Question for Darth: Tanker School

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Not in 19K OSUT (tanker basic training); the focus there was on the basics of how to operate and maintain the tank.

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When did they teach tactics?

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Awesome! Can’t wait to see how it turns out.

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The kit comes with a 1/35 resin figure of Whitman sitting on the barrel in the famous pose. I’m going to get a 1/35 resin German cameraman to do a scene of him taking his picture.

I don’t have the paints - I may go acrylic ammo by MiG on this one. Great paints.

You see a lot of tactics taught in the 2LT leadership school (ABOLC) and more in the Cpt leadership school (MCCC), but you don't get very much historical perspective in any of the combat arms leadership courses for junior officers, it really hits when/if you go to the Army War College. Even though the courses are fairly long (~5 months) it is mainly focused on how to lead a current US platoon or company within the current US doctrine since that alone is a huge amount to digest.

This is from my experience in other combat arms and not specific to Armor, though I used the Armor school names.

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Tiger aces Whitman and Von Carius?

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Michael Wittmann
(the W has a V sound.)

Otto Carius
(Tigers in the Mud)

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When did they teach tactics?

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Sorry for the delayed reply, it was my bedtime last night.

Most of the tactics training was done in the schools that officers went to. Officers focused on tactics while enlisted focused on the nuts & bolts of operating the tank. For enlisted, we received tactics training in TCC (tank commander’s school), but it focuses more on commanding your individual tank and coordinating with your wingman tank*, rather than commanding a platoon or company of tanks.

* a US Army tank platoon consists of four tanks.

1. Platoon leader (1st or 2nd Lt)
2. Platoon leader wingman (E6 usually)
3. Platoon Sgt. (E6 or E7 usually)
4. Platoon Sgt wingman (E6 usually)

Sometimes you’d have an E5 in command of a tank, but they would usually be close to making E6.

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Von Carius

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I think it might be just "Carius" with no "Von".