Soldiers in Iraq learning to use guns

[FJB]

Soldiers in Iraq learning to use guns... what seems for the first time.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ab60662ad6

This video clip is not even humorous, it is criminal. The leadership that permits soldiers to deploy with such piss poor firearms training should be held criminally negligent of their duties. I don't blame these soldiers per se, I blame their leadership. The excuse by some that say "well they'll never leave a FOB" or some such non-sense is also B.S. Every soldier, Marine, sailor, airman is a warrior and should be trained as a warrior to include how to properly fight with their firearms as it only contributes to a truly confident and disciplined fighting force vice a force of amaturers with inadequate training with false self-esteem pumped up their a$$.

Unfortunately those who do fight for proper training get labelled and marked for destruction by parochial a$$ clowns "protecting their turf." I hope they can sleep at night knowing good kids poorly trained probably died because of their actions.

S/F

[Hawkeye]

Did those two even go through Basic Training? That is beyond rediculous. My Drill Sgt's would have had a coronary. Of course, I had two older CIB tabbed ones that were like the Army version of Gunny Hartman.... They made life hell, but I'd hug them now if I could.

[ST911]

With that, my worst shooters suddenly don't seem so bad after all.

[JBar]

That is the result of only sending your support soldiers to the range once a year to "qualify" with their weapon because you don't have the budget to purchase the overpriced ammo. When we deployed to Somalia this serious lack of training among support units was discovered and the level of training was intensified prior to follow-on troups being deployed. There is no excuse for this five years into a war. God's speed.

Jbar

[deadwood83]

Ouch... that is just sad. The one kneeling looked like the bolt was open most of the time... I can't figure out how he managed to do that. This is just... wow.

[FJB]

Both seemed to have problems with Type I malfunctions (failure to feed) and my guess is an under lubed rifle. Both Pat and Larry will tell you that underlubing is worse than over lubing. The right amount of lube applied at the right locations (ie. where you have metal to metal contact, shiney worn surfaces on your bolt carrier group is your first clue) is the correct answer.

Unfortunately these soldiers "don't know what they don't know" and their leadership is criminally negligent for "not wanting to know what they don't know" thus believing that whatever firearms training the Army (or pick your service) provides is good enough. Average/Amature training like this is not good enough. Good enough gets people killed. Only Excellent or Outstanding is acceptable. I have several friends who once belonged to a "unit" that is the best trained and funded org in the military and even they sought outside firearms training on their own time and dime.

Sadly there is OIF predeployment training funds available for COs to use to bring in top shelf trainers like Pat and Larry to properly prepare their lads and lasses, but very few do it. The rest are more concerned about how their stock options or golf handicap. I could continue on this rant but I better stop.

S/F

[KiloSierra]

That is the result of only sending your support soldiers to the range once a year to "qualify" with their weapon because you don't have the budget to purchase the overpriced ammo.

Jbar

Don't forget the "I know how to shoot and don't need to practice" attitude some have. When I was in college a guy in one of my classes was a sergeant in a reserve transport company and a Desert Storm vet. He once remarked that they taught him to shoot in basic and he really didn't see why they kept waisting money on ammo and having them practice and qualify regularly. That was in the summer of 2002, and his company deployed a few months later. I know he survived, but I wonder if he still thinks that.

[Alpha Sierra]

Wow................

[55Kingpin]

That is horrible.

There is NO excuse. Trigger finger discipline is something that should be ingrained in one's brain housing group.

Proper lubrication is simple and easy to learn.

I don't know who gets the blame, but somebody deserves a foot in their rectal cavity! Especially if there are funds available for training...

-55

[KevinB]

You see it everyday here -- its not a "only" occurance. The problem is outside of specialized units very few know there is a higher level (or in some cases a safe standard) of skill.

I think the avg US Infantry soldier is a wandering disaster with fireams -- and unofrtunately they are a shinning star when it comes to the service support folk. I feel badly for them - since the majority just dont know, and have no source for training. The Chain of Command is criminal negligent. IMHO at the very least Group 18B's should be farmed out to run predeployment weapons training.

Gone are the days of the American Rifleman I fear.