Exploiting Combat Experience

<p>The U.S. Forces European Theater General Board study of mechanized cavalry units illustrates how a systemic study of combat experience can guide interconnected changes to military doctrine organizations and equipment. The General Board conducted its study of mechanized cavalry units between September 1945 and January 1946. The study's final report recommended that the Army create a corps cavalry regiment that would perform the full range of traditional horse cavalry missions including reconnaissance security offensive combat defensive combat and special operations. In early 1946 planners designing the force structure of the U.S. Zone Constabulary based the design of the constabulary regiments upon the organization proposed by the General Board. The General Board study of mechanized cavalry units also influenced post-war boards that proposed changes to the doctrine organization and equipment of future armored units. In 1948 Army Field Forces created a new type of unit the Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light). The design of this organization the selection of its equipment and its doctrine were guided by the recommendations from the General Board study. This type of regiment was unusual; the U.S. Army was the only NATO or Warsaw Pact country to organize a corps cavalry regiment with a broad mission profile rather than relying upon smaller units designed strictly for reconnaissance. Armored Cavalry Regiments remained part of the U.S. Army's force structure until 2011. Thus the General Board's recommendations had a significant long-term influence on the U.S. Army. The work of the General Board illustrates a way to study doctrine organization and equipment comprehensively in light of recent combat experience and demonstrates the value that such a study can have for the Army.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>