I appreciate your observations on what "highly qualified" means. Yes, when 90% of the force is non combat MOS, and the budget gets crunched, you don't get to shoot very much. But as long as you are in uniform, you are qualified.
Kinda like the "Heroes" ads on local TV where a veteran's pic and awards are honored. "He/she fought in the (pick somewhere) Theatre in (choose a war.) I don't say anything, but I know from experience - I "fought" in GTMO and the front gate at Ft. Benning. 22 years of Reserve duty, and never a shot fired in anger. Started Infantry, but served in an MP unit with an Ordnance MOS the last year. Got Haz pay but no combat patch.
In GTMO, we couldn't even carry ink pens in the wire. In Benning, we carried M9's daily, had an M16 available at each post, and both were loaded. We carried more highly armed in the US in one day than the entire time in Cuba.
It does further underline the problem, tho. If it's all about military and police, but they can't qualify or practice because of budget cuts, then what qualifications do they really have? Again, smoke and mirrors.
The average AR owner who reloads is more proficient. But, yes, try to tell a family member all about it when their concept of you is mostly Christmas get togethers and what they hear from your wife.
Of course, the government doesn't yet restrict me as much as my job, but that's another rant. What I see in the future for the military is almost no qualification at all when they finish cutting the budget to the bone. It's happened before.
Thanks for mentioning the .22 adapters, I had to use them, too. Might be nice to bring up in the appropriate conversation.