Armor Branch

The Armor Branch is the armored warfare branch of the United States Army. It was created provisionally in 1940 as Armored Force under the Chief of the Armored Force, Brigadier General Adna R. Chaffee, Jr.. At that time, it took control of all tank units in infantry and cavalry units.

Originally, the Armor Branch was considered one of the combat arms branches. Today, it is included within the "Maneuver, Fires and Effects" (MFE) classification, reflecting the current organizational doctrine of the U.S. Army. This branch plays a key role in modern military operations, using tanks and other armored vehicles to protect and support soldiers on the battlefield.

History

The Armor Branch of the United States Army began during the First World War. In 1918, there was a group called the United States Tank Corps, but it was split into Infantry and Cavalry units by 1921.

In 1940, a new group called the Armored Force was created under Brigadier General Adna R. Chaffee Jr.. Important training centers were set up at Ft. Knox in Kentucky, and later moved to Fort Benning in Georgia in 2010. The United States Army Armor School is now at Fort Benning.

Branch insignia

In 1917, the Army created its first symbol for tank units. Over time, new symbols were made to represent these units. By 1942, a simple tank design was used during World War II. In 1951, a new symbol was introduced, showing a tank with crossed sabers, which is still used today.

Publications

The journal Armor started in 1885 as the Cavalry Journal. It changed its name in 1940 when the U.S. Army moved from using horses to tanks. This journal was created by soldiers in the American West to share ideas about their work, even though they were far apart. It is one of the oldest publications in the United States.

Weapons

Here are some important vehicles used by the Armor Branch:

• M1A1 – Main Battle Tank
• M1A2 – Main Battle Tank
• Stryker – Armored Fighting Vehicle
• Stryker MGS – Infantry Support Vehicle
• M2 Bradley IFV – Infantry Fighting Vehicle
• M3 Bradley CFV – Cavalry Fighting Vehicle

Current units

Main article: List of armored and cavalry regiments of the United States Army

The Armor Branch includes several important units in the United States Army. Some of these units are:

• 1st Armored Division
• 1st Cavalry Division
• 33rd Armor Regiment
• 34th Armor Regiment
• 35th Armor Regiment
• 37th Armor Regiment
• 63rd Armor Regiment
• 64th Armor Regiment
• 66th Armor Regiment
• 67th Armor Regiment
• 68th Armor Regiment
• 69th Armor Regiment
• 70th Armor Regiment
• 77th Armor Regiment
• 103rd Armor Regiment
• 194th Armor Regiment (United States)