Question about Basic/Ait Units going to war.

[Webstral]

These are good questions. In a Twilight: 2000 context, I think it's important to draw distinctions between the period 12/96-07/97, 07/97-11/97, and 11/97 onward. In the first timeframe, it seems highly unlikely that whole Basic/AIT companies would be sent onward except in cases where entire battalions had been withdrawn for reconstitution in the rear. In these instances, the survivors would form the cadre of officers and NCOs, while the newbie would play Joe. The drill sergeants and other training cadre would be too valuable in their training role to send forward.

In the middle timeframe, it's possible that entire AIT companies might be sent forward as a group. The initiation of nuclear action would have disrupted the global transportation system, so it's entirely possible that keeping entire companies together would have been more manageable than sending individuals or platoons in different directions. I still find it hard to see the Army sending its trainers forward, though.

In the final timeframe, it seems to be a given that the trainers lose their specialized training role. The US Army Reserve divisions transition to light infantry in 1998. On posts like Benning and Sill, a few drill sergeants might have been kept on in their training role, but the pressing need for manpower probably would have resulted in most of these guys going back to the line.

Still, everything I've written is a generalization. Exceptions to the rule may abound in every instance.

At Huachuca, the drill sergeants are rolled into the new line units of 111th Brigade after the TDM. It's only after the summer fighting of 1998 ends and the brigade starts to rebuild that any significant number of the drills are released for unit training again.


Webstral

[Abbott Shaull]

Originally Posted by Webstral

These are good questions. In a Twilight: 2000 context, I think it's important to draw distinctions between the period 12/96-07/97, 07/97-11/97, and 11/97 onward. In the first timeframe, it seems highly unlikely that whole Basic/AIT companies would be sent onward except in cases where entire battalions had been withdrawn for reconstitution in the rear. In these instances, the survivors would form the cadre of officers and NCOs, while the newbie would play Joe. The drill sergeants and other training cadre would be too valuable in their training role to send forward.

In the middle timeframe, it's possible that entire AIT companies might be sent forward as a group. The initiation of nuclear action would have disrupted the global transportation system, so it's entirely possible that keeping entire companies together would have been more manageable than sending individuals or platoons in different directions. I still find it hard to see the Army sending its trainers forward, though.

In the final timeframe, it seems to be a given that the trainers lose their specialized training role. The US Army Reserve divisions transition to light infantry in 1998. On posts like Benning and Sill, a few drill sergeants might have been kept on in their training role, but the pressing need for manpower probably would have resulted in most of these guys going back to the line.

Still, everything I've written is a generalization. Exceptions to the rule may abound in every instance.

At Huachuca, the drill sergeants are rolled into the new line units of 111th Brigade after the TDM. It's only after the summer fighting of 1998 ends and the brigade starts to rebuild that any significant number of the drills are released for unit training again.


Webstral

Well if you remember in The Band of Brothers the training NCO were there to help the assigned Officers of the 506th train and then they were transferred out as me with the platoons, companies, and battalions were promoted to the NCO ranks. So it could happen again, to keep the Drill Sergeants and Instructors back in the State for training purposes. Of course, the down side is lot of the NCOs have a sharper learning curve than the Officers and one of the few time where roles would be reverse with junior Officer helping in training of senior NCOs.

[Abbott Shaull]

Yeah I agree after TDM more and more of the Drill Sergeants and Instructors will be moved forward with their units that are passing out of training. On the other hand, there will be those E-4 and NCOs who have been wounded or rotated back to help give first hand accounts what the new troops would be facing by this time too.

Just some thoughts.

[Abbott Shaull]

Okay after looking I found there some Companies and Platoon that were cohorts that served in the 82nd Airborne and 101st Air Assault. I know a lot of these units went to the 10th Mountain since it had only been recently reformed. I also know there were plenty of cohorts that went the 6th, 7th, and 25th Division as they were in states of rebuilding to as the US Army attempted to reorganize the 7th and 25th from Heavy formation to Light. The 10th was total being built from the ground up, and the 6th was being reorganized from Brigade size force already in Alaska into a Division.

In addition I know there were plenty who went to Germany since at the time it was three year tour. Not sure if any went to Korea. Pretty sure the 177th Armor Brigade and 9th Motorized Division were probably the only two Brigade/Division size unit that didn't get many Cohorts due to their unique missions, one experience OpFor force and test bed unit, both needed to have troops that needed to know their stuff. With what I have read probably not any in the Armor Cavalry Regiment either due to the high state of readiness they had to have. One of the lesson that they seemed to have learned the hard way with the Cohort Companies and Platoon sent to the 82nd Airborne Division in which a few missed their first DRF rotation due to lack of having time to get train and complete certification. Explains why also some of the 82nd Airborne Battalion were hodge-podge during Grenada too.

Thanks Web for answering so quickly.