Covered by weapons...again
When I was in the Congo the police and the army weren't too particular about where they pointed their weapons. They were not well trained, or trained at all; so they didn't much care if the muzzle of their rifle was pointed at the ground, the sky, your head or that group of schoolchildren down the street. This disturbed me because
a: I just don't like weapons being pointed at me
and
b: it was so contrary to my past training.
An inviolable rule of firearms handling is you don't point a weapon at something you aren't willing to destroy. The State Police and the instructors at the civilian firearms training school I attended were very strict about this. Very strict. You haven't seen mad until you've seen Clint Smith mad at somebody who violated this rule.
I left the Congo and I left that behind, or so I thought. The first time I went to the chow hall at this base I noticed all the Soldiers were carrying their weapons and all the long guns were slung. I also noticed that when they unslung the weapons to set them on the ground, about 30% cared not a hoot about where the weapons pointed as they were doing so. It was like watching the Congolese army sit down to breakfast. Machineguns, rifles and shotguns waving around pointing at the guy across the table, across the room and at me. I even saw one guy do this with his finger on the trigger.
The weapons are all supposed to be unloaded, but did I and all the others around check the chamber to make certain of that? No. Is the action open so we can all see it is clear? No. So what the hell is wrong with those people?
I was very disappointed to see American Soldiers acting like this. It ain't professional. Hell, it ain't polite either. To the 70% who act professionally, thank you. To the 30% who don't; I hope you go to Clint Smith's school someday.
a: I just don't like weapons being pointed at me
and
b: it was so contrary to my past training.
An inviolable rule of firearms handling is you don't point a weapon at something you aren't willing to destroy. The State Police and the instructors at the civilian firearms training school I attended were very strict about this. Very strict. You haven't seen mad until you've seen Clint Smith mad at somebody who violated this rule.
I left the Congo and I left that behind, or so I thought. The first time I went to the chow hall at this base I noticed all the Soldiers were carrying their weapons and all the long guns were slung. I also noticed that when they unslung the weapons to set them on the ground, about 30% cared not a hoot about where the weapons pointed as they were doing so. It was like watching the Congolese army sit down to breakfast. Machineguns, rifles and shotguns waving around pointing at the guy across the table, across the room and at me. I even saw one guy do this with his finger on the trigger.
The weapons are all supposed to be unloaded, but did I and all the others around check the chamber to make certain of that? No. Is the action open so we can all see it is clear? No. So what the hell is wrong with those people?
I was very disappointed to see American Soldiers acting like this. It ain't professional. Hell, it ain't polite either. To the 70% who act professionally, thank you. To the 30% who don't; I hope you go to Clint Smith's school someday.
posted by Carl at 7:29 AM
4 Comments:
Yikes - I guess that's why people learn to eat fast in the Army. Is this a comment on the training or the personel or something else?
Was Clint at Thunder Ranch or at the NM Trooper Academy?
I don't know what it is a comment on. It isn't just our guys. I saw an Australian do the same thing in Kuwait just yesterday.
Clint Smith runs Thunder Ranch. You should go and take a course if you get the chance. It is great fun and you learn a lot from people who know what they are about.
Wow, that's pretty disturbing--that would seem like an important thing to learn. Like Soldering 101.
It is soldiering 101. Some guys just forget what they learn.
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