Deuce or the FMTV
I will most likely offend the Deuce lovers, but here goes. When I first joined the Army, CA National Guard- April 95, I fell in love with the M35A2. I had the chance to drive several different ones during my year and a half. Our unit had a standard 35A2 with no frills (can you really say they have ones with frills?), HHC support platoon had one with the arctic cab (hard top, heater, cab and floor insulation), (that one sucked to drive in the summer) and HHC Supply had one with a quiet kit installed. No hearing protection required. (VERY NICE). When I went active in 97, I was stationed at Fort Campbell. We had M923A2's in our support platoon. Those were ratty trucks, power steering was bad, CTIS never worked, and the winches were INOP. We got the first Light Medium Tactical Vehicles (LMTV) M1078 in the summer of 97. The M1078 is a 2 1/2 ton but it is 4x4 not 6x6. Those were really nice. But like all new trucks they all had problems (biggest was the vibration damage to front driveline). Most problems were driver fault. One driver decided to apply the parking brake while going 45 mph. It skidded for 5 ft and then flipped crushing cab and killing the driver. In 2002 I was stationed at Fort Irwin and I got to drive the M35A3. I liked the improvments : Bucket seat for driver with adjustable height shock absorber, cab heater, three point locking seat belt, air assist power steering (no virginia, not real power steering), auto transmission, CTIS on Large tires, and a Real CAT engine with ether start. But the Army once again missed the mark. Cab way too small for the new seat, CTIS was an add on (not the same type as used by the 923 5 ton) and the problem was the brain box not the actual system, and still on the same frame. That engine and trans combo helped me to get up some of the steepest mountains around. When I arrived at Fort Sill in 2007, I was able to return to my beloved M35A2's. We started to receive M1078A1 LMTV's and M1083A2 MTV's (Medium Tactical Vehicle). M1083's are true 6x6 and are 5 tons. I love them. Nice roomy cabs, great heater, CTIS truly works, can see anything, ride over most things, and Soldiers in back can actually stand up and dismount with a cargo cover on. Yes, if you hit a tree with one head on the front end is done for. But for safety you have high back seats for your back and 3 point belts that lock to keep you in place. It has power and driven properly can get out of most places you don't want to be. My biggest drawback of it. Automatic. People need to learn a manual. One last thing. Army wheeled tactical vehicles are not designed to be on the front lines every day. They are ash and trash trucks for every use but head on combat with the enemy. (but in an insurgent war there are no front lines)
