You're absolutely correct. The command's response to:
was to vacuum up all the rounds from the squadron. Everyone was like WTF? We're in the fucking desert in Iraq with no bullets? A basic knee-jerk reaction.
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Marksmanship
- Thread starter AU_Aviation
- Start date
Rules about loading sidearms are now baked into the HSM aircraft SOP. Don’t worry about the fact that it incorrectly defines weapons conditions.
I have been told by several people that the range you're talking about was shut down due to MWR budget cuts. Unfortunately...
Ridiculous. Why the F is MWR the financial backer for a small arms range?
This is a readiness issue, whether the USN will admit it, or not.
I wish I knew.
This one really speaks to our studied ignorance on firearms in general, which is a larger cultural issue. I’m teaching my kids basic firearm safety and marksmanship not because I expect them to like firearms, but because- in part- it’s a fundamental life skill that might help them recognize ignorance like this.
Ok, I’m really done now. Sorry, this one just grinds my “old man yells at cloud” gears.
I think firearms safety and handling should be taught in our schools seeing as the right to bears arms is granted by the constitution. They should adapt and evolve as kids get older.
We teach drivers education in schools and safety around streets and roads, but driving isn't a right.
My kids thankfully have fond memories of the fun we had at lazy afternoon range sessions - they would call out the smallest of my own safety infractions of course!
Wholeheartedly agree! The older I get, the more I think government and big corporate interests want to eliminate as much personal agency and critical thinking as they can, to consolidate their hold on power and money.
Be part of the solution. Teach a kid to fish/shoot/change the oil in the car.
Get qual’d, volunteer for a Mob, and you’ll get weapons training depending on where you go.
Get out, find a quality range and instructor, and train on your own time. Sounds a hell of a lot better for QoL.
A) Good advice, but he doesn’t have to be in the Navy to do that.
B) You’re not wrong on QoL, but I have no qualms about telling a non prior enlisted DIRCOM officer to go take his or her first ever Mob. It’s different than asking a reservist who has active duty time, either underway or forward deployed, to deploy again.
They used to do that. Starting with the 5th grade boys had “rifle safety” every year (a one week, one hour a day thing) and “shop” included lessons in tire and oil changes.
As a 7th grader in the 80's, I remember shop class (Don't remember car maint included in our syllabus), but it got balanced out with a few weeks of "home economics"...I'm sure great info, but not for a 13 yr old boy. ☺️
I had both growing up too. My kids’ school does something called FACS, which covers a lot of the same stuff. Among other solid practical options, the local High school offers shop, welding, and automotive maintenance as electives. This school district is a big part of the reason we moved here.
That's good to hear. I'm far removed from secondary education policy,..so definitely no expert...but, I've always thought that there should be more avenues for kids to pursue in HS beyond just prep for going to college (and getting a BS degree and mountains of debt).