I stand by the statement that ANYONE who plays with explosive material without the proper training is doing something not very bright.
If I am taking your definition of "explosive material" correctly, I work with them, as well as a good part of the population of the world, everyday. First of all, I carry a gun with bullets (propellent that is contained), drive a car with gas - obviously (fuel that is contained), and use a cutting torch weekly (oxygen -for heaven sakes- and acetelyne, both flammable and contained). Quite frankly, they are all very explosive materials and they all could make very effective IEDs if implemented accordingly. Which I am sure you are aware of given your training and experience with the military.
I don't know what does or doesn't fall under your category or "proper training", but I do have common sense and a very good grasp of the energy that is required to set off the chemical reaction that would cause a flammable material to expand inside a closed container (or not, as the case may be) to cause an explosion.
Now I wasn't trained by the military to handle flammable/explosive materials, nor did I pay someone to train me. I also didn't receive "proper training" on how to drive a vehicle, use an acetylene torch, or shoot a gun. Furthermore I couldn't use all the proper jargon when describing how to use or operate all of the latter machinery or materials. But that doesn't mean that I don't know how to drive a car safely, use an acetylene torch safely and properly, or shoot a gun safely and properly. It also doesn't mean that I couldn't show someone else how to do so safely and properly.
That said I have seen a lot of people who thought they knew what they were doing with explosives blow themselves and others up. The biggest one was a guy trying to crack open a piece of ordnance that was near a wedding party. When it went up it left a crater 4 feet deep and 11 feet across. It also killed several members of the wedding party. As it would turn out later, the bomb was a big ol cluster bomb that did not seperate. When one went, they all went. Another genius was making pipe bombs out of raod flares and UXO. It blew up a sizeable portion of an apartment complex outside the main gate. We lost several people (7 in one blast and 3 in another KIA 5 more WIA) attached to us because of other people who thought they knew who to handle and act around UXO. In talking with some EOD guys and hearing their stories (even worse
You cannot make an equal comparison of handling UXO (unexploded ordinance) that has been armed and deployed to a pipe bomb that you have personally built in your presence in a controlled enviroment.
But stating you did so here in the US, near others
So you are saying that you never have broken the law here in the U.S.? Around other people?
Given it was provable, I would put a good amount of money that you have done the very same on virtually a daily basis while endangering the lives of other people to some degree by doing so. Laws are made so that you will not infringe on the rights of others. When you drive your car in excess of the speed limit you are breaking the law. In this case you are endangering the lives of others. Technically, the law is on the books for the same reasons. But most people get away with breaking both laws most of the time because A. They aren't actually hurting someone when they do it. B. They don't get caught. However, if you do hurt someone - you most likely will get prosecuted for breaking the law, and the consequences will be very severe.
I can appreciate what you are saying. Trust me, I will never, ever, knowingly approach a UXO!! You have my word on that. And for the record, I didn't say that I set off pipe bombs in anyone else's presence. I wouldn't endanger other people's lives or well-being in such a manner, but I have the right to take any liberty I would like with my own
BTW - Thanks for your service in the military! One of my friends was EOD? in the Navy. He always had a lot of good stories.
