- What is CARS?
CARS is the Combat Arms Regimental System, under which the combat arms units in the United States Army are organized.
- Why was CARS established?
Before the adoption of the CARS, there was no satisfactory means of maintaining the active life of the combat arms organizations. Whenever the nation entered periods of military retrenchment, units were invariably broken up, reorganized, consolidated, or disbanded. During periods of mobilization, large numbers of new units were created. Changes in weapons and techniques of warfare produced new types of units to replace the old ones. As a result, soldiers frequently served in organizations with little or no history, while units with long combat records remained inactive.
In the late 1950s requirements for maneuverable and flexible major tactical organizations demanded highly mobile divisions with greatly increased firepower. For this purpose the regiment was deemed too large and unwieldy and had to be broken up into smaller organizations. (Most artillery and armored regiments had already been broken up for flexibility and maneuverability during World War II.) When the division was reorganized under the Pentomic structure in 1957, the traditional regimental organization was eliminated, thus raising questions as to what the new units were to be called, how they were to be numbered, and what their relationship to former organizations was to be.
On 24 January 1957 the Secretary of the Army approved the CARS concept, as devised by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, which was designed to provide a flexible regimental structure that would permit perpetuation of unit history and tradition in the new tactical organization of divisions, without restricting the organizational trends of the future.
- What are the regiments organized under the CARS concept?
- There are 61 Regular Army infantry regiments and 18 Army Reserve infantry regiments, plus the 1st Special Forces, in the Combat Arms Regimental System. (See Appendix A for listing.)
- There are 30 Regular Army armor/cavalry regiments in the Combat Arms Regimental System. The only Regular Army combat units not organized under CARS are the 2d, 3d, 11th, and14th Armored Cavalry (regiments). (See Appendix A for listing.)
- There are 82 Regular Army artillery regiments in the Combat Arms Regimental System - 58 field artillery regiments and 24 air defense artillery regiments. (See Appendix A for listing.)
[1]
- Except for the 18 Army Reserve infantry regiments, those regiments organized under CARS may have elements in both the Regular Army and the
Army Reserve. In the Army National Guard, each state has its own regiments. The number of CARS regiments varies as troop allotments change. The 1st Special Forces has elements in all three components - Regular Army, Army Reserve and Army National Guard.
- How were the regiments selected?
The criteria for the majority of the regiments selected were two factors: age (one point for each year since original organization) and
honors (two points for each campaign and American decoration). Those regiments with the most points were selected for inclusion in the system.
- What were the phases in which CARS was instituted?
Phase I: Reorganization of Regular Army regiments (1957)
Phase II: Reorganization of Army Reserve regiments (1959)
Phase III: Reorganization of Army National Guard regiments (1959)
Phase IV: Mobilization planning (1957-present)
Phase V: Organization of regimental headquarters (subsequently suspended indefinitely)
- How were the regiments reorganized under CARS?
Each company, battery or troop in the regiment (as originally organized) was reorganized as the headquarters and headquarters element of a new battle group, battalion, or squadron in the new regiment. The new battle group, battalion, or squadron's organic elements (i.e. lettered elements) were constituted and activated as new units. Each of the old companies, batteries, or troops of the former regiment also had the capability of becoming a separate company, battery, or troop in the new regiment. The regimental headquarters was transferred to Department of the Army control. (For detailed charts of typical regiments reorganized under CARS, see Appendix B.)
- Since Phase V (organization of regimental headquarters) of CARS was never instituted, who has custody of the regimental colors, properties, etc.?
The lowest numbered or lettered active element of the regiment normally has custody of the regimental properties. If, however, the lowest numbered or lettered active element is unable to care for the properties, they may be transferred to the next lowest numbered or lettered active element. If a numbered or lettered element of the regiment is activated lower that the one having custody of the regimental properties, the propertie will not necessarily be transferred.
[2]
- What is the difference between a brigade and a regiment?
In a regiment not organized under CARS, there is a fixed number of organic elements organized into battalions or squadrons. For example, the infantry regiment of World War II contained Companies A through M divided into three battalions, plus supporting elements such as the service company. A brigade, on the other hand, is a flexible organization; it has no organic, permanently assigned elements. A brigade may have several different kinds of units attached to it, such as three infantry battalions, a cavalry troop, an engineer company, and other supporting units. In tactical structure, therefore, it is very similar to the regimental combat team of World War II and Korea. Its maneuver (infantry and armor) elements are not required to be from the same regiment. Since they are flexible, except for the headquarters and headquarters company, no two brigades need be alike, whereas all regiments are fixed with organic elements provided for under basic tables of organization and equipment.
- How are battle honors displayed?
Each battalion or squadron of a CARS regiment has a replica of the regimental colors with the number of the battalion or squadron in the upper fly. The streamers attached to the colors are those for the regiment, as determined when the regiment was reorganized under CARS, plus those subsequently earned by the battalion or squadron. Those campaigns and decorations actually earned by the battalion or squadron are shown on the streamers by earned honor devices. Regimental honors are listed on the battalion or squadron Lineage and Honors Certificates, with the earned honors being marked by asterisks. Separate batteries, troops, and companies of CARS regiments display only those honors they actually earned, not the regimental ones. Campaign participation credit for these guidon-bearing units is displayed by silver bands and decorations streamers. (See ARs 672-5-1, 840-10 and 870-5 for further details.)
- What insignia do members of CARS regiments wear?
Personnel wear the distinctive insignia for their regiment and the shoulder sleeve insignia of their division or other tactical organization to which they are assigned. (See AR 670-5 for further details.)
- Who selects what elements of the CARS regiments will be activated?
The Adjutant General controls the designations of elements to be activated and coordinates his selections with the Center of Military History.