B36 News - 04 September 2006
"There are many like it, but this one is mine."This picture is of my M4, which spends most of it's time in the weapons rack. Unless I go on a trip, I just carry my M9 (pistol) since the M4 is bulkier and doesn't mix well with office work whereas the M9 just sits strapped to my leg. I also just got my "hooah attachments" last week (that would be the rail mount hand guard and vertical grip). Now at least I look like a hooah-hooah hardcore Soldier.
Also, I hear it's Labor Day. Isn't that a holiday or something? Enjoy the day off! Lord knows I would.
OTF Progress (story 2)These two stories are about the progress that is being made in the areas that we've secured so far with Operation Together Forward (OTF). As you can see, the methodical door-to-door searches that are being conducted to find bad guys and their weapons is working, which is why the bad guys are fighting back. If we just ignored them they wouldn't have as much reason to fight us, but they would also still be free to impose their will on the population.
Is peace worth the sacrifice of liberty, or is justice which leads to peace worth the sacrifice of "blood and treasure"?
Iraqi Army takes Tal Afar
Some people who read this headline may initially get images of pitched battles with attacks and counter attacks until the IA finally defeats its foe and hoists the Iraqi flag in the city center. Those images would be wrong, except for the hoisting of the Iraqi flag.
In a ceremony held on 2 September, the 3rd IA Division assumed full responsibility of Tal Afar from Task Force Band of Brothers which is comprised mainly of the US Army's 101st Screaming Eagles. Please feel free to color in more territory on the "Iraqi Army in the Lead" diagram below.
Reconstruction Progress
A report compiled by the MNF-I Project and Contracting Office (PCO) goes into great detail to explain just what kind of progress has been made with the reconstruction effort in Iraq. You can view the original document here.
Allow me to summarize:
- The oil industry is now producing above 2002 levels.
- U.S projects have increased potable water availability to an estimated 4.2 million additional residents and an estimated 5.1 million additional people have access to sewage treatment.
- U.S. projects have added or restored some 2,700 Megawatts of electrical generation capacity to Iraq's electrical grid. Peak electricity generation in Iraq is currently around 4,900 megawatts compared to an average of 4,300 in 2002.
- Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi schoolchildren are now attending new and refurbished schools.
- Since our arrival in 2003, there have been 30,000 new businesses created.
posted by MarksMomma at 12:18
BANDIT.THREE.SIX
THE LIZ
THE WIZ
7 Comments:
LOL! Actually from the angle of the pic of your M4, it appears to be sticking out from the wall via a butt plate suction cup. Now that would be an interesting feature. One name keeps popping up in the wake of on going sectarian violence in Iraq. Iran. They have also recently "volunteered" to help in training Afghani troops(don't see that happening). The NJIC(nutjobincharge)in Iran seems to be becoming more of a problem, but I'm not sure of the solution. Off topic: Spread the word on this for me Bandit. When you folks meet a Viet Nam Veteran, tell 'em Welcome Home!. It will mean a lot to them.
Wouldn't it be nice if the MSM would report the progress?
Stay safe and keep your head down!
My son liked carrying the M4 during his training days in coronado. He liked the fact that the weapon would fit in an airline's overhead compartment.
On his first deployment he carried an m16 with an M203 and what I believe is called an "ACOG" scope.
My question is: is the round used by these weapons the best blend of compromises? From what I've read it seems that this round won't stop a determined enemy. I'd be interested in your thoughts.
SkipSailing,
I don't have any personal experience with the actual effect the round has on a determined enemy, but based on my discussions with those who have and the reports I've read the 5.56 round is a good middle-of-the-road bullet. It's most notable characteristics are the tumble effect and the low weight of an individual round.
The tumble effect is the path that the bullet takes when it enters a target (person). If the bullet hits bone then it will likely fragment and alter its path through the body causing more damage. This effect is most potent at medium ranges as at short ranges the speed of the bullet is such that it would likey just punch through and leave little damage and at long ranges the bullet would simply lodge in the target (person). The "punch-through" is much more evident with the 9mm round. I've heard first-hand stories from combat medics about treating troops who've been shot several times with a 9mm and didn't even notice it until after the action had stopped. A .40, or better yet a .45 like the old Colt 1911, carrys much more stopping power as the bullet is larger and slower so when it impacts a target (person) it transfers more energy into the body and less through it.
The lightness of the 5.56 simply allows a troop to carry more rounds as compared to a 7.62.
Let me caveat these statements by saying that I've been lucky enough to never have to participate in any first-hand application of these morbid physics and that I am by no means an expert on the matter, just an interested individual.
I also hope you notice that whenever I refer to a target I include the word person directly after it. Whatever medical/technical terminology you apply to it, the harsh, but necessary, reality is that the objective is to kill another human being, not just a sillohete or "target".
And yes, it's quite a kick to take a weapon on borad a commercial airliner, especially given the current air travel sitaution. I'll be sure to get pictures of us all with our tray tables, seat-backs, and weapons in the upright and locked position on the way back.
mmm, now there was an interesting piece of information, the fact that military personnel are exempt from certain rules concerning commercial flights. tis also ineresting from the fact of those two Americans who were prevented from entering the U.S.A recently from Pakistan and were on the "no fly list."
The question that comes to mind now is what security checks do military personnel have to go through when flying commercial flights so as to prevent a terrorist from impersonating a soldier thus allowing him to carry a weapon aboard a plane?
Griper,
It is my understanding that if the military personnel are on charter flights they are allowed to bring their weapons on board but not the ammo. I'm "guessing" that was the case in the comments mentioned here.
I do know that if military personnel are booked on flights with civilian passengers they are required to check their weapons are baggage.
I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule but I would think that would be rare.
The Griper & Leta,
The flights that we bring our weapons on board is a chartered flight strictly for military. I haven't heard of any cases where military folk were allowed to bring their weapons on a civiliain flight, though I have heard of checking them as baggage (in a locked case of course).
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