I
graduated from class 84-2 at Fort Knox, Kentucky in February
of 1984. |
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C
Company,
1st Battalion 1st Armor Training Brigade (ATB) |
In
addition to filling in as Company Motor Sergeant, I conducted
nearly all M1 Abrams Tank classroom (platform) instruction for
each Advanced Individual Training (AIT) company cycle. While
there I lead other tank instructors in the development of several
Abrams leadership and transition courses. Working with two other
instructors we developed the Program of Instruction (POI) and
all Lesson Plans (LP) for the M1 Excellence In Armor (EIA) program.
I supervised the pilot of the first two Armor EIA companies.
During this assignment we used initial version M1 Abrams Tanks. |
| D
Company
1st Battalion 33rd Armor,
3rd Armored Division (AD) |
Assigned
as Platoon Sergeant for First Platoon as well as Master Gunner.
The unit went from M60A1 tanks to IPM1 tanks during my 2 years
with D Company. During 1987 the Company was chosen as one of
two companies to represent the United States from the 3rd AD
in the Olympics of tank gunner, the Canadian
Army Trophy (CAT). I moved to Battalion Headquarters to
serve full time as CAT Master Gunner. After our unit was not
selected to compete (based on a blind unit draw) I was transferred
to the other unit Battalion Headquarters (4-8 CAV) to help them.
By the way they/we won - the first American team to ever win
the CAT. |
C
Company
1st Battalion 33rd Armor,
3rd Armored Division |
On
my return from the CAT competition, I was moved to C Company.
In Charley Company I served as Platoon Sergeant for Headquarters
Platoon as well as Company Master Gunner. During my year with
C Company we transitioned to M1A1 tanks, |
L
Troop
3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) |
In
L Troop, I served as Platoon Leader for 4th Platoon as well
as Troop Master Gunner. L Troop was equipped with very old M1A1
tanks. |
Headquarters
3rd Squadron, 3rd ACR |
While
assigned as Squadron Master Gunner, we deployed to Desert Shield.
During Desert Shield I had the opportunity to re-learn many
of those Master Gunner skills we don't use in a normal training
environment, like range construction, to help prepare the unit
for what lay ahead. While deployed we replaced our old M1A1s
with new M1A1HAs. |
Project
Manager's Office
Abrams Tank Systems |
An
opportunity to influence tank design, if only slightly. What
a great assignment. It's too bad more Master Gunners don't get
this opportunity. M1A2 and M1A2SEP develop was ongoing during
my tour with the PEO. I supported Logistics, Fielding, Human
Factors Engineering, and MWO actions for all variants of the
Abrams tank. |
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