The United States Army Armor School (USAARMS) (formerly Armored Force School) is a military training school located at Fort Benning, Georgia. Its primary focus is the training of United States Army soldiers, non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, and commissioned officers. It also trains for equipment handling, including the M1 Abrams, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and the Stryker Mobile Gun System. The Armor School moved to Fort Benning in 2010 as part of the United States Base Realignment and Closure program.
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.
History 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."ARMORED SCHOOL". Army and Navy Journal, 18 November 1944, p. 347, Vol. LXXXII, No. 12. 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."ARMOR SCHOOL MARKS 25th YEAR OF SERVICE". Armor Magazine, November–December 1965, pp. 32-33, Vol. LXXIV, No. 6. It originally consisted of seven departments: Tank, Wheeled vehicle, Motorcycle, Communication, Tactics, Gunnery, and Field Engineering.
194th Armored Brigade—Programs of Instruction The 194th Armored Brigade is focused 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 the following U.S. Army career fields:194th Armored Brigade, benning.army.mil, 5 December 2019, last accessed 2 February 2020 Armor Crewman (19K) Cavalry Scouts (19D) M1A2 SEPv2 Abrams System Maintainer (91A) Bradley Fighting Vehicle System "Maintainer" (91M)
316th Cavalry Brigade—Programs of Instruction The 316th Cavalry Brigade educates and trains leaders serving in all components throughout the U.S. Army to operate in critical assignments, in order to increase maneuver units' ability to fight as part of a combined arms team and deliver direct fires effectively on the battlefield.316th Cavalry Brigade, benning.army.mil, updated 25 June 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020 The brigade is responsible for conducting the following course for the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and some international military students:
Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course
The Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course (ABOLC) is the introductory skills course for United States Army Cavalry and Armor Second and First Lieutenants.Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course (ABOLC), benning.army.mil, last updated 25 September 2018, last accessed 7 February 2020 These officers (all recent graduates of the United States Military Academy, Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and Officer Candidate School) receive 19 weeks of training in basic leadership skills, maneuver and firepower tactics, gunnery, platoon and company level strategy, and strategic and tactical planning. The purpose of ABOLC is to produce armor officers capable of decisive and effective operations to lead a tank platoon in support of a combined arms team.Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course (ABOLC), benning.army.mil, updated 25 September 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020
Cavalry Leaders Course The Cavalry Leaders Course trains officers, warrant officers, and non-commissioned Officers (NCOs) who are involved in the planning and execution of reconnaissance collection and tactical security tasks at the Troop and Squadron level, as well as joint asset planners and operators who help support ground operations. Students focus on applying the fundamentals of reconnaissance and security, as well as established doctrine and TTPs, into the planning of various high intensity and counter insurgency operations in time constrained environments.Cavalry Leader's Course, benning.army.mil, updated 3 May 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020
Maneuver Leaders Maintenance Course The Maneuver Leaders Maintenance Course (MLMC) is a ten-day course designed to develop maneuver leaders expertise in battalion and small unit level maintenance operations. Students are taught maintenance fundamentals and how to administer a command maintenance program with a focus on Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS) and 5988E flow. In addition, they learn to execute command maintenance and a Commander's Inspection Program (CIP) for maintenance in accordance with U.S. Army specifications. Additional instruction focuses on maintenance information systems, that is, how battalion/squadron level systems interface with higher level maintenance organizations and Global Combat Support System-Army (GCSS-A) to order repair parts for the battalion/squadron. Using GCSS-A, students track and account for all battalion/squadron level materiel readiness financial resources. Students learn to assess materiel readiness issues using business intelligence and business warehouse tools. Students learn to apply AR 750-1 to determine the effectiveness of a Command Maintenance Discipline Program (CMDP). Students also learn to conduct maintenance in the tactical environment including, but not limited to recovery operations and the planning considerations for Unit-Maintenance Collection Point (UMCP) emplacement.Maneuver Leaders Maintenance Course (MLMC), benning.army.mil, updated 4 May 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020
Scout Leader's Course
The Scout Leader's Course (formerly the Army Reconnaissance Course or ARC) is designed to train reconnaissance, security leaders and develop advanced skills of R&S. They develop their skills to better understand the commander's information requirements, to communicate battlefield information, and to develop understanding of employing supporting assets while maneuvering a scout platoon in a combined arms unit.Scout Leader Course (SLC), benning.army.mil, updated 10 December 2019, last accessed 2 February 2020
Simulations Training Management Course The Simulations Training Management Course (STMC) trains soldiers assigned to armor brigade combat teams and Stryker brigade combat teams to manage simulation training for stabilized and mounted machine gun platforms. Initial training includes mounted machine gun gunnery scenario development utilizing the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST). The second training module cover AGTS, MGS AGTS, and COFT-SA manager's functions, track crew progression, system troubleshooting, and PAAR capabilities or VBS3 scenario development based on platform specific student needs. The final module covers unit training plans and exportable training packages certifying students to train peers and subordinates at their home station.Simulations Training Managers Course, benning.army.mil, updated 21 May 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020
Advanced Situational Awareness Course The Advanced Situational Awareness (ASA) Course curriculum focuses on teaching students to integrate the six domains of human behavior into training and combat; and to demonstrate how they can be applied to enhance the Squads ability to achieve overmatch in a universal operational environment. This is accomplished by placing students in classroom and field environments, and presenting them with experiential based, predictive, tactical based, problem solving situations. ASA focuses on:Advanced Situational Awareness, benning.army.mil, updated 2 May 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020 Integrate ASA principles and Human Behavior Pattern Recognition and Analysis (HBPR & A) problem-solving into training and combat operations Mitigate insider threats using (HBPR & A) Apply Human Behavior Pattern Recognition and Analysis to Soldier fitness and resilience Sustain ASA basic knowledge, abilities and attitudes training
Dismounted C-IED Tactics Master Trainer Course The Dismounted Counter-Improvised Explosive devices (C-IED) Tactics Master Trainer (DCT-MT) Course is a two-week course teaching Master Trainers (MT) the foundations to become a subject matter expert in C-IED tactics. The MT will apply knowledge to assist leaders with C-IED training, planning, executing, and supervising at company and battalion level. The MT will advise unit leaders and personnel about IED threats; recommend enablers to mitigate IED threats; incorporate C-IED TTPs into the unit training plan; conduct a company level C-IED training program.Dismounted C-IED Tactics Master Trainer/9E-F59/950-F38, benning.army.mil, updated 3 May 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020
Tank Commander's Course The Tank Commander's Course (TCC) focuses on technical rather than tactical instruction. The instruction includes crew stations and duties, tank maintenance, unit gunnery management, bore sighting, armor accuracy checks, plumb and synchronization, tank ammunition and weapons, screening, and tank gunnery. Students are trained using conventional training methods, stand-alone training devices, and simulators. The course is a gunnery systems intensive functional course that trains the soldier to function as an M1A1 or M1A2 SEP tank commander.M1A1/M1A2 SEP Tank Commanders Course and MGS Commanders Course, benning.army.mil, last accessed 2 February 2020
Mobile Gun System Commander's Course The Mobile Gun System Commander's Course (MGSCC) is designed to train officers and non-commissioned officers to be technically and tactically proficient on the Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS). The MGS Commander's Course is designed to produce leaders that are fully qualified as an MGS Commander, with the technical and tactical knowledge to maintain and employ the MGS in a combat environment.Mobile Gun System Commanders Course 2E-SIR4/020-ASIR4, benning.army.mil, updated 21 May 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020
Master Gunner Common Core
The Master Gunner Common Core (MGCC) trains non-commissioned officers on
** advanced universal gunnery methodologies,
** gunnery training with a focus on vehicle mounted machine gun weapons systems,
** planning and implementation of gunnery training programs.
MGCC is taught in 27 days in four modules:Master Gunner Common Core, benning.army.mil, last accessed 28 January 2020 Direct fire and weapons training Ammunition and ballistics Gunnery training management Unit training plan
The mission of the Master Gunner is to train the unit for combat and act as subject matter expert for all weapon system platforms in the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT). The Master Gunner advises commanders at all echelons, and assists with the planning, development, execution, and evaluation of all combat and gunnery-related training (individual, crew, and collective).
Abrams Master Gunner Course The Abrams Master Gunner Course (AMG) is a thirty-nine-day course with the mission of creating Master Gunners for the U.S. Army. Four days of the course are spent in the field and the balance thirty-four days consist of classroom instruction. Students complete six exams and an all-hands-on exams with 100% accuracy. This is the most focused of the courses offered at the Armor School, with eighteen students per class and a 2:1 student to teacher ratio. It focuses on the M1A2 Abrams System Enhancement Package (SEP) Tank.Master Gunner, benning.army.mil, dated 31 July 2018, last accessed 2 February 2020
Bradley Master Gunner Course