Before the adoption of CARS, there was no satisfactory means of maintaining the active life of the combat arms organizations.
Whenever the nation entered periods of military retrenchment, units were invariably broken up, reorganized, consolidated, or disbanded.
As a result, soldiers frequently served in organizations with little or no history, while units with long combat records remained inactive.
In the late 1950s requirements for maneuverable and flexible major tactical organizations demanded highly mobile divisions with greatly increased firepower.
(Most artillery and armored regiments had already been broken up for flexibility and maneuverability during World War II.)
On 24 January 1957 the Secretary of the Army approved the CARS concept, as devised by the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, which was designed to provide a flexible regimental structure that would permit perpetuation of unit history and tradition in the new tactical organization of divisions, without restricting the organizational trends of the future.
Campaign participation credit for these guidon-bearing units are displayed by silver bands and decorations streamers.
The Adjutant General controls the designations of elements to be activated and coordinates his selections with the Center of Military History.