I was watching with interest a program on cable dealing with tank school in the Marines. I have some questions perhaps some of you tank guys could answer.

1. Do tank crews rotate duties? driver one day, loader the next?
2. is it loud and hot inside?
3. Are you assigned to a specific tank? crew

please share any other interesting info, stories ect..

thanks..

1. No. Well, not officially. One is assigned a particular slot. Newest is a loader, then driver, then gunner, and then TC. As you hang around, the NCOs will let you 'try out' the next level up to get some experience before you are officially put there. However, here in Iraq, we're sometimes rotating gunner driver and loader if they've already got the experience, simply to spread the joy of the heat around.

2. Yes. God-awful hot in the summer, god-awful cold in winter. Noisy if you take off your helmet. (Tankers frequently have hearing loss from the turbine)

3. Yes. Indeed, you can even find (usually) your name on the smoke grenade boxes, like a fighter plane. However, some swapping in the short term is not unheard of to fill in gaps for leave, sick call, and so on.

NTM

+1

I remained the Bradley Driver for 1 1/2 years, then I rotated to Gunner for my remaining time.

I did have my name painted on my gun sight.

In the Army it is a E1 to E4 who are drivers. E4 (Corpral) and E5 are gunners, E6 and up are commanders.

Quoted: 1. No. Well, not officially. One is assigned a particular slot. Newest is a loader, then driver, then gunner, and then TC. As you hang around, the NCOs will let you 'try out' the next level up to get some experience before you are officially put there. However, here in Iraq, we're sometimes rotating gunner driver and loader if they've already got the experience, simply to spread the joy of the heat around. 2. Yes. God-awful hot in the summer, god-awful cold in winter. Noisy if you take off your helmet. (Tankers frequently have hearing loss from the turbine) 3. Yes. Indeed, you can even find (usually) your name on the smoke grenade boxes, like a fighter plane. However, some swapping in the short term is not unheard of to fill in gaps for leave, sick call, and so on. NTM

+1

Quoted: 1. No. Well, not officially. One is assigned a particular slot. Newest is a loader, then driver, then gunner, and then TC. As you hang around, the NCOs will let you 'try out' the next level up to get some experience before you are officially put there. However, here in Iraq, we're sometimes rotating gunner driver and loader if they've already got the experience, simply to spread the joy of the heat around. 2. Yes. God-awful hot in the summer, god-awful cold in winter. Noisy if you take off your helmet. (Tankers frequently have hearing loss from the turbine) 3. Yes. Indeed, you can even find (usually) your name on the smoke grenade boxes, like a fighter plane. However, some swapping in the short term is not unheard of to fill in gaps for leave, sick call, and so on. NTM

+2