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From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Questions (Carriers & Corps)
Message-ID: <1991Feb21.030235.11460@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 21 Feb 91 03:02:35 GMT
References: <1991Feb20.052409.29442@cbnews.att.com>
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From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt)

> From: v064lnev@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Zerxes Bhagalia)
 
>      	Secondly, I was watching the nes the other day and the news person
> referred to the seventh corps as "elite".  Is the seventh corps actually elite
> when compared to other units its size, or was the news person just throwing in
> colorful illustration? 

  Be careful of terms news persons use when describing military subjects.
  Sometimes they are accurate - sometimes they are not.

  No, I wouldn't describe the VII Corps as "elite" or unique.  It is a 
  corps headquarters providing command and control over subordinate
  divisions.  Normally, a corps (always use roman numerals) consists of
  2-3 divisions, a separate brigade, an armored cavalry regiment, 2-3
  artillery brigades, a corps support command, and a variety of combat 
  support (engineers, aviation) and combat service support brigades and
  battalions. 
  
  The VII Corps ("Born in Battle" - came into existence on board a troop
  ship just prior to the North Africa campaign in WWII) is used to 
  commanding, controlling, supporting, and maintaining heavy mechanized
  and armor units.  Some theorists describe a corps as the largest "tactical
  formation".  Anything larger is thought to be "strategic".

  I would expect the VII Corps in the gulf to be the "heavy corps" leading
  any large armor/mech formations.  The XVIII Airborne Corps would be the
  "light corps" leading the airmobile/airborne forces.   That leaves the
  III Corps (out of Ft Hood, Texas) - also a controlling headquarters for
  mech/armor forces (maybe the 'reserve' corps?????)  

  But "elite"? - the term really doesn't apply to a corps.  As far as I
  remember - most military officers don't like the term "elite". 

  When I served with the Special Forces (MACSOG '69-'70) most of the senior 
  officers and NCOs thought the worst thing that happened to them was the 
  green beret itself - it immediately set them apart from the rest of the army -
  and enjoined a lot of animosity toward them.  The beret itself, what units
  should wear them etc - became a hotly emotional issue.  Finally - "elite"
  units (OK so I can use the term here) were authorized to wear them =

  Special Forces - green
  Rangers        - black
  Airborne       - red 

  These are the units that could rightfully use the term 'elite'.

  Military Intelligence lobbied for a beret - a pink one - with a teal blue
  flash with crossed lightning bolts emblazoned with the motto:
               "We won't fight, and you can't make us"
  Mike Schmitt, Major, Military Intelligence, Retired
  (never did get my damn pink beret - but I wore my fighting petunias)