Do you have to have your driver's license to be a M1 Tank Crewman?

Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:43:14 -0400

Response by Maj Kim Patterson made Oct 30 at 2019 2:52 PM

Maj Kim Patterson — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:52:15 -0400

Private RallyPoint Member don't worry, they will train you.

Response by LTC David Brown made Oct 30 at 2019 2:57 PM

LTC David Brown — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 14:57:08 -0400

Yes you do need a drivers license and failure to use turning indicators will result in loss of license since extending an arm to indicate a turn out the closed hatch or tank main gun is difficult. :) like Maj Kim Patterson said, they will train you.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Oct 30 at 2019 3:28 PM

MAJ Byron Oyler — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 15:28:52 -0400

A military drivers license yes, state license this would be a great question for a tanker.

Response by COL Peyton Ligon made Oct 30 at 2019 3:40 PM

COL Peyton Ligon — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 15:40:44 -0400

I would say yes you need a drivers license

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2019 4:30 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 04:30:58 -0400

No you do not need a valid driver's license, Military licenses are separate.

Response by MAJ Javier Rivera made Oct 31 at 2019 8:00 AM

MAJ Javier Rivera — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 08:00:04 -0400

Unless you plan to drive a M1A2 on an Inter-state, State, County, or local venue, I wouldn’t concer about a drivers license. Although you might want to get yours before shipping out. Sooner or later you’ll want to get your own ride.

Response by SrA John Monette made Oct 31 at 2019 11:04 AM

SrA John Monette — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 11:04:47 -0400

a one ton car/truck handles a bit differently than a 60 ton tank. i would think if you are old enough to drive a tank you would have your civilian license already.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 31 at 2019 12:53 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 12:53:54 -0400

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 4 at 2019 12:46 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 12:46:10 -0500

Nope. I knew plenty of tankers who didn’t have a civilian D. L. And still had a military license. I even issued some as a unit master driver; although I did recommend to those soldiers that they obtain a D. L. Since they would need one if they were to ever have to operate a Gov. vehicle of post.

Response by MAJ Rj M made Nov 5 at 2019 8:44 AM

MAJ Rj M — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 08:44:26 -0500

You don't need one.....though you may want to get one eventually...

Response by SGT James Nelson made Nov 5 at 2019 10:22 AM

SGT James Nelson — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 10:22:50 -0500

Yes they do train you, and as long as you do not drive the vehicle off post you can get by without a civilian license. It is highly recommended that you get one as soon as you get to your first duty station it can be long walk on post to get to the PX and Commissary.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 6 at 2019 8:38 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 08:38:05 -0500

The military has a licensing system just like the civilian system. Before you Piolet a multi million dollar tank you will go through a training pipeline to prepare you for your MOS / Job.

Response by SFC Kurt Brunken made Nov 6 at 2019 9:16 AM

SFC Kurt Brunken — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 09:16:58 -0500

No, but it is pretty standard to get a tank and humvee license in an Armor unit. But you do not need a state license to get the above.

Response by PFC Ray Aquila made Nov 7 at 2019 1:01 AM

PFC Ray Aquila — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 01:01:28 -0500

Back in the day at AIT at Ft. Bliss getting ready for Nam. Every vehicle in our mobile artillery unit, one had to learn to drive, Jeeps to the M-42 Dusters, and everything in between. We were issued International Driver license. I still have mine 53 years later.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 11 at 2019 7:48 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 07:48:38 -0500

No you don’t need to have a civilian driver license to drive a tank. You will need a military driver license to do so.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2019 7:14 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 19:14:51 -0500

It depends on your duty station. At fort Stewart you need a civilian driver's license because you have to cross state roads. I was the Company master driver and per the fort Stewart regs you need one especially if you were a part of 2nd BDE.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2019 9:12 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 Nov 2019 09:12:25 -0500

Civilian driver’s license no you’ll go through drivers training and get a military one you can request one from a local dmv but they train you on vehicles that pertain to you.

Response by SSG Christopher Reaves made Dec 3 at 2019 12:06 AM

SSG Christopher Reaves — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 00:06:41 -0500

No, when you finish training you will get an M1 license.

Response by SGT Keith Smith made Dec 19 at 2019 6:58 PM

SGT Keith Smith — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 18:58:13 -0500

No. Not even to be a driver.

Response by CPL Eric Waters made Dec 24 at 2019 11:22 AM

CPL Eric Waters — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 11:22:03 -0500

When I signed up, way back in the 90s, I was told that I did need a driver's license. Based on my time in, you're going to have to drive the tank on civilian streets eventually, and you need to be licensed for that. Technically. I mean, no one's gonna pull you over, but...

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 29 at 2019 9:59 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 09:59:38 -0500

Nah. You’ll be alright.

Response by PVT Brian Desormeaux made Jan 8 at 2020 8:44 PM

PVT Brian Desormeaux — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 20:44:35 -0500

As a former M1 mechanic (‘89-‘92), most CDATs I met, could barely ride a bicycle.

Response by CPL William Hubbard made Jan 17 at 2020 4:53 PM

CPL William Hubbard — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 16:53:54 -0500

Yes you have to have a driver's license to drive any military vehicle

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2020 12:39 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 12:39:55 -0400

The Army will issue you your driver's license.

Response by SPC Charles Desjarlais made Apr 29 at 2020 7:39 PM

SPC Charles Desjarlais — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 19:39:29 -0400

I learned how to drive my first day in Kosovo. I didn’t get a US Driver license until I was e.t.s.ing from Riley. I did get one in Germany just for fun though.

Response by SP5 Dean Sabatini made Jul 6 at 2020 9:06 PM

SP5 Dean Sabatini — Mon, 06 Jul 2020 21:06:27 -0400

Yes Kevin, I did. M-48

Response by SSG Robert Velasco made Jul 16 at 2020 7:47 PM

SSG Robert Velasco — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 19:47:25 -0400

You will receive an Army or military driver qualified license for all vehicles you pass operating. A driver's license is needed off post while operating any vehicle.

Response by SSG Robert Velasco made Jul 16 at 2020 8:01 PM

SSG Robert Velasco — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 20:01:47 -0400

No,but you will be tested and must demonstrate you can operate and maintain the track plus know it's parts and specifications.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 23 at 2021 10:04 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 22:04:19 -0400