Uniformed Service Skill Sets

[Puncha]

I have just returned from a 5-day reservist training stint (am in my country's army reserves) and I should say that some of the things they gave me a crash course in were rather unorthodox.

When I was discharged from regular service a few years ago, my primary speciality was as a general supply supervisor (am about E-4 equivalent in rank) with my secondary speciality being infantry. However, during the past 5 days, I was informed that I was being retrained for a yet as un-announced primary speciality and the following was what they tried to teach me:

Revolver marksmanship with a S&W model 10.
CQB with an entrenching tool, sticks and bayonet.
Intensive 1st aid training
water borne life saving?? (am NOT in the navy)
100 yard marksmanship with a .22lr bolt action (didn't even know my army had those)
the rudiments of motorcycle riding.

The training was conducted over 12-14 hours every day and I was informed that I would be recalled for 4 or 5 more 5-day stints over the next 14 months. I was told that more of the same skills would be taught in addition to other things.

Hence, my question to all serving and former THR vets is....what do you guys think I am being set up for?

Are there any units of the American military or law enforcement which are trained in most of the above skills?

 

[Preacherman]

A number of things come to mind...

1. High-speed trench digging, using an entrenching tool from a moving motorcycle?

2. CQB with a bayonet on a Model 10?

3. Saving swimmers whom you've just shot at long range with a .22LR rifle?

The possibilities are endless!

 

[Cyanide_357]

War against squirrels? Pest Removal?

Shoot squirrels at 100 m w/ 22 rifle.
Skin w/ bayonett
Burry with trench shovel

Don't know know about the motorcycles or model 10s.

Mabe a WWI/WWII reenactment

 

[Bobo]

A sextathalon based on useless "military" skills?

You're kidding right?
You just made this up for fun hunh?
You're puttin' us on.
Pulling our legs.

Come to think of it... I was in the U.S. Army...
Based on my personal experiences as a grunt... I actually believe you're not kidding, I saw a lot dumber stuff!

 

[ID_shooting]

OK, for a serious answer:

Scout? Prisoner guard? MP/carrison gaurd?

These are the ones that come to mind. Not knowing what country you are from or how your military is configured, do your units have specialty commonality? Such as, here an Infantry company is comprised of mostly grunts, a supply company is mostly clerks and truck drivers and so forth.

FYI, the US Army does water survival as well, for when they make us storm the beach (see Normandy)

 

[md2lgyk]

Not a clue. I've got 24 years total in three branches, and except for the first aid I've never had any training like that.

 

[rero360]

I've done the 2nd, 3rd, 4th with my scout unit before they made us MPs and I did the 6th on my own the only thing I can think of is they would be making you guys a spec ops unit. I know there are special forces units in the NG but not so sure on the reserves. if that is indeed the case, as soon as you can, apply for halo school, I'd give my right testicle to get into that school, never going to happen though, unless I go 18B, even then doubtful

 

[GTSteve03]

Scout?

That would be my first guess. Some sort of ultra-long range recon unit, possibly even being dropped in-country and cut off from supplies.

-.22lr rifle would be ideal for low noise, light ammo weight and reliable bolt action.
-Revolver for reliability and low profile, civilian friendly.
-Bayonet and other CQB skills for stealth and also temporary shelter building?
-1st aid/waterborne rescue seems like it could be to recover downed pilots?
-Motorcycle for high-speed single or double person, high gas mileage travel.

Almost like Steve McQueen's character at the end of the Great Escape!

 

[jrfoxx]

I apologize for my ignorance if this is fairly common knowledge, but what country are you in ( if you are willing and able to tell)? This may help explain some things a bit. Your countries terrain or current political climate is most likely VERY relevant to your proposed training, and might help us (as most of us are americans it seems) hazzard a guess at your future "purpose" better.

 

[Puncha]

To preacherman and cyanide:

Your posts were a hoot! RONFLMFAO! Extremely funny!

To all others:

Don't quite feel comfortable disclosing the armed forces that I serve....suffice to say that we are a US ally and do support American interests in our part of the world.

Also, as additional info for any guesses as to what my new primary (as yet unannounced) MOS is likely to be, my senior training NCO just informed us that the curriculum for the next 3 training stints will include:

2nd stint: more of the 6 skills originally mentioned.
3rd stint: further emphasis on 1st aid and 3 days on fire fighting taught by a local FD??
4th stint: re-qualification on an M-16, more S&W model 10 practice and what sounds like an introduction to urban squad tactics.

 

[armoredman]

Everything you talk about sounds like your are being set up to take over a prison in Iraq. Every skill can be used in a prison setting, even the motorcycle riding could be useful for tracking escapees, or threading car bomb torn streets.

 

[hso]

MP

 

[rbernie]

You's about to become part of a UN peacekeeping force.

It all adds up - training in use of obsolete sidearms and/or defending yourself with improvised implements rather than real weapons, the need to provide first-responder services, and the ability to utilize low-cost common transportation.....

 

[Puncha]

Blue helmeted peacekeepers????

Heaven forbid that I become a blue helmeted JBT! :banghead:

In any case, current military legislation caps reservists call-ups during peacetime to a MAXIMUM of 4 weeks / year unless for training.

In any case, my coursemates consist of 1 waterworks technician, 2 civil engineers, 2 social workers, 2 elementary school teachers, 2 high school teacher (I am one), 3 mechanics and 1 registered nurse among another people.

 

[Preacherman]

Well, with that skill set and those backgrounds among your fellow servicemen, I'd hazard a guess that you'll be building and guarding a new illegal immigrant detention center somewhere in the vicinity of Ayers Rock!

 

[HerrWolfe]

A aquacycle target that can repair or bury itself? Actually, not a clue.

 

[Sam]

AM,
I'm conducting the training for all the the troops assigned to detainee ops in Iraq. None of Puncha's tasks are included.

Sam

 

[mp510]

I have no clue where hyou are located, but I could probably come up with a reasonable explanation for each item.

m-10 training:
Pistol Marksmanship can be the difference between life and death on the battle field. Being reservists, you guys are trained on older weapons. Also, it is a lot simpler to operate a DA revolver than a semi-auto for people who have no prior firearms knowledge.

First Aid:
Necesary for humanitarian missions, patching up deowned comrades or self on the battlefield.

Lifesaving:
You guys could be called up for some sort of rescue op after a natural disaster like a flood or tsunami or hurricane or something....


.22 Marksmanship
Training cadets to fire a rifle using a .22 is nothing new. Many powers have done it over the years.


Motercycle-
Ya gotta know how to be mobile

 

[wolf_from_wv]

War against squirrels? Pest Removal?

Shoot squirrels at 100 m w/ 22 rifle.
Skin w/ bayonett
Burry with trench shovel

Don't know know about the motorcycles or model 10s.

=======

Motorcycle is to get to the squirrel habitat. Model 10 for close range defence against the tough ones that just absorb the .22s...

 

[Logan5]

Wild hypothesis, but it might be generalized disaster response/riot control stuff. First aid and water rescue, motorcycle stuff for courier duty when cell and landlines are knocked out, the rest to make sure your messages get there and back.
I've heard a couple of talks lately about rethinking the paradyne of disaster response operations, recasting them as something between a typical hurricane/tsunami/earthquake and a "weapon of mass effect used without criminality" (meaning that the event causes all the local first responders and government to become victims, like a natural analogue to a nuclear first strike, and the outside responders have to start from scratch.) Some sort of emergency operations center liasion training would be a tip off, or some kind of national response plan equivalent course.

 

['Card]

Whatever it ends up being, welcome to the pointy end of the spear.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Light infantry as always. Prision guard. Dispatcher with motorcycle possible but unlikely. sending prisoners to the rear and to a detention facitily. Light fast moving squad tactics with motorcyclesas light infantry or "scout".