8TH TANK BN COMMAND CHRONOLOGY NOV 90 TO MAR 91 12 APR 91

File: 970107_aug96_decls2_0018.txt
Page: 0018
Total Pages: 60

Subject: 8TH TANK BN  COMMAND CHRONOLOGY NOV 90 TO MAR 91  12 APR 91     

Unit: 8TH TANK BN 

Parent Organization: 2 MARDIV    

Box  ID: BX600007

Folder Title: COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 8TH TANK BN 26 NOV - 31 MARCH 1991                                           

Document Number:          1

Folder Seq  #:          5





                                            UNCLASSIFIED


                       Company 2/2 is attached to 8th Tanks and all but one Platoon of AT TOW
                       Company remains after attachment of sections to every battalion in the
                       regiment. Bth Tanks defended in zone with one rifle company, two tank
                       companies and a tank/TOW combat outpost from west to east. The
                       remainder of AT (TOW) Company was in several areas of support of the
                       battalion. All combat vehicles were dug-in and coordination with
                       forward deployed LAI companies was accomplished to facilitate their
                       rearward passage of line, if required. Counterattack plans were
                       developed and adopted by 6th Marines for use by 8th Tanks to defeat
                       any armor penetration in the regimental zone.
                         Change in Division OP plan calls for 2d Marine Division to attack
                       abreast of Ist Marine Division. 6th Marines is given mission as
                       breach force. On 7 Feb 1991, 6th Marines is relieved in place by Sth
                       Marines, Bth Tanks zone is occupied by 2d Tank Battalion. 6th Marines
                       moves south to conduct breach operations training in the vicinity of
                       Kibrit. 8th Tanks occupies assembly area VIC OS 745128 (Kibrit).
                       Road march to final assembly area at OS 335802 on 14 Feb 1991.
                       Operations at final assembly area included route recon to attack
                       positions in Saudi Arabia and road march to attack positions in Saudi
                       Arabia and road march to attack position on 23 Feb 1991. 0900, 23 Feb
                       1991, Bn OPORD issued at CDC.
                  -B.  TRAININS: Fox Company 2/2, and "C" Company detach for final task
nd to conduct breach training. 9-13
                       Feb 1991, Bn participates in regimental rehearsals for movement
                       through assigned breach lanes Red I and Red 2. At final assembly
                       area, battle staff conducted a CPX on 19 Feb 1991.

                                       Personnel and Administration


                                         26 Noy 1990 - 22 Dee 1991
                  The administrative and personnel activity involved in activating a reserve
              battalion and preparing it for deployment is tremendous. Every Marine was
              initially processed onto active duty and his record book screened at his home
              armory. This was followed by an administrative inprocessing upon arrival at
              the SIA. Finally, individual Marines who, for various reasons, could not be
              kept in the unit had to be transferred or discharged. All of the above,
              though time consuming, occurred without major difficulty during this
              battalion's activation and standup at Camp Lejeune.
                  The two major areas of difficulty encountered were in transitioning the
              Unit Diary from REMPS to JUMPS and in correcting individual pay problems. In
              many instances, problems in one area also contributed to problems in the
              other.
                  Upon activation, the home armory administration sections, under the
              supervision of their respective Inspector - Instructor counterparts, removed
              their reservists from REMPS and attempted to join them simultaneously into
              JUMPS under the Battalion Reportinn Unit Code. Almost without exception, this
              process failed to join the Marines into JUMPS. As a result, this battalion
              9ad to be inputted into JUMPS completely from a zero strength level once it
              arrived at Camp Lejeune, This was a major undertaking that was accomplished
21 days available at the SIA.
                  The majority of reservists were established on direct deposit for pay at
              their home armories at or shortly before activation. The processing time
              involved, the above diary problems, and the stress of the unfamiliar situation
              combined to create a serious disbursing problem. The majority of Marines from
              AT (TOW) Company were forced to resubmit direct deposit applications when it


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                                            UNCLASSIFIED

Document 60 f:/Week-34/BX600007/COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 8TH TANK BN 26 NOV - 31 MARCH 1991/8th tank bn command chronology nov 90 to mar 91:01029709504317
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-34
Box ID = BX600007
Unit = 8TH TANK BN
Parent Organization = 2 MARDIV
Folder Title = COMMAND CHRONOLOGY 8TH TANK BN 26 NOV - 31 MARCH 1991
Folder Seq # = 5
Subject = 8TH TANK BN COMMAND CHRONOLOGY NOV 90 TO MAR 91
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 02-JAN-1997