About 50 in the battalion: officer and enlisted. They carried them everyday in Afghanistan. Other units appeared to be similarly equipped.I am talking stateside bases. Battle zones are a totally different story.
Originally Posted by I B Hankering
I am talking stateside bases. Battle zones are a totally different story.Your unit didn't use weapons during field training exercises?
I also remember being on guard duty at night with an M-16 but no ammo. Originally Posted by SpeedRacerXXX
Psssst In Bred this ain't Afghanistan. Originally Posted by i'va biggenYou're lucky, Ekim the Inbred Chimp. The insects in Afghanistan are smarter than you so that would put you way low on the food chain over there.
After basic training the only time I fired an M-16 was during the yearly re-qualification. Never fired anything other than the M-16. Originally Posted by SpeedRacerXXXYour experience is different from mine. We trained with weapons all of the time. I qualified on the M1911 (45 cal.), M92 (9mm), M16A1, M16A2, M60 MG, M2HB MG, M203 GL, M49 GL, H&K MP5 (9mm) and the Glock 17 (9mm). I fired for familiarization the LAW, the AT4, the 90mm recoiless rifle and a score of other military weapons ranging up to and including the 105mm Howitzer.
One of Clinton's first acts upon taking office was to disarm U.S. soldiers on military bases...remember Clinton loathed the military (and likely loathed an armed military even more so)..........one wonders how long the shooter would have lived if Clinton never disarmed our troops. Originally Posted by WhirlawayI was in the military (army) looooooong before Clinton and you have to believe me when I say that only a handful of soldiers were armed on our base. Weapons were kept under the most strict security you can imagine. As I said earlier, I walked guard duty with my M-16 over my shoulder and no bullets for it. So I have no idea what Clinton's act did that drastically changed anything.
Your experience is different from mine. We trained with weapons all of the time. I qualified on the M1911 (45 cal.), M92 (9mm), M16A1, M16A2, M60 MG, M2HB MG, M203 GL, M49 GL, H&K MP5 (9mm) and the Glock 17 (9mm). I fired for familiarization the LAW, the AT4, the 90mm recoiless rifle and a score of other military weapons ranging up to and including the 105mm Howitzer. Originally Posted by I B HankeringTwo questions:
Your unit didn't use weapons during field training exercises?
You're lucky, Ekim the Inbred Chimp. The insects in Afghanistan are smarter than you so that would put you way low on the food chain over there.
Originally Posted by I B Hankering
Two questions:Already delineated that we "trained" with those weapons, and that we carried them every day in Afghanistan. A "normal day" during a field training exercise or a range fire exercise required a weapon. On any other "normal day" I could draw my weapon to perform maintenance, and usually did so after a range fire exercise. The initial cleaning wasn't enough. I held various MOSs, ASIs and SQIs throughout my career -- none of which will be revealed in this forum.
1. What was your MOS?
2. Were you allowed to carry or have access to any of those weapons stateside in a normal day? Originally Posted by SpeedRacerXXX
Already delineated that we "trained" with those weapons, and that we carried them every day in Afghanistan. A "normal day" during a field training exercise or a range fire exercise required a weapon. On any other "normal day" I could draw my weapon to perform maintenance, and usually did so after a range fire exercise. The initial cleaning wasn't enough. I held various MOSs, ASIs and SQIs throughout my career -- none of which will be revealed in this forum. Originally Posted by I B HankeringYou were obviously combat trained and I was not. You were in a combat zone and I was not. Huge differences. My MOS was "Data Processing" and even though individuals with my MOS were sent to combat zones, I did not receive training with any weapons other than the M-16. We had many on our post who were VietNam veterans and even they did not have access to any weapons on a daily basis.
Correct, but we had plenty of experience training with weapons and cleaning the weapons during and after training. Plus, company grade and above rated pistols as did certain NCOs and enlisted MOSs. Anecdotally, during Basic Training, two drill sergeants got liqured up and came into the company area -- at zero-dark-thirty -- with M1911s. One discharged his pistol into the ceiling in the orderly room while the other -- weapon drawn -- harangued the company in the barracks. The one who discharged his weapon was busted from E6 to E5, and the other one was given an Article 15, but both remained as drill sergeants. Some years later, a company commander did the same thing. That incident ended that captain's career.
But from what I understand if I am reading your statements correctly, while stationed on a U.S. military base, you were not normally allowed to walk around the base carrying a weapon. Originally Posted by SpeedRacerXXX
One discharged his pistol into the ceiling in the orderly room while the other harangued the company in the barracks. The one who discharged his weapon was busted from E6 to E5, and the other one was given an Article 15, but both remained as drill sergeants. Some years later, a company commander did the same thing. That incident ended that captain's career. Originally Posted by I B HankeringWOW!! Busted from E6 to E5 for discharging his weapon? Seems to me the punishment did not fit the offense.