Unit inactivations and unit lineage

[Morgan]

I haven't seen any real discussion regarding this so I thought I'd chime in.

I read a couple of articles related to inactivating 4th BCT, 101st ABN. As something of a history buff, I'd like to see 506th remain with the 101st.

My solution: move the 187th out of 101st and re-flag 4th BCT to 3rd BCT, leaving 506th in the 101st. This will give the 101st its WW2 unit make-up - 327, 502, 506.

Re-flag 4th ABCT, 25th ID in Alaska as 187th ARCT and let the Rakkasans be an independent regiment again.

Thoughts?

[82redleg]

I haven't seen any real discussion regarding this so I thought I'd chime in.

I read a couple of articles related to inactivating 4th BCT, 101st ABN. As something of a history buff, I'd like to see 506th remain with the 101st.

My solution: move the 187th out of 101st and re-flag 4th BCT to 3rd BCT, leaving 506th in the 101st. This will give the 101st its WW2 unit make-up - 327, 502, 506.

Re-flag 4th ABCT, 25th ID in Alaska as 187th ARCT and let the Rakkasans be an independent regiment again.

Thoughts?

The Army's lineage system has been screwed up since they conflated regiments and brigades after the end of the pentomic system. The multiple reflaggings every few years, influenced by senior leaders affiliations with certain regiments and mis-understandings of the regimental system, only exaggerate the problem.

http://www.history.army.mil/books/Lineage/reflag/fm.htm gives the Army's take on reflagging.

At the bottom of this page http://www.history.army.mil/books/Lineage/reflag/appE-8inf.htm is the Army's take on the problem you note- it would leave only 3-187 active (and in 101st) along with 1-506 and 2-506.

My solution would use the "elevated echelon" on slide 10 here http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=modularity%20%22elevated%20echelon%22%20designat ions&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Forbat.com%2Fsite%2Fcwa%2Fcwa_2009 %2Famericas%2Fnorth%2520america%2Fword%2FAUSA_Brie fing_26_Sep_05.ppt&ei=szMjUu_kJ6ipsQTIl4DwBQ&usg=AFQjCNE7PNXDjWfBILpFdsKapFOIgWmm6w&bvm=bv.51495398,d.b2I, giving each BCT a division color (we've already done it in the ARNG) and with each historical regiment represented by a single battalion (similar to what we did with armored infantry and artillery during WW2).