[dragoon500ly]

So just what is a ACR?

The armored cavalry regiment is a corps level asset that has several missions.

First up is the reconnaissance-in-force mission, its light enough to move fast and heavy enought to punch through just about anything in its way.

Second is the screening mission, the ACR can cover the corps front or one of its flanks. The size of an ACR and its equipment mix can also be used in a deception mission, impersonating a mech brigade for example.

During my time in service, there were two TO&Es used. The older TO&E used a ten vehicle platoon (the largest platoon in the Army) made up a scout section equipped with 4 M-113 APCs carrying a Dragon mount, a tank section with 4 M-1IPs and a command section consisting of a M-113 and a M-106 4.2-inch mortar carrier. The mortar carrier was often detached to the troop headquarters, giving the troop 3 mortar carriers. Three cav platoons and a HQ platoon make up a armored cavalry troop.

A armored cavalry squadron is made up of a headquarters troop, three cavalry troops, a tank company (14 M-1IPs) and a howitzer battery (8 SP 155mm). The regiment itself has three armored cavalry squadrons, a air cavalry squadron, a headquarters troop and attached Stinger platoon, target acquisition platoon (OH-58D) a engineer company and a military intelligence company. As you can see, a powerful combined arms organization capable of performing a variety of missions.

The ACRs do not use the standard phonetic alphabet names, but use a more evocative series:

First Squadron
Apache Troop
Bull Troop
Charlie Troop
Delta Company
How Battery
Second Squadron
Eagle Troop
Fox Troop
Ghost Troop
Hawk Company
How Battery
Third Squadron
Iron Troop
Killer Troop
Lightning Troop
Mad Dog Company
How Battery
Fourth Squadron
Nomad Troop (8 OH-58C and 4 AH-1F)
Oscar Troop (ditto)
Palehorse Troop (ditto)
Quickstrike Troop (4 OH-58C and 8 AH-1F)
Redcatcher Troop (ditto)
Sierra Company (12 UH-60A)