No weapons for E-4 and below on watch

[eas7888]

ANYONE WHO SERVES IN THE U.S. MILITARY ... and does not posses a basic, inherent, came-to-the-party-with, or ... a trained-to-proficiency, learned, practiced knowledge and familiarity w/ a variety of personal small-arms ...

... should be sellin' ladies' shoes @ Nordstrom's.

I've been to a qualification range (M16) with an Army band unit. Let me say this: The world is a safer place when they don't have weapons in their hands. The same thing goes for medical corps personnel, keep them away from firearms! Granted, there are always exceptions, but the world is a safer place when they don't have weapons.

SHOULD they know what they're doing with their weapons? YES! But since many of them are damn near untrainable...I say some people just shouldn't touch weapons.

 

[A4sForever]

I've been to a qualification range (M16) with an Army band unit. Let me say this: The world is a safer place when they don't have weapons in their hands. The same thing goes for medical corps personnel, keep them away from firearms! Granted, there are always exceptions, but the world is a safer place when they don't have weapons.

WRONG !!! If they can 'blow' a horn ... they can 'blow' up a target.

Training ... training ... training ... experience ... and more training.

Not willing to 'do it'???

Then, friends & neighbors ... that's another problem altogether ...

Go blow your horn.

 

[ryan1234]

But since many of them are damn near untrainable...I say some people just shouldn't touch weapons.

Why should they be in the 'Profession of Arms' then?

Basic firearm proficiency is not some foreign skill - if they're untrainable in the very basic means of defense.... what good are they?

 

[eas7888]

Basic firearm proficiency is not some foreign skill - if they're untrainable in the very basic means of defense.... what good are they?

Someone has to play Taps at funerals. . .or play soothing music in the dining facility while I eat. Yes, the Army band unit assigned to Victory Base Complex in Baghdad actually played in the dining facilities while I was there. It was pretty nice. Also, have you ever heard of "Operation Human Shield" or "Cannon Fodder" ...?

 

[HueyCobra8151]

I call bullshit.

Bands in the Marine Corps are expected to act as provisional base security when deployed and I believe they provide personal security for the CG as well.

 

[ryan1234]

Someone has to play Taps at funerals. . .or play soothing music in the dining facility while I eat. Yes, the Army band unit assigned to Victory Base Complex in Baghdad actually played in the dining facilities while I was there. It was pretty nice. Also, have you ever heard of "Operation Human Shield" or "Cannon Fodder" ...?

Ha - true....

I would just, idealistically, think that if you were joining the Army - even if to be in the band... you could still possess a certain amount of weapons proficiency that would sorta come with wearing the ACUs and all that stuff.

It's not like it's asking a lot.

 

[eas7888]

I call bullshit.

Bands in the Marine Corps are expected to act as provisional base security when deployed and I believe they provide personal security for the CG as well.

Notice, I said ARMY for a reason. You can call bullshit all you wish, but the fact is, it's a perishable skill. Those units whose missions are not combat or combat support tend to have significantly lower qualification scores, from my experience. Your experience may be different than mine.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Not calling bullshit on you or your experiences.

I'm calling bullshit on the premise that the pogiest of pogs shouldn't have a no-kidding military purpose when deployed (other than serenading people in the DFAC) and shouldn't learn how to use firearms.

 

[usmarinemike]

Not calling bullshit on you or your experiences.

I'm calling bullshit on the premise that the pogiest of pogs shouldn't have a no-kidding military purpose when deployed (other than serenading people in the DFAC) and shouldn't learn how to use firearms.

Completely agree. This is so intuitive that I don't understand how it could be done any other way. Rifle qualification in the Marine Corps isn't hard, and it isn't even that much of a hardship for the units. It will however, make you capable of defending yourself and your unit and give you confidence in yourself as a human. Not having honest, recurrent marksmanship training is an indefensible position for anybody wearing a uniform.

 

[Brett327]

All the recruits complete weapons training at RTC, Pistol and Shotgun as I recall. However, something could have changed, but I'd be surprised if that was removed from the curriculum in the recent past.

That is precisely the problem.

Brett

 

[Flash]

Bands in the Marine Corps are expected to act as provisional base security when deployed and I believe they provide personal security for the CG as well.

Not all Marine Bands, most of THE Marine Band doesn't do much else than play music, which they do very well. I would bet a few of it's members have never even touched a weapon. The direct accessions don't even go to boot camp, and get to start as Staff Sergeants.

There are almost always exceptions to the rule, even "Every Marine a Rifleman".

 

[usmarinemike]

Not all Marine Bands, most of THE Marine Band doesn't do much else than play music, which they do very well. I would bet a few of it's members have never even touched a weapon. The direct accessions don't even go to boot camp, and get to start as Staff Sergeants.

There are almost always exceptions to the rule, even "Every Marine a Rifleman".

Small price topay to have a virtuoso in every chair. It stands to reason that they don't display crossed rifles within their rank insignia, but a lyre. No false advertising.

 

[eas7888]

Small price topay to have a virtuoso in every chair. It stands to reason that they don't display crossed rifles within their rank insignia, but a lyre. No false advertising.

View attachment 12185

That's actually pretty interesting. I had never seen anything besides the crossed rifles there. I suppose we learn something new every day.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Small price topay to have a virtuoso in every chair. It stands to reason that they don't display crossed rifles within their rank insignia, but a lyre. No false advertising.

View attachment 12185

I am really glad that wasn't part of the gouge at OCS to memorize.

 

[HueyCobra8151]

You guys had to memorize Marine Corps trivia at Navy OCS?

I think we had like a 30 second class on how not to look like an asshole in front of the Corpsman