Operation Last Stand

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The United States Army Armor School was established on October 1, 1940, in Fort Knox, Kentucky, with the first class starting November 4th of the same year. The school was established by then–Lieutenant Colonel Stephen G. Henry under the guidance of Brigadier General Adna R. Chaffee Jr., for whom the headquarters building is now named. On July 1, 1957, the school was given its current name. It originally consisted of seven departments: Tank, Wheeled vehicle, Motorcycle, Communication, Tactics, Gunnery, and Field Engineering. The school was supervised by Continental Army Command until the 1970s, then up until 2025, it was part of United States Army Training and Doctrine Command.

In Their Own Story

The 194th Armored Brigade focuses on developing soldiers in initial entry training—led by Drill Sergeants—and advanced armor and cavalry training via subject matter expert instructors. The brigade conducts training including One Station Unit Training (OSUT), Basic Combat Training (BCT), and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) for career fields such as Armor Crewman (19K), Cavalry Scouts (19D), M1A2 SEPv2 Abrams System Maintainer (91A), and Bradley Fighting Vehicle System Maintainer (91M). The 316th Cavalry Brigade educates and trains leaders to increase maneuver units' ability to fight as part of a combined arms team. Courses include the Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course (ABOLC), a 19-week program for Second and First Lieutenants, and the Cavalry Leaders Course, which trains officers, warrant officers, and NCOs in reconnaissance and security tasks. The Maneuver Leaders Maintenance Course (MLMC) is a ten-day course teaching maintenance fundamentals, Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS), and the Commander's Inspection Program (CIP). The Scout Leader's Course trains reconnaissance and security leaders. The Simulations Training Management Course (STMC) trains soldiers to manage simulation training for stabilized and mounted machine gun platforms. The Advanced Situational Awareness (ASA) Course focuses on integrating the six domains of human behavior into training and combat. The Dismounted Counter-Improvised Explosive devices (C-IED) Tactics Master Trainer (DCT-MT) Course is a two-week course teaching Master Trainers the foundations to become subject matter experts in C-IED tactics. The Tank Commander's Course (TCC) focuses on technical instruction including crew stations, tank maintenance, unit gunnery management, and tank gunnery. The Mobile Gun System Commander's Course (MGSCC) trains officers and NCOs to be technically and tactically proficient on the Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS). The Master Gunner Common Core (MGCC) trains NCOs on advanced universal gunnery methodologies over 27 days in four modules. The Abrams Master Gunner Course (AMG) is a thirty-nine-day course with eighteen students per class and a 2:1 student to teacher ratio, focusing on the M1A2 Abrams System Enhancement Package (SEP).

Reader's Guide

For those seeking to understand the Armor School's training pipeline, the 194th Armored Brigade handles initial entry training for armor and cavalry soldiers, while the 316th Cavalry Brigade focuses on leader development. Key courses include ABOLC for new officers (19 weeks), the Cavalry Leaders Course for reconnaissance planning, and the MLMC for maintenance operations (10 days). The Master Gunner Common Core (27 days) and Abrams Master Gunner Course (39 days) produce subject matter experts in gunnery. The DCT-MT Course (2 weeks) develops C-IED tactics trainers. The ASA Course teaches human behavior pattern recognition. The STMC trains simulation management for mounted machine gun platforms. The TCC and MGSCC produce tank and Stryker MGS commanders respectively. The Scout Leader's Course develops advanced reconnaissance and security skills.

Did You Know?

• The Armor School was established on October 1, 1940, in Fort Knox, Kentucky, with the first class starting November 4th of the same year.
• The school was established by then–Lieutenant Colonel Stephen G. Henry under the guidance of Brigadier General Adna R. Chaffee Jr., for whom the headquarters building is now named.
• On July 1, 1957, the school was given its current name, the United States Army Armor School.
• The school originally consisted of seven departments: Tank, Wheeled vehicle, Motorcycle, Communication, Tactics, Gunnery, and Field Engineering.
• The Abrams Master Gunner Course has a 2:1 student to teacher ratio with eighteen students per class.