# \>  symbol on sides of tanks.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/symbol-on-sides-of-tanks/362923>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 2, 2006, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/symbol-on-sides-of-tanks/362923 "2006-07-02T07:00:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Badmash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/94ad74/32.png) [@Badmash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badmash)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2006, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/symbol-on-sides-of-tanks/362923/1 "2006-07-02T07:00:26Z")

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I always wonder about this when I see US or Israeli tanks on TV. What does this mark “\>” on their side mean? Sometimes its pointing up.

Thanks

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**Author:** ![phantomshrek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/848f3c/32.png) [@phantomshrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phantomshrek)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2006, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/symbol-on-sides-of-tanks/362923/2 "2006-07-02T07:58:29Z")

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The chevron on military vehicles is an anti-fratricide measure. The orientation and anyother symbology or numerics within the chevron is a code describing which specific unit that vehicle belongs to. [FM 71-3, The Armored and Mechanized Infantry Brigade, APPENDIX H, TACTICAL STANDING OPERATING PROCEDURES](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/71-3/f377aph1.htm) This gives some explanation.