When Greg presented his article, "The Light Cavalry Regiment of the 1990s" for CPQ #5, I politely demurred, explaining that the beast was never going to look like that, pretty articles in Military Review notwithstanding. I have seen only about four different TO&Es for the 2d ACR, each of which is really cool in its own way. However, having just spent all of that time writing his article, Greg's response was the understandable, "Oh yeah? Write your own article, and be damned with you, vile critic," or something close to that, memory being a funny thing. Oh, all right. The following article details the "Dragoons," the 2d ACR, as they are actually organized today, and as they are expected to be organized at the end of the decade with the fielding of the M8 Armored Gun System (AGS). It is still a little unclear what the exact terminology of this unit is expected to be. The 2d Armored Cavalry Regiment in its light configuration is still apparently called the 2d ACR, much as the 101st Division is still officially titled the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) rather than the 101st Air Assault Division. The 2d ACR is apparently not called the 2d Light Cavalry Regiment, or the 2d Light Armored Cavalry Regiment, even though it is clear that the qualifier "Light" has got to be in there somewhere. In keeping with this lighter, fluffier, less substantial era in which we live, I was tempted to call this article: "THE 2nd ACR (LITE) FIGHT'S GREAT! LESS SORTIES!" but thought better of it, as I have no desire to make light (NPI) of the folks currently serving in it. Rather, I settled upon "Toujours Pret: Contingency Cavalry For The 1990s." As part of the post-Cold War CFE (Conventional Forces in Europe) agreements, the US VII Corps in Germany was being deactivated, although the "Jayhawk Corps" did get one last resounding "Hurrah," which I need not go into. After shaking all of the sand out of the equipment, it was time to case the colors and take the equipment home to the states. As the VII Corps cav regiment, the 2d ACR, "The Dragoons," were being deactivated as well, but by a strange bit of alchemy to which the Army is prone, the regiment's name, lineage, and traditions were preserved by "reflagging" another unit as the 2d ACR, granting it also the various illustrious appurtenances pertaining to the unit. The lucky recipient of all of this historical baggage was the 199th Separate Infantry Brigade at Fort Lewis, Washington. The new cavalrymen then had to close up shop at Fort Lewis and move themselves down to Fort Polk, Louisiana, the new home of the 2d Light Armored Cavalry Regiment. The light ACR was modeled on the old heavy ACR (of which there remains but one in the world-the 3d ACR, "Brave Rifles"), but was built around HMMW Vs instead of M2/M3 Bradleys and M 1 Abrams. In essence, the light ACR replaces the Bradley Scout Vehicles on a one-for-one basis with HMMWVs armed with a mix of Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launchers and "Ma Deuce".50caliber machineguns, and the M1 Abrams on a one-for-one basis with TOW-armed HMMWVs. This is an important distinction. Do not imagine that the unit is brim-full of HMMW V s interchangeably armed with AGLs,.50s, and TOWs. The TOW-armed HMMWVs are surrogate tanks, filling the role of the departed M 1 s until the M8 AGS come along to replace them, also on a one-for-one basis. (Do not write me to explain that the AGS is not a tank. Of course it's not a tank, but the fact is that the AGS is the direct replacement for the Ml in this unit, with HMMWV/TOWs operating as place savers in the meantime.) This allows the unit to function in its interim configuration as a fully functional unit for several years and then transition to its objective configuration with a minimum of upheaval. The 2d ACR's 4th Squadron was also reflagged from another unit: the 4-17 Air Cavalry. Although reflagged as 4/2 Cav, this squadron still has obligations to its previous owner, the XVIII Airborne Corps, for which it remains the corps' long-range surveillance unit and reaction troop. However, when 2d ACR deploys, 4/2 belongs to it, and in the meantime 2d ACR approves its training and mission requirements, etc. Because Command Decision 2 (or either of its progenitors, for that matter) is not about logistical tails, I have not detailed the various combat service support units which are only irritating to wargamers. Trucks is trucks. Interim Light Armored Cavalry Regiment Veteran, Morale: 10 Regimental Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 1 HMMWV TOC Engineer Company, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 3 engineer stands 3 HMMWV troop carriers 1 SEE small emplacement excavator 1 5-ton supply truck 1 supply HEMTT 1 line charge trailer 1 towed GEMSS mine layer Chemical Company, with: 1 command stand 1HMMWV 1 5-ton truck with Sanator 2 M93 Fox NBC reconnaissance vehicles Military Intelligence Company, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 1 HMMWV TOC 1 HHMMWV with radar detection 1 HMMWV with radio detection 1 HMMWV with jammers 1 HMMWV with GSR Air Defense Artillery Battery, with: 1 command stand 1HMMWV 1 HMMWV with radar 4 Avengers 4 ammo HMMWV 1 support stand 1 maintenance HMMWV with trailer 2 5-ton supply trucks with trailers 3 Armored Cavalry Squadrons, each with: Headquarters and Headquarters Troops, with: 1 command stand 1HMMWV 1 HMMWV TOC 1 120mm mortar stand (ds) 1 HMMWV with trailer 2 support stands 1 5-ton maintenance truck with trailer 1 5-ton wrecker 1 5-ton supply truck with trailer 2 ammo HMMWV with trailers 1 HMMWV with GSR 3 Light Cavalry Troops, each with: 1 command HMMWV with TOW 2 recon HMMWV with Mk 19 AGL 2 recon HMMWV with HMG 1 HMMWV with TOW Light Armor Company, with: 1 command HMMWV with TOW 2 HMMWV with TOW Artillery Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMW V with trailer 1 HMMWV TOC 1 FO stand 1 MMW V 2 gun crew stands (ds) 2 M198 155mm howitzers 2 5-ton trucks 2 5-ton ammo trucks with trailers Air Cavalry Squadron, with: Headquarters and Headquarters Troops, with: 1 command stand 1HMMWV 1 HMMW V TOC 1 support stand 1 HMMWV with trailer 4 Air Cavalry Troops, each with: 1 command OH-58D Prime Chance 1 recon OH-58D Prime Chance Air Transport Troops, with: 1 command UH-60 2 UH-60 Maintenance Troop, with: 1 command stand 1HMMWV 2 support stands 2 5-ton maintenance trucks with trailers 2 5-ton supply trucks with trailers Support Squadron, with: Headquarters and Headquarters Troops, with: (Not detailed) Maintenance Troops, with: (Not detailed) Transportation Troops, with: (Not detailed) Medical Troops, with: (Not detailed) In its new, light configuration, the 2d ACR includes 3794 personnel and is intended for use as a rapidly deployable contingency force, requiring only C-141s for transportation, rather than C-5s. (This used to be good news until the Air Force began having more problems with their C-141s and is now talking about retiring the entire fleet). The regiment is organized to deploy a task-organized cavalry squadron aboard 123 C-141s and have the first C-141 wheels-up within 48 hours of notification.  This "mission ready force" would be ideal to expand a lodgement area around and airfield seized by an airborne or air assault brigade, and looks as follows. Task Organized Cavalry Squadron Headquarters and Headquarters Troops, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 1 HMMWV TOC 1 120mm mortar stand (ds) 1 HMMWV with trailer 2 support stands 1 5-ton maintenance truck with trailer 1 5-ton wrecker 1 5-ton supply truck with trailer 2 ammo HMMWV with trailers 1 HMMWV with GSR Air Defense Artillery Slice, with: 1 Avenger 1 ammo HMMWV for Avenger Engineer Slice, with: 1 engineer stand 1 HMMWV troop carrier 3 Light Cavalry Troops, each with: 1 command HMMWV with TOW 2 recon HMMWV with Mk 19 AGL 2 recon HMMWV with HMG 1 HMMWV with TOW Light Armor Company, with: 1 command HMMWV with TOW 2 HMMWV with TOW Artillery Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV with trailer 1 HMMWV TOC 1 FO stand 1 HMMW V 2 gun crew stands (ds) 2 M198 155mm howitzers 2 5-ton trucks 2 5-ton ammo trucks with trailers Assuming that all goes well and the M8 AGS is fielded (and with current defense budget trends, there is absolutely no reason to believe that at all-many observers expect the AGS to fall beneath the budget axe following the departure of the current Chief of Staff of the Army), the 2d ACR will become re-equipped with it as well as numerous other items. Among these is the FSV, or Future Scout Vehicle, which does not exist, nor is there any agreement on what it will look like. The towed 155mm howitzers will also be replaced by self-propelled howitzers, either the M109A6 Paladin or, in the fullness of time, the Advanced Field Artillery System. Near-term changes include the possible replacement of the HIVIMWVs with the armored "Heavy HMMWV" variant (which would raise the number of C- 141 sorties for the mission ready force to 131). Assuming the AGS is fielded, Heavy Hummers could hold the places for the FSVs (see below) until the FSVs appear. In this configuration, the mission ready force would require 178 C-141 and 6 C-5 sorties. The OH-58Ds will be replaced by the RAH-66 Comanche, the MI company will pick up a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) detachment, and the regiment will pick up a troop of the NLOS (non-line of sight) missiles. Although it is intended that these changes will be carried into the basic interim organization shown earlier, the uncertainty surrounding future force levels and equipment procurement demand that the organization shown below is speculative at best. This organization would exist some time after the turn of the century. Objective Light Armored Cavalry Regiment Veteran, Morale: 10 Regimental Headquarters, with: 1 command stand 1 FSV 1 HMMWV TOC Engineer Company, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMW V 3 engineer stands 3 HMMWV 1 SEE small emplacement excavator 1 ACE armored combat earthmover 1 5-ton supply truck with trailer 1 supply HEMTT 1 line charge trailer 1 Volcano mine launcher (platform unknown) Chemical Company, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 1 5-ton truck with Sanator 2 M93 Fox NBC reconnaissance vehicles Military Intelligence Company, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 1 HMMWV TOC 1 HMMWV with radar detection 1 HMMWV with radio detection 1 HMMWV with jammers 1 HMMWV with GSR 1 UAV control stand 1 UAV 1 HMMWV Air Defense Artillery Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 1 HMMWV with radar 4 Avengers 4 ammo HMMWV 1 support stand 1 maintenance HMMWV with trailer 2 5-ton supply trucks with trailers NLOS Company, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 3 HMMWV with NLOS 3 ammo HMMWV with trailers  3 Armored Cavalry Squadrons, each with: Headquarters and Headquarters Troops, with: 1 command M8 AGS 1 HMMWV TOC 1 120mm mortar stand (ds) 1 HMMWV with trailer 2 support stands 1 5-ton maintenance truck with trailer 1 5-ton wrecker 1 5-ton supply truck with trailer 2 ammo HMMWV with trailers 1 HMMWV with GSR 3 Light Cavalry Troops, each with: 1 command M8 AGS 4 recon FS V 1 M8 AGS Light Armor Company, with: 1 command M8 AGS 2 M8 AGS Artillery Battery, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV with trailer 1 HMMWV TOC 1 FO stand 1 HMMWV 2 M109A6 or AFAS SP 155mm howitzers 2 5-ton ammo trucks with trailers Air Cavalry Squadron, with: Headquarters and Headquarters Troops, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 1 HMMW V TOC 1 support stand 1 HMMWV with trailer 3 Air Cavalry Troops, each with: 1 command RAH-66 Comanche 2 recon RAH-66 Comanche Command and Transport Troops, with: 1 command UH-60 command and control 1 UH-60 command and control 2 UH-60 transport Maintenance Troops, with: 1 command stand 1 HMMWV 2 support stands 2 5-ton maintenance trucks with trailers 4 HEMTT supply trucks with trailers Support Squadron, with: Headquarters and Headquarters Troops, with: (Not detailed) Maintenance Troops, with: (Not detailed) Transportation Troops, with: (Not detailed) Medical Troops, with: (Not detailed) For ratings of the vehicles in the interim light ACR organization, see the charts at right and in the supplement section of this issue. For the 21st century stuff, stay tuned to future issues of CPQ. As always, thanks to the usual anonymous bag of suspects. Strike Hard! Chart Back to Table of Contents -- Command Post Quarterly # 6 To Command Post Quarterly List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by Greg Novak. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com