Additional info:
The unit is 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry. https://www.facebook.com/pages/2-8-CAV-1BCT-1CD/130679013617883
2-8 Cav in 2002 was organized as a tank battalion.
I found a posting that it is currently a “combined arms battalion”. If it is deploying with only 20 Abrams tanks, then it must be organized as an infantry battalion heavy “Combined Arms Battalion with 2 infantry and 1 tank company.”
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigade_combat_team#Combined_Arms_Battalion
Right now the Army is in the midst of cutting units and re-organizing units to meet the bh0 cuts to Army strength.
When I was in the old 3rd Armored Division’s Divisional Cavalry Squadron, 3-12 Cav, we had 36 tanks (M60A3), 12 per troop, 50 x M113s & ITVs and a 4 M577s
the traditional divisional cavalry squadron has been replaced by the Reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) battalion. It does NOT have the combat capability of the Cold War ear divisional cavalry squadrons.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconnaissance,_surveillance,_and_target_acquisition_(United_States)
Organization of 1st Combined Arms Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division is at:
http://www.hood.army.mil/1stCavDiv/pages/units/1bct/default.aspx
Also, the 1st Cavalry Division, in which I also served, the battalions were traditionally organized as either infantry or tank battalions and were named “cavalry” to keep the lineage and honors of the old cavalry units alive.
Interesting. I remembered Ironhorse from my days with the 11th, but wasn’t aware 2/8 also claimed the name.
Big Army was doing that back in the 80’s, taking tank battalions and naming them “Cavalry” to keep the traditions alive. Tenth Cav was like that before Fort Knox went admin.
When I was with 1/3 ACR (Desert Storm era), they had three troops, one tank company - four tanks per troop, fourteen in the company, total of 26 M1A1’s.
Those were the days...
Better check to see if these troops really have ammo along with them. Wouldn’t surprise me to find they have none or a very minimal amount.