. I was on title 32 active duty. Belonged to
Delta Co. 2nd battalion 185 Armor, California Army National Guard.
As you can see, I am with my mother and my company Commander. You can see the boresight device is on the main gun. My mother came up for my 41st birthday and I got her dressed up as an honorary platoon leader. October, 2003.
My mother came to see me at dugway Proving Ground. I was on title 32 active duty. Belonged to
Delta Co. 2nd battalion 185 Armor, California Army National Guard.
As you can see, I am with my mother and my company Commander. You can see the boresight device is on the main gun. My mother came up for my 41st birthday and I got her dressed up as an honorary platoon leader. October, 2003.
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LTC Stephen Conway
MAJ Ken Landgren I will have to find a picture of a sergeant who is showing the broken strut rod on his tank. She had the skirt open so you could easily see it. I have the picture somewhere but I haven't scanned it.
Here is a picture of my mother in the Gunner station oh, here is a picture of me at Fort Knox sweet tea in the cctt, I was the Gunner of course and a picture of me at Fort Knox at my armor Captain's career course.
Here is a picture of my mother in the Gunner station oh, here is a picture of me at Fort Knox sweet tea in the cctt, I was the Gunner of course and a picture of me at Fort Knox at my armor Captain's career course.
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LTC Stephen Conway
LTC Stephen Conway typo, it was a male Sergeant because armour with all men with the exception of maybe a female medic in the medical platoon
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In theory, yes. Both Infantry and Armor are maneuver officers. But when you become a General you are no longer infantry. The picture below is the 82ND ABN DIV commander. He was infantry but you will not see any infantry branch insignia. So, in reality you can't be an Infantry General.
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1LT Lawrence Burkhardt
Strange I look at him and his uniform and see a great infantry officer. CIB, Combat Jump, wish i could see the color of the epaulettes.
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MAJ Lyle F. Padilla
This is straight out of the latest edition (26 Jan 22) of AR 670-1:
21–9. Branch insignia
a. General officers follow the guidance below for wear of branch insignia.
(1) The Chief of Staff, former Chiefs of Staff, and generals of the Army (five-star) may prescribe their branch insignia.
(2) All other general officers may wear branch insignia at their option. If they choose this option, general officers will wear the branch insignia for the position to which they are appointed, or for their duty assignment.
21–9. Branch insignia
a. General officers follow the guidance below for wear of branch insignia.
(1) The Chief of Staff, former Chiefs of Staff, and generals of the Army (five-star) may prescribe their branch insignia.
(2) All other general officers may wear branch insignia at their option. If they choose this option, general officers will wear the branch insignia for the position to which they are appointed, or for their duty assignment.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
I don't think you would see that. Armor and Infantry both teach Combined Armed Warfare and in positions at Brigade and above, in theory and practice, should be able to lead either an Armor Heavy or Mech Heavy BCT or above. In the regular Infantry and Armor, you are deployed in mixed units.
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SGM Jeff Mccloud
CPT Lawrence Cable -
MG Richard A. Cody, originally branched TC, then AV, took command of the 101st June 2000 to Jul 2002.
MG Ricky D. Erlandson, originally branched AV, took command of the 34th Septermber 2004
MG Laura Laura L. Yeager, originally branched AMEDD, then AV, took command of the 40th June 2019.
MG Thomas Spencer, originally branched FA, then AV, took command of the 42nd January 2021.
MG Richard A. Cody, originally branched TC, then AV, took command of the 101st June 2000 to Jul 2002.
MG Ricky D. Erlandson, originally branched AV, took command of the 34th Septermber 2004
MG Laura Laura L. Yeager, originally branched AMEDD, then AV, took command of the 40th June 2019.
MG Thomas Spencer, originally branched FA, then AV, took command of the 42nd January 2021.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
CPT Lawrence Cable A General is a General. The modern Army no longer deploys Divisions; we deploy BCTs. Division Commanders are not maneuvering Brigades or drawing Division battle plans.
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SGM Jeff Mccloud - The FA guys are Combat Arms, there was an FA Commander of the 101st back in the 80's. I know there are doctrinal changes since the move to the BCT, which is why they allow the different Combat Arms guys to command Brigades whether they were infantry or armor. I really hadn't thought about the Division Commanders not maneuvering the Brigades any longer, which was not the case before 2000.
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Yes. General officers are branchless, look at their official photos. Hence why they are “General” Officers. GEN Odierno was FA LT-COL, he commanded 4ID. GEN Kern was Armor LT-COL and commanded Army Materiel Command as a 4 Star.
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Technically, General Officers don't have branches, and they don't wear them on their uniform, but realistically, they have the Branch they served with most recently or longest.
I have a friend who is a GO. Spent his entire career as a Light Infantryman. Was a successful Deputy Commander for an Armored Division. I'm not sure he'd really seen a tank up close when he got that job.
In the Mechanized Infantry world, there is not that much difference between a MG that spent his whole life Armor and one that spent most of his time as Mechanized Infantry.
It is unlikely that an Armor experienced MG would be assigned to a Light Infantry Division though. Just doesn't probably have the "street cred" within those communities and the thought process is different in the light world. You have to understand things like almost all terrain is a problem, the distances are much shorter, logistics are somewhat simpler, airborne and air assault are things, etc.
I have a friend who is a GO. Spent his entire career as a Light Infantryman. Was a successful Deputy Commander for an Armored Division. I'm not sure he'd really seen a tank up close when he got that job.
In the Mechanized Infantry world, there is not that much difference between a MG that spent his whole life Armor and one that spent most of his time as Mechanized Infantry.
It is unlikely that an Armor experienced MG would be assigned to a Light Infantry Division though. Just doesn't probably have the "street cred" within those communities and the thought process is different in the light world. You have to understand things like almost all terrain is a problem, the distances are much shorter, logistics are somewhat simpler, airborne and air assault are things, etc.
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Yes. At the time I retired in 2003, Armored and Mechanized Infantry divisions and brigades were a mix of tank and mechanized infantry battalions, with only subtle variations in the ratio of the two being the difference. Armored division and brigade commanders could have backgrounds in armor, infantry or artillery (or ideally to have had some experience among the branches). In my own experience in Armored and Mech divisions, only two of my four brigade commanders had armor background and the other two infantry; the division commanders were, IIRC, two infantry, one artillery and one armor.
Cavalry squadrons were made up of troops with two tank platoons and two scout platoons each.
During those days, out in the field you couldn’t tell a cavalry squadron from a tank battalion with cross-attached mech infantry companies or a mech infantry battalion with cross-attached tank companies. Or an armored cavalry regiment from an armored or mech infantry brigade with all battalions cross-attached. (All armored and mech infantry brigades and divisions are mixes of tank and mech infantry battalions, with subtle and flexible variations in the ratio between the two types of battalions. Tank battalions with cross-attached infantry companies and vice-versa are designated Task Forces. Tank companies with cross-attached infantry platoons and vice-versa are designated Teams.)
The way I understand the current Modular Brigade system, which took effect over a decade after I retired, in an Armored Brigade Combat Team the cross-attachment is permanent and organic at the battalion level with each battalion made up of two tank companies and two mech infantry companies whether it is named an infantry or tank battalion or cavalry squadron. So the battalion commander can be either infantry or armor branch as well as the brigade and division commanders.
Cavalry squadrons were made up of troops with two tank platoons and two scout platoons each.
During those days, out in the field you couldn’t tell a cavalry squadron from a tank battalion with cross-attached mech infantry companies or a mech infantry battalion with cross-attached tank companies. Or an armored cavalry regiment from an armored or mech infantry brigade with all battalions cross-attached. (All armored and mech infantry brigades and divisions are mixes of tank and mech infantry battalions, with subtle and flexible variations in the ratio between the two types of battalions. Tank battalions with cross-attached infantry companies and vice-versa are designated Task Forces. Tank companies with cross-attached infantry platoons and vice-versa are designated Teams.)
The way I understand the current Modular Brigade system, which took effect over a decade after I retired, in an Armored Brigade Combat Team the cross-attachment is permanent and organic at the battalion level with each battalion made up of two tank companies and two mech infantry companies whether it is named an infantry or tank battalion or cavalry squadron. So the battalion commander can be either infantry or armor branch as well as the brigade and division commanders.
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_G._Perkins
He commanded the 4th ID. He was my armor battalion commander. He also commanded an infantry brigade.
He commanded the 4th ID. He was my armor battalion commander. He also commanded an infantry brigade.
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The word/title says it all “General”, once flag or General occurs they are generalists in nature. That of course needs to be combined with common sense application of assignments. All combat Arms Officer through 06 are groomed to be reader to lead and manage any combat modeled Division. Just as Combat Support and Service Support.
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