Afghan military pilot kills 9 Americans

[amlove21]

First off, RIP to those we lost. Fair winds. I was deployed last summer when we lost 9 to the ANA shooter in AFG.

Everyone thinks it can't happen to him.

IIRC, Army and Marines were the only ones to make their personnel carry, Air Force and Navy didn't even tote their weapons back and forth to the PX, fuel point, wherever. I guess the local national and 3rd-country national guard force was going to protect them.

I had a couple conversations at 3 different locations around Iraq- 3 for 3, the "regular" Army units (I never talked to Marines about it) carried because they didn't have a vault, so they couldn't just leave their long gun at home.

I never-ever- went anywhere outside my STOC without my sidearm while deployed. I didn't clear it entering the PX/chow hall either, which gave no less than 3 Army guys (one of them pretty high ranking) a case of the ass. He proceeded to tell me the dangers of my holstered, redundant safety Glock 19 with one in the chamber whilst he had his M16 slung behind his back, magazine safely stored in a buttstock mag pouch. I guess it would be more about perspective- I had a weapon that was ready to shoot someone that I carried voluntarily. He had a weapon that he was carrying as a storage option that wasn't ready to fire.

I suppose it's just a matter of perspective.

 

[DA SWO]

First off, RIP to those we lost. Fair winds. I was deployed last summer when we lost 9 to the ANA shooter in AFG.

I had a couple conversations at 3 different locations around Iraq- 3 for 3, the "regular" Army units (I never talked to Marines about it) carried because they didn't have a vault, so they couldn't just leave their long gun at home.

I never-ever- went anywhere outside my STOC without my sidearm while deployed. I didn't clear it entering the PX/chow hall either, which gave no less than 3 Army guys (one of them pretty high ranking) a case of the ass. He proceeded to tell me the dangers of my holstered, redundant safety Glock 19 with one in the chamber whilst he had his M16 slung behind his back, magazine safely stored in a buttstock mag pouch. I guess it would be more about perspective- I had a weapon that was ready to shoot someone that I carried voluntarily. He had a weapon that he was carrying as a storage option that wasn't ready to fire.

I suppose it's just a matter of perspective.

You nailed it.
I posted a comment on the AF webpage stating guys should at least have a magazine in the weapon when meeting with afghani's; we'll see if the censors approve.

 

[AWP]

You nailed it.
I posted a comment on the AF webpage stating guys should at least have a magazine in the weapon when meeting with afghani's; we'll see if the censors approve.

At Bagram they carry with a magazine in. The only time I've seen otherwise were personnel just arriving or soon departing.

 

[Hitman2/3]

And this is why my trusty MEUSOC never leaves my side and stays in condition 1. We see the same thing around here on our "secure" SOF compound people walking around without a care in the world. Some carry their pistols but I would say only 25% actually know how to effectively employ it. Most I see have their drop holsters down to their knee or so loose that it just swings back and fourth so they never really know exactly where it is. Others have that stupid ass shoulder holster just flopping around. I'm at the range almost every other day when were not out and about and I rarely see any American troops other than ourselves out there doing even basic training. Its sad. Hopefully lessons will be learned but I doubt it. R.I.P.

 

[Cochise]

Not to beat the proverbial dead horse...but I completely agree with keeping weapons at least a condition 3. If a member of the US armed forces is considered by their CoC to be a threat to others while in condition 3 they probably shouldn't be in a place where they need a weapon. R.I.P.

 

[Hitman2/3]

Not to beat the proverbial dead horse...but I completely agree with keeping weapons at least a condition 3. If a member of the US armed forces is considered by their CoC to be a threat to others while in condition 3 they probably shouldn't be in a place where they need a weapon. R.I.P.

I've said that for years. It blows my mind that the solution to soldiers (I mean everybody) not being able to properly or safely handle their weapon is just to more or less take their weapon away. Yeah they still carry it but unless they use it as a club it is pretty much usless when they need it in that split second. We do that instead of taking the obviously much needed time to get people out to a range and get some trigger time and propper instruction. I would say that with the current conflicts if your job requiers you to leave the wire at any time you should be shooting at least quarterly and if your primary job is handleing a weapon it should be monthly at a minimum. Our weapons training is a joke for the average joe. I watched a fairly senior officer go to clear their weapon by pointing it into the clearing barrel and pulling the trigger. Never checked to see if it was clear so they didn't notice the mag still inserted. Then when it went off they were so thrown off and embarrased that they droped the mag and fired another round because they still didn't clear it properly. I would say the problem isn't neccessarily the soldier themselves as it is a system that is satisfied with teaching people just enough. I think I've said it before here, but regardless of your job or branch you should at a minimum be able to pick up a rifle or pistol and be able to accuratley engage the enemy. That should be the standard across the board, because no matter what may happen, rather it be lack of power, fuel, or an EMP burst from a nuke your rifle dosen't need a power source, it dosen't need fuel to run, and it will shoot as straight as you are capable when all our technology fails our soldiers skill with a rifle could mean a world of difference.

 

[Marauder06]

First off, RIP to those we lost. Fair winds. I was deployed last summer when we lost 9 to the ANA shooter in AFG.

I had a couple conversations at 3 different locations around Iraq- 3 for 3, the "regular" Army units (I never talked to Marines about it) carried because they didn't have a vault, so they couldn't just leave their long gun at home.
...

At Balad, they wouldn't let Army into the chow halls or the PX unless the Soldiers were carrying.

 

[amlove21]

At Balad, they wouldn't let Army into the chow halls or the PX unless the Soldiers were carrying.

That wasn't the case last summer. I was there for 5 months or so. Some did, some didn't.