Gone but not Forgotten
The Main Battle Tank (MBT) repairer/technician performed basic automotive duties incident to inspection, maintenance, and repair of the Marine Corps MBT, Tank Retriever (M88A2), and Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB).
In 2020, Tank units on the East and West coasts closed down their missions and began hauling their armor to military depots as part of the service’s sweeping modernization plan that envisions a more agile force.
The Marine Corps divested its active tank battalions as it moves from a “second land army” back to its maritime roots of defending ships at sea, island-hopping and battling for contested coastlines, in preparation for potential conflict with near-peer adversaries such as China.