US Army Training Center - Armor Yearbook (Fort Knox, KY)

Page 7 text:

A MESSAGE TC THE TROGPS FRCIVI THE COIVIIVIANDING GENERAL CONGRATULATIONS SOLDIER You have successfully made the transition from a civilian to a soldier in the United States Army. You can be very proud of this accomplishment, and I extend my congratulations and best wishes to you. The basic training which you have undergone at Fort Knox was designed to present you with a difficult challenge. By having completed this rigorous course of instruction, you have proved yourself to be physically fit, knowledgeable in military subjects, and qualified with your basic weapons. I encourage you to make full use of the skills, experiences, and confidence that you have acquired here so that you can serve with pride and perform your assigned mission in today's Army of Excellence in a professional manner. You are following in the footsteps of many courageous and dedicated soldiers. It is now your responsibility to enhance the reputation, history, and tradition of the Army while at the same time bringing credit and recognition to yourself. On this significant occasion of your graduation from basic training, I commend you and wish you success in all your future endeavors. s Thomas H. Tait Major General, U.S. Army Commanding

Page 9 text:

HISTORY CF THE UNITED STATES ARMY ARMOR CENTER The history of the United States Army Armor Center dates back to 1940, when Europe was overrun by Nazism and the United States initiated its first peacetime draft in history. The Training Center had three names in that first year. It was entitled the Armored Force School and Replacement Center on 1 October 1940, and changed to the Armored Force Replacement Center twenty-five days later. In April 1941, the title became the Armored Force Re- placement Training Center. The Armored Force Replacement Training Center grew considerably in size and function during World War ll, with the title again being changed in 1945 to the Armor Replacement Training Center. After the war, when the United States demobilized portions of its huge war-time forces, the Armor Replace- ment Training Center was placed on an inactive status. This occurred in July of 1947 when the Third Armored Division was reactivated at Fort Rnox and assumed the training mission of the Armor Replacement Training Center. In 1955, the Third Armored Division was ordered to combat ready status for eventual shipment to Europe. This brought the Armor Replacement Train- ing Center back to active status in March of that year to cany on the training functions. In 1956 the name was changed to the United States Army Training Center, Armor QUSATCAJ. In 1979 the realignment of the Annor Center made the training commands part of the US Army Annor Center. The training center is organized into two training brigades, Committee Group, the US Army Reception Battalion, and the Fort Knox Noncommission- ed Officer AcademyfDrill Sergeant School. The First Armor Training Brigade's mission to provide combat-ready tank crewmen and scouts is two-fold. The first part is to train all tankers for both the Army and Marine Corps, and the second is to train all the Army's Cavalry Scouts. The First Armor Training Brigade graduates approximately 1,200 tank crewmen Cavalry Scouts a year. Training these soldiers is a challenging re- sponsibility, accepted with pride and executed in a professional manner by all cadre members of the First Brigade. The Fourth Training Brigade conducts Basic Combat Training CBCTD for soldiers who enlist for military occupational specialties tMOS'sl in the fields other than Armor. The Training Crroup conducts approximately 50010 of the training in basic soldier skills for both OSUT and BCT units, with the remainder being taught by the training unit cadre.