In basic training I used a M1-Garand
Shows my age, but when I arrived overseas, M14s ruled. Lighter, with less recoil seemed cool. 20 rounds as opposed to 8 rounds seemed significant. Then they stuck me with a M60 machine gun. Where's the justice in that? My Drill Sergeant in basic, fired a M1 Garand from his nut-sack, but I thought heck with that! I couldn't even aim properly that way, plus I'll bet it hurt. I knew what he was implying, but I believed he needed lots of ice afterwards. Then I hit the field with a M14, which I never, ever fired from my nut sack. Seemed an impractical aiming point to me. I ended up as a Flying Crewchief in the Army. Then back to M14s for airfield patrol behind the relative safety of concertina wire and perimeter lights. Full-circle to M60 machinegun mounds, but I was also the Linechief of 20th Artillery Aviation, six miles south of the DMZ. Those were golden years, when ArtyFlight Captains called me, "SIR." Though, neither really called each other "SIR." All of us worked together to survive. Once I taxied a plane down the road to the concessionary to purchase a hamburger, and would you believe flack occurred the next day! Since, I had taxy orders to taxy anywhere, that one went no where fast. This is no stuff, and certainly not all my military misadventures. I guess I could write a book concerning ALL of THEM. cliffy