MOS 19M: the Mechanized Warrior Alex Turkatte

Winter 2019 MOS 19M: The Mechanized Warrior by Alex Turkatte The 2001 elimination of Military-Occu pation Specialty (MOS) 11M Mecha nized Infantry, without a replacement MOS or an additional-skill identifier (ASI)1, has left the Infantry Branch without a professionally trained mounted fighting force. This article will review a concept for an enlisted MOS dedicated to professional mechanized warfare. In a critical time when the Army is con sidering consolidation of MOSs to max imize personnel fill across generalized assignments, the rise of near-pear ad versaries such as Russia make evident the need for specialty training in plat form-based lethality and overmatch. Although the recent addition of a 30mm cannon to Stryker Infantry Car rier Vehicles provides more firepower, there remains a lack of mobile protect ed firepower (MPF) when compared with armored-brigade platforms. The lack of defensive capabilities and soft-soil maneuver ability from U.S. forma tions stationed in Europe required the return of a rotational armored brigade combat team (ABCT). The U.S. formations that would be called upon during a European conflict are assigned universal infantrymen that must perform specialized tasks across a myriad of assignments within the Stryker brigade combat team, in fantry brigade combat team (IBCT) and rotational ABCT. Despite the current need for increased maneuver, lethality and survivability, the primary special ized training for the infantryman is only through tab or badge-producing functional courses focused on light team and squad-level organizations:

• Special Qualifications Indicator (SQI) P + badge – basic airborne course;

• SQI G + tab – Ranger Course (SQI V when combined with airborne course);

• ASI 5W + badge – Jumpmaster Course;

• ASI 2B + badge – Air-Assault Course;

• ASI F7 + badge – Pathfinder Course;

• ASI 6B – Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leader’s Course (team-level training);

• ASI B4 – Sniper Course; and

• ASI B8 – Heavy Weapon Leader’s Course (former MOS 11H tube-launched, optically tracked, wire guided missile and small-arms training). The one infantry course that provides technical assignment-oriented training for the highest form of lethality is the Bradley Master Gunner (BMG) Course.2 BMG awards ASI J3, which is used for matching trained personnel to a modi fied table of organization and equip ment-required duty position. However, the BMG course is only authorized to be instructed by 11B Soldiers, which causes it to be one of the lowest prior ity for fill vs. light-infantry classes on Fort Benning. In fact, 19D Soldiers are called on to fill the routine 11B BMG instructor vacancies to meet rotational ABCT and operational-force mission re quirements. This MOS misalignment comes at the expense of creating in structor billpayer vacancies within high-lethality and maneuver courses where 19Ds are critical. Armor Branch career-management field (CMF) 19 is the only branch with in the U.S. Army that is dedicated to direct-combat mounted warfare throughout all three brigade combat teams, to include the light IBCT. Although only one-third the size of In fantry Branch, CMF 19 Soldiers attend more than eight assignment-oriented courses that produce specialized ASIs required on operational tables of orga nization and equipment (TOE). These skills provide the CMF 19 Soldier with competencies at platoon level and above which are necessary to fight and win against a near-peer adversary. The TOE-required ASI courses follow ing provide the highest form of maneu ver, reconnaissance3 and lethality to close with and destroy our enemies:

• ASI B9 – M2A3/M3A3 (Bradley) operator/system maintainer;

• ASI D3 – BFV operations and maintenance;

• ASI K8 – M1A2 Systems Enhancement Program Abrams Master Gunner Course;*

• ASI A8 – M1A1 Abrams Master Gunner Course (requires K8 course completion);

• ASI R8 – Stryker Master Gunner Course;*

• ASI R4 – Mobile Gun System commander;

• ASI R7 – Army Reconnaissance Course (platoon-level reconnaissance training); and

• ASI C6 – Cavalry Leader’s Course (company-level reconnaissance Figure 1. Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV) firing at Fort Benning.

Winter 2019 training). *J3, K8 and R8 courses currently re quire completion of master-gunner common core. The 19M concept proposal is a return of the former MOS 11M, except under the management and career oversight of the armor-personnel proponent within the Office of the Chief of Armor (OCOA). MOS 19M would begin initial-entry training (IET) with professional instruction on the lethality and over match of tracked-vehicle platforms and weapons systems such as the BFV. Upon completion of IET, the 19M would be assigned to ABCT formations, with possible generating-force assign ments at combat-training centers or at the Fort Benning schoolhouse. More duty positions could be created where MPF crews are required, such as with in U.S. Army Forces Command at ech elons above brigade. A draft career map for MOS 19M is provided in Figure 2, using U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)’s format for the enlisted tal ent-development model (TDM). Alex Turkatte is a human-resources specialist with OCOA, responsible for Armor Branch career-management pol icy. His previous assignments include chief warrant officer three 420A at TRADOC G-1/AG at Fort Monroe, VA; Headquarters U.S. Army Europe in Hei delberg, Germany; Headquarters V Corps/Combined Joint Task Force-7 in Baghdad, Iraq; 1st Special Forces Oper ational Detachment-Delta at Fort Bragg, NC; and 3-12 Infantry (Mecha nized) in Baumholder, Germany. His military schooling includes Defense Ci vilian Emerging Leader Program, War rant Officer Candidate School, Adjutant General Warrant Officer Basic Course and Airborne and Jumpmaster Courses. Notes 1 DA Pamphlet 611-21, ASI Table 12-2, https://www.milsuite.mil/book/docs/

DOC-197933.

2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle Systems Master Gunner Course, 1-29th Infantry Battalion, https://www.benning.army.mil/ Armor/316thCav/129/BMG/. 3 316th Cavalry Brigade, course programs of instruction, https://www.benning. army.mil/Armor/316thCav/index. html?_=2114#PoI. ABCT – armored brigade combat team ASI – additional skill identifier BFV – Bradley Fighting Vehicle BMG – Bradley master gunner CMF – career-management field IBCT – infantry brigade combat team IET – initial-entry training MOS – military-occupation specialty MPF – mobile protected firepower OCOA – Office Chief of Armor SQI – special qualifications indicator TDM – talent-development model TOE – table of organization and equipment TRADOC – (U.S. Army) Training and Doctrine Command Figure 2. MOS 19M TDM. Acronym Quick-Scan