Have Gun Will Travel

<p>In 1997 the last separate divisional tank battalion was deactivated leaving no habitually assigned tank battalion or company to any of the Army's light forces. The Army's interim fix has been to assign an Immediate Reaction Company from anyone of the heavy divisions based in the United States to support contingency operations. The focus of this research will be on tanks in support of the infantry brigades and regimental combat team as a habitual infantry and tank team in combat operations from World War I to Somalia and in simulated combat operations at the Joint Readiness Training Center. <br><br>Lessons learned from previous wars and subsequent contingency operations reveal that the over arching theme of field commanders was to have an organic tank company assigned to them in all combat situations. They recognized the need for combined arms training and execution along with the benefits of a cohesive team. <br><br>The results of this research indicate that the light infantry brigades need organic separate tank companies assigned to their MTOE in order to meet their operational requirements.</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><br>