I just have to tell someone,

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mljdeckard

mljdeckard

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Ok, so I'm washing my hands to enter the dining facility, and the E-3 next to me has a Leupold Mk IV 3x9 tactical something or other mounted on his M-4.

I lean in to get a better look, not trying to hide that I'm staring, I tell him, "I just want to get a look at what you're running there."

He says; "It's a leeopolled mark four, the same thing they use on Barretts."

I didn't want to start a conversation with him (or his squad leader) asking how it worked on the 25 meter range. Or how well he could use it to clear rooms.

I had to walk away.

And they only had processed cheese to put in my omelette.

Once again, JUST BE#CAUSE YOU CAN MAKE IT FIT, doesn't mean it's the right toolfor the job.
 
He had a 3x9 on his service weapon?
Wow.. I am all for magnified optics. I love Accupoints and ACOGs. But use the right tool for the right job!


Out of curiosity, how did he get away with doing that? Most units are pretty strict about what you can and can not put on a weapon.
 
Hmm....In my day,..albeit in ancient history,...unless somebody in this young troopers immediate CofC had authorized such,...I know one old Sergeant Major who would be eating well tonite,.....and in fact,..if this trooper's CofC HAD authorized it,...that same Sergeant Major would be eating even better,...just from a bit higher on the food chain,....

:)
 
Wow, if that guy was in my section i would wreck him. so many times privates come to a unit and buy all this cool guy BS, i cant tell you how many times ive ripped useless crud off of rifles. i think his explanation of why he had it on there is priceless.
 
Well, he didn't actually say why he had it on his M4, just ID'd what it was. Several times I saw troops leave their assigned weapons in the hummer and tote a shotgun in order to move quicker through the line.

Two buddies of mine had non-issue optics on their M4s as their unit could not provide suitable optics. No big deal...

Thunder173, things have changed a bunch from the old days and mostly for the better. :)
 
Perhaps he found a loopholed in the manual;-\

Tell him to rub sand on the objective to reduce glare, an old sniper trick you learned. That should fix it.
 
:confused: Why is everybody so down on the soldier? If it's a unit that MJDeckard knows has DMR rifles for issue, or has a primary mission that precludes optics, that's one thing. But until we understand that soldier's (unit's) mission and equipment status, nobody but the OP is in a position to criticize.

Heck, several of our guys in Baghdad used Benelli shotguns. Not my pick for my area, but they were in built up areas and in buildings.

Mission drives the gear train. If I was doing escort missions along Route Irish, I'd want at least one M4 equipped with a good optic for target ID.
 
Thunder173, things have changed a bunch from the old days and mostly for the better.
Click to expand...


I would sure hope so,..but from what I am hearing from folks in the sand box,...who I routinely communicate with,...that's not necessarily the case,...at least not all the time.

Do understand that I am ALL for troops having what they need to get the job done,..and that includes any mavericked gear they need to use. Anybody that knew me when I was still in boots would understand that,..as I was one of the worst mavericks there was.

What I was infering is that if the troop is mounting gear for "profiling" that can get his six axed,..or one of his fire team popped,...he's lunch. If I had a Squad Leader, Platoon Daddy, or a First Shirt being stupid and letting that troop do that,....well,...I restate,...I'd be eating well,..and maybe eating high.

I hope to God that NEVER changes........
 
I use a 2-7 Leupold on my patrol rifle, when it is turned down on 2x I can engage targets in room clearing distances as fast as any other sight, and at longer distances I have the option of using higher magnification.

I keep it on 2x, I grew up using traditional riflescopes and keeping both eyes open can get on target FAST, even at spitting distances. Maybe this soldier is indeed very proficient with this sighting system, on 3x it should be nearly as usable as my 2x at close ranges. At any rate, I would not bash his choice until I observed his shooting.

Disclaimer: I do not have military experience, however I do have law enforcement experience, and have used this combination for close quarter shooting.
 
Dang I'll have to dig up some pictures from '03. You'd be amazed what a 12B (Now 21B?) SSgt in the National Guard could hang off of his new M-16A4... No ****, maintenance and admin got all the M-4's in the battalion!
 
I'd like to not get this thread too far off track.

Units need to be using issued equipment when that equipment is available. When ISSUED and AUTHORIZED equipment is unavailable,...or incapable of doing the function that an operational issue dictates,..then it is the command's responsibility to fix that,...either by acquiring the right equipment through logistics channels,..or authorizing the acquisition, (by whatever means necessary),...and the field expedient use of locally acquired materials and equipment as necessary,... to accomplish the mission at hand. Period.

If that means bogarting or moon lighting gear,...so be it,...but it needs to be a chain of command decision. Having an E-3 using potentially unauthorized gear simply because it looks cool,...and leadership NOT challenging that,..or taking that soldier to task,.....no way. Not in MY day,....and I would hope not in the day of ANY Non-Com worth his or her stripes.

For a lot of years,..I lived by the term,..."Mission First,....Soldier's ALWAYS!" Infering that the mission is the most important issue,..but taking care of ones soldiers is ALWAYS of the highest priority. If that means patting them on the back for a job well done,..or kicking them in the ass when they screw up,..that's what it means.

Take responsibilty,...take ownership,...take charge,..and get it done!

Subject closed on my end.

Smaj - Out...............
 
I think there is a lot of assuming going on here. We all know what happens when we ASS-U-ME things.
 
Ya know, if the young soldier had a junk scope, I'd be leading the charge. But a loopy MK IV is very decent.

Mljdeckard, arty gets lots of route escort missions, or at least they did in '08. I'm just sayin... ;)
 
They are doing everything. You know, if it had even been an A-2 or A-4, I would have shrugged my shoulders. But COME ON, this is a 800 meter optic on a 300 meter weapon, which will most likely be used for CQB.

Maybe if that's where this kid lives, he should ask to be issued a DMR? (I haven't seen one since I've been here.)
 
Some guys just like to look cool. In my experience, they seem to be the same guys that don't go out too much - if ever. But man, do they ever look like some hard man-killers on the Facebookie.
 
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