U.S. Army Regimental Management and Identity Combat Arms Standard
The Regimental Management and Identity Combat Arms Standard (REMICS, pronounced /ˈɹiˌmɪks/ like remix) is the U.S. Army's method for assigning unit designations and managing regimental histories and traditions for infantry, armor, cavalry, and artillery (field, antiaircraft, antispacecraft, coastal) units. REMICS was introduced in 1971 to replace the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) whose adoption coincided dissolution of regiments as tactical units in favor of battlegroups and combat commands.
REMICS sought to reintroduce the regimental esprit de corps that had been significantly degraded with the implementation of the Pentomic system. It also attempted to rationalize the designations of combat arms units, which had become significantly different depending on if a unit was part of an Infantry Division, Airborne Division, or Armored Division.
REMICS initiatives
- Battalion Reflagging
- Reflagging of Tank and Armored Infantry Battalions as "Battle Groups" to match the Infantry Battle Groups in Infantry and Airborne Divisions
- Reflagging Reconnaissance Squadrons as Cavalry Squadrons
- When Light Tank Destroyer Battalions were raised in the 1980s (essentially jeeps with anti-tank guided missiles), they became affiliated with an unused Armor Regiment to which all LTD Battalions in a corps were affiliated.
- Example: After the inactivation of the 6th Armored Division and its subordinate units in 1979, 68th Armor became an unused designation. It was reactivated in 1985 to serve as the Armor Regiment for Light Tank Destroyer Battalions in I Corps.
- Regimental Reflagging
- Infantry Battle Groups were consolidated from up to 5 regimental affiliations per Infantry Division to 3-4. Most divisions had 3. Divisions with 4 Infantry Regiment affiliations did so to accomodate for historically independent regimental combat teams that were reflagged as Brigades or dissolved under the Pentomic system.
- Example: The 25th Infantry Division initially had 3 regimental affiliations for its 5 Battle Groups (14th Infantry, 27th Infantry, and 35th Infantry) consolidated from 5 affiliations under CARS. However, this grew to 4 regimental affiliations when the 442nd Infantry Brigade was downsized and merged with 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry to create 100th Battle Group, 442nd Infantry.
- Field Artillery Battalion regimental affiliations were consolidated from up to 8 per Infantry Division and 4 per Armored Division to 2. Howitzer Field Artillery Battalions (including 105mm, 155mm, and 203mm) were reflagged to all share the same Field Artillery Regiment within a division. Nuclear Rocket Field Artillery Battalions, of which each division had 1, were reflagged to share a regimental affiliation with all such battalions in their corps.
- Example: The 25th Infantry Division has 7 Field Artillery Battalions all affiliated with the 8th Field Artillery. It also has 2nd Battalion, 21st Field Artillery (2-21 FA) as its nuclear battalion. Other divisions in I Corps—including the 24th Infantry Division, 11th Airborne Division, and 4th Armored Division—have 1-21 FA, 3-21 FA and 4-21 FA respectively. The I Corps Artillery also has 5-21 FA and 6-21 FA as general support nuclear-capable FA Battalions.
- Tank and Armored Infantry Regiments, which were introduced as a concept under CARS and with some exceptions largely didn't exist after the start of the Pacific War, were renumbered and consolidated within Armored Divisions. In most Armored Divisions, regiments were renumbered to match that of the sequentially numbered battalions that had fought during the Pacific War. Regimental affiliations were also consolidated from up to 10 per division to just 4 (2 Armor Regiments and 2 Armored Infantry Regiments), the the administrative regimental commandants (usually Brigadier Generals or Colonels) acting as the commanders of the division's 4 Combat Commands (CC "A", CC "B", CC "C", and CC "R" for reserve). This also coincided with a broader reorganization of the Armored Division, adding a 4th Combat Command, upsizing from 4 Tank and 4 Armored Infantry Battalions to 6 Tank and 6 Armored Infantry Battle Groups.
- Example: During the CARS era, 4th Armored Division's maneuver units included 1-35 AR, 1-37 AR, 2-66 AR, 2-67 AR, 2-51 IN, 2-41 IN, 3-50 IN, 1-54 IN, and 2-15 CAV. Under REMICS, these were regimentally consolidated into the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battle Groups of 35th Armor (35 AR), 37th Armor, 10th Armored Infantry (10 ARIN), 51st Armored Infantry; and 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry (all Division Cavalry Squadron in I Corps are affiliated with the 4th Cavalry). Regimental Commandant positions then went to the commanders of CC "A", CC "B", CC "C" and CC "R" respectively. The 66th Armor, 67th Armor, and 41st Armored Infantry namesakes were transferred entirely to the 2nd Armored Division. The 50th Armored Infantry namesake was transferred to the 6th Armored Division. The 54th Armored Infantry namesake transferred to the Infantry School and specialized in the training of power armor infantry.
- Infantry Battle Groups were consolidated from up to 5 regimental affiliations per Infantry Division to 3-4. Most divisions had 3. Divisions with 4 Infantry Regiment affiliations did so to accomodate for historically independent regimental combat teams that were reflagged as Brigades or dissolved under the Pentomic system.
- Re-establish Administrative Regimental Headquarters
- In Infantry Divisions, the two Combat Command (A and B) Brigadier Generals act as the Commandants for the 2 most senior regiments, although Battle Groups from these regiments do not have to be under their command in combat. The Battle Group Commanders affiliated with a 3rd or 4th regiment in the division act as Regimental Commandants in lieu. Either the Combat Command or Battle Group S-1 shop is responsible for maintaining the regimental rolls, organizing regimental events, and holding the regimental colors.
- In Armored Divisions, the four Combat Command (A, B, C, R) Brigadier Generals or Colonels act as the Commandants for all 4 maneuver regiments, although during operations and forward deployment the Battle Groups are mixed between Combat Commands to form combined arms teams.
- For howitzer-equipped Field Artillery Battalions in combat divisions, the Division Artillery (DIVARTY) Commander, generally a Brigadier General, acts as Regimental Commandant of that Field Artillery Regiment.
- For nuclear-equipped Field Artillery Battalions, the Deputy Commanding General of the Corps Artillery acts as the Regimental Commandant for the corps' nuclear artillery regiment which crosses divisional lines.
- In Armored Brigades, which have 2 Armor and 2 Armored Infantry Battle Groups, the Brigade Commander (a Brigadier General, usually originally an Armor officer) acts as Regimental Commandant for the Armor Battle Groups. The Deputy Brigade Commander (a Colonel, usually originally an Infantry officer) act as Regimental Commandant for the Armored Infantry Battle Groups.
- Reintroducing Regimental Memorabilia
- Regimental colors lacking battalion numbering returned to regular use by a formal (if small and dual purpose) regimental headquarters.
- In all infantry, armor, cavalry, and artillery units, leather jackets were again authorized with regimental patches worn over the left breast.
- Combat Command events in Armored Divisions (like balls, change of command ceremonies, etc.) were rebranded as Regimental events. Due to the more ephemeral nature of Combat Commands in Infantry Divisions though this did not have the same effect there. While Combat Commands in Armored Divisions administered a set number of Battle Groups in garrison, Combat Commands in Infantry Divisions had no permanent allocation of Battle Groups or function in garrison.
Divisional-Regimental Affiliations
| Corps | Division | Maneuver Regts (Battle Groups) |
Conventional Artillery Regts (Battalions) |
Nuclear Artillery Regts (Battalions) |
Division Cavalry Regts (Squadrons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I Corps | 25th Infantry Division | 14th Infantry (1st) 27th Infantry (1st, 2nd) 35th Infantry (1st) 442nd Infantry (100th) |
8th Field Artillery (1st-7th) 15th Coastal Artillery Corps (1st) |
21st Field Artillery (2nd) | 4th Cavalry (3rd) |
| 4th Armored Division | 35th Armor (1st, 2nd, 3rd) 37th Armor (1st, 2nd, 3rd) 10th Armored Infantry (1st, 2nd, 3rd) 51st Armored Infantry (1st, 2nd, 3rd) |
2nd Field Artillery (4th) 489th Antiaircraft Artillery (1st) |
21st Field Artillery (4th) | 4th Cavalry (1st) | |
| 24th Armored Division | 21st Field Artillery (1st) | 4th Cavalry (2nd) | |||
| 11th Airborne Division | 21st Field Artillery (3rd) | 4th Cavalry (4th) |