Killers, Fillers and Fodder.
Abstract
The current U.S. tank force is badly outnumbered by our potential adversary, the Soviet Union. We have not been able to offset this disadvantage by buying more tanks, or by improving our training or the quality of our tanks. The human factor has not been adequately considered, however, and perhaps it alone can provide us with a decisive advantage over our enemy. Currently, only a small percentage of our tank commanders would be truely effective in combat. We must select tank commanders who are intelligent enough to employ their weapon system to full advantage. The Army should: raise the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score standard for all tank commanders to Category II. All tankers should be required to possess good agility, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, have excellent vision and not wear glasses. Tests should be developed to predict combat effectiveness and only men who show a strong potential to be battlefield killers should be selected as tank commanders. Finally, the Army should consider replacing enlisted tank commanders with armor warrant officers who meet the high standards described above.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 02, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA118831
Entities
People
- Thomas A. Horner
Organizations
- United States Army War College