{"id":19898,"date":"2020-12-28T16:03:34","date_gmt":"2020-12-28T16:03:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/28\/new-in-2021-the-final-year-for-marine-corps-tanks\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:27:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:27:51","slug":"new-in-2021-the-final-year-for-marine-corps-tanks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2020\/12\/28\/new-in-2021-the-final-year-for-marine-corps-tanks\/","title":{"rendered":"New in 2021: The final year for Marine tankers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The year 2021 will go down as the year that the Marine Corps ditched its tank<\/a> Marines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the official decision came down in March 2020 from Maine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger, and the tanks rolled away on train cars from 1st Tank Battalion, 2nd Tank Battalion, and 4th Tank Battalion this past summer, the tankers themselves are still in uniform and their units remain at least for a few more months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first to go was A Company, 4th Tank Battalion, in July when the unit cased its colors. Then C Company deactivated in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, following the announcement, an estimated 800 Marines in a tank-related military occupational specialty were given the option to swap jobs or, if they had 15 years retire early. Then, in December, the Corps posted an official administrative message that allowed enlisted and officer tank MOS holders to end their contracts one year early<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after the C Company deactivation, 39 of its approximately 80 members transferred from the Marine Corps Reserve to the Idaho Army National Guard, most to continue on in tank jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\t