Sat Dec 15, 2012, 11:31 PM
kpete (37,450 posts)
"If there are bigger pussies in the world than gun nuts, I don’t know who the **** they are."
True Stories in Gun Control
By John Cole December 15th, 2012
After Operation Desert Shield and Storm, I was stationed at Camp Blackhorse in Doha Kuwait with the 11th ACR. We were an Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), which basically means we were a self contained unit. For each squdron, we had 3 Cav troops- Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie, which had two platoons of cav scouts in Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and two platoons of M1A1 tanks, and a mortar section for each troop. We also had Delta Company, which was nothing but armor (tanks), then a howitzer battery, our own medics, etc. Basically, a Regiment has three Squadrons with the makeup I described, and an Air Cav squadron with attack helicopters.
Blah, blah, blah.....
We had towers and gates and 12 foot walls, and armed troopers at every gate with mirrors to look underneath cars and plenty of folks to investigate people coming in as civilians to run base operations (cook, give haircuts, etc.).
So why am I telling you this? Because in the middle of one of the most dangerous regions in the world, even with clear Rules of Engagement, every time I went on gate duty, there was a piece of tape over my ammo clip on my M-16 and M1911 .45. Why? Because the most heavily armed military in the world did not want accidental shootings. If a situation arose, I would have to eject my ammo clip, remove the tape, and reinsert and work the action before I could fire.
This was in a combat zone. Yet I have spent the last two ****ing days dealing with armchair commandos telling me they need unlimited firepower to be safe in…
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021996549#post13 Response to kpete (Original post)
Sat Dec 15, 2012, 11:33 PM
Bonobo (18,705 posts)
2. Yup. Cowards or idiots with hero complexes.
Mostly cowards though.
Response to kpete (Original post)
Sun Dec 16, 2012, 12:00 AM
Marinedem (326 posts)
11. Huh. Guess the Marines are different.
We never needed to tape over our magazines. We had this fail-safe we called "Discipline and education on the ****ing weapon system".
Worked well for us. No "Accidental shootings". The term really doesn't make any sense, anyway. Negligent is the word he is looking for.
Response to Marinedem (Reply #11)
Sun Dec 16, 2012, 12:14 AM
frank380 (9 posts)
18. When I was stationed in Norfolk
a stupid drunk sailor walked up behind the Marine gate guards and snatched the rifle from one of the marines, as a joke I guess. The other Marine immediately shot the sailor in the head. The Marine didn't have to eject his mag and remove tape. The Marine instructor who taught us also told us to leave the safety off, just keep your finger off the trigger. I still go by those rules.
Whose mole is called DUmmy franknumbers?
Response to Marinedem (Reply #11)
Sun Dec 16, 2012, 12:25 AM
sarisataka (1,187 posts)
26. We had one AD
an M249 had a worn sear and popped a round when the cover was closed. No one injured as we remember to point in a safe direction when loading and unloading. Immediately pulled that gun to the armory for repair
Semper Fi
This is my rifle, this is my gun...
Among decent and civilized people, the byword is "DUmmies lie, all the time DUmmies lie."
At the DUmp, the byword is "It's about nadin. It's always about nadin."
No one has been in more firefights than the crazy bald dwarf. Thankfully, shots taken at her always miss high.
Response to kpete (Original post)
Sun Dec 16, 2012, 12:04 AM
nadinbrzezinski (113,256 posts)
13. I know...the feeling.
Been in enough shoot outs to fill nightmares. A couple really, as in an inch the other side we'd not be talking. But here we have people going on how they'd take down the assailant cause they got guns.
It's tragic, not funny.
She wishes she didn't know all this shit.