2nd armored cavalry regt. -...

The 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment(Light), the longest continually servingunit on active duty, has had a demandingand challenging year, with deploymentsto Bosnia, Hungary, the NTC, and recon-stitution following its deployment toHaiti.

The regiment trained up for and exe-cuted a December ’96 NTC Rotation,supported the Partnership for Peace exer-cise, COOPERATIVE NUGGET 97, inJune, executed a Mission Rehearsal Ex-ercise as part of a JRTC rotation in Julyfor its Bosnia deployment, and deployedto Bosnia in support of Operation JOINTGUARD. In August, the RegimentalHeadquarters Troop deployed to Ger-many to participate in a CMTC Rotationwith 1st Armored Division, making it theonly unit in the United States Army togo through all three Combat TrainingCenters in one year.

The 2nd ACR, a “light” armored cav-alry regiment, is a unique unit. The “2d

Dragoons” primary mission is to serve asthe XVIII Airborne Corps’ armored cav-alry regiment. In that role, the regimentis structured along the lines of a tradi-tional “heavy” armored cavalry regi-ment, but is equipped with “light” com-bat systems that facilitate rapid strategicdeployment.

The regiment is organized with threeground squadrons, an aviation squadron,and the regimental support squadron,along with separate engineer, military in-telligence, chemical reconnaissance com-panies and an air defense artillery battery.

Each ground squadron is made up ofthree cavalry troops equipped withHMMWVs mounted with M2 .50 calibermachine guns, MK-19s, two 120mmmortars, and TOWs. The squadron alsohas an antitank company equipped withHMMWV-mounted TOWs and an or-ganic M198, 155mm towed artillery bat-tery of eight guns. With a total of 72TOW missile systems, the regiment is

the most lethal antiarmor force in thecorps.

The regimental aviation squadron, our4th Squadron, is equipped with 36 OH-58D Kiowa Warriors and 16 UH-60Blackhawk helicopters. The Kiowa War-riors provide the regiment not only a su-perior aerial reconnaissance capability,but also lethal strike power when loadedwith Hellfire missiles and 2.75-inchrocket pods. The Kiowa Warrior is also avaluable observation platform for theregimental fire support system as an ex-ecutor of conventional artillery fires andCOPPERHEAD missions.

The highlight training event for 1996was the regiment’s National TrainingCenter rotation. The entire regiment, mi-nus its 2nd Squadron, deployed to theNTC. We also received several attach-ments from XVIII Airborne Corps, in-cluding two artillery battalions, an engi-neer battalion, a signal company, andelements of a corps support battalion.

ARMOR — November-December 1997 23

2nd ARMORED CAVALRY REGT.

Back from Haiti,Then On to Bosnia,The Army’s “Light ACR”Remains “Always Ready”

2nd ACR peacekeepers patrol the streets of Port au Princeduring deployment that ended this year.

This allowed the formation of a lethalregimental combat team and the exerciseof the complete wartime command andcontrol structure. To the surprise ofmany, the regiment proved itself to beevery bit as lethal as a heavy armoredcavalry regiment, and executed one ofthe best deep battles seen at the NTC,destroying the lead battalions of the OP-FOR regiment through the combined useof attack helicopters, CAS, and indirectfires far forward of the ground squad-ron’s main defense line.

After the first of the year, the regimentbegan preparation for its deployment toBosnia in support of Operation JOINTGUARD, under the command of the 1stArmored Division. As part of the prepa-ration, Department of the Army acceler-ated the move of 4th Squadron from FortBenning to Fort Polk, reuniting all theunits of the regiment on one post, greatlyfacilitating our train-up, and enhancingour ability to provide quality family sup-port to our deployed troopers.

All deploying troopers received individ-ual readiness training (IRT) to train themon the skills they will need to operate inBosnia. The final day of training culmi-nated in the troopers running a basecamp, complete with guard towers,barbed wire, gates, and situational train-ing involving tasks ranging from dealingwith media to operating checkpoints, ob-servation posts, and coordinating patrols.

We then conducted troop STX lanes toexercise the command and control be-tween the troops and squadron tacticaloperation center. The troop lanes focusedon the essential tasks identified for Bos-nia: checkpoint operations, handling ofrefugees, weapon storage area invento-ries, as well as force protection issues.

The capstone of our deployment train-ing was a mission rehearsal exercise(MRE) for the entire regiment. This wasconducted at Fort Polk in July and wasrun by the Joint Readiness Training Cen-ter (JRTC). The two-week exercisetested the regiment in all areas of com-mand and control, and challenged thetroopers in the execution of requiredtasks. The base camps in Bosnia werefully replicated, along with the realisticsimulation of political and economicconditions which make this peacekeep-ing mission unique and challenging.Refugees seeking resettlement withincontested areas, as well as personnel in-dicted for war crimes, were simulated tocreate the realism reflecting the condi-tions in which the 2d ACR will be oper-ating. The civil military affairs elementswere fully simulated, to include non-governmental organizations/internationalorganizations and other agencies whichare currently working in-country. Thisgave troopers and commanders the expe-rience needed to deal with the non-mili-tary portion of the mission. The level of

conflict trained during the MRE rangedfrom peacekeeping through active fac-tion fighting between the former warringfactions.

The 2d ACR deployed into country intwo main elements. The first elementsdeparted for Tazar, Hungary, August 13-15, and deployed into Bosnia during thelast two weeks of August. The secondmovement arrived in Tazar during thelast two weeks of September and in-cluded the aviation squadron, regimentalsupport squadron, and remainder of thedeployed force. 1st Squadron remainedbehind at Dragoon Base, Fort Polk, tocontinue support of the JRTC and carefor the families of the deployed soldiers.

The notable exception to this deploy-ment schedule is the regimental HHT,which flew to Frankfurt, Germany on 16August for a command post exercise(CPX) and MRE in conjunction with thestaff of 1st AD at the Combat TrainingManeuver Center in Hohenfels. MOUN-TAIN EAGLE V was conducted from17-28 August, integrating the staffs of1st AD and 2d ACR in preparation forjoint work in Bosnia.

The 2d ACR is now conducting peace-keeping operations in Bosnia. The re-mainder of the year will see us continu-ing to enforce the peace in Bosnia andkeeping in mind the Regiment’s motto,“Toujours Pret” (Always Ready).

24 ARMOR — November-December 1997