Comments for H&I Fires* 2 Aug 07

H&I Fires* 2 Aug 07

2007-08-03T04:39:28Z

Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite.

You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place...

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Over at The Weekly Standard, John Noonan of Op-For asks a good question. Nice score, Noonan.

CAPT H points us to GOPublius, where you can read Senator Clinton's famous vanishing senior thesis from Wellesley. The one that was buried by the school during the Clinton Presidency but has now surfaced again in time to give us a peek into Young Hillary. I'd have to caveat this with the observation I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be terribly impressed with *my* writings from that era in my life...

From Green Mountain Politics comes this *gem*:

Subject: Manchester Republican Committee to Host Machine Gun Event

The Manchester Republican Committee (MRC) will hold its first Annual Machine Gun Shoot fundraiser on Sunday, August 5, 2007 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The public is invited.

One hopes that the Brady Bunch got their invitation, too! Read all about it here. -the Armorer

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There are probably a few civilian AND military types that wonder how Lt. Gen. Kensinger ends up holding the bag for with holding information or other wise covering up Cpl Pat Tillman's death. I believe, after sifting through almost 3000 pages of testimony, tests and other memoranda, I discovered why Lt. Gen. Kensinger was thrown under the bus. [updated: 15:55z]

The long and short of it is, he decided to re-interpret the regulations regarding family notification or, as I also suspected considering the number of regulations repeated like a Mage Shield in World of Warcraft sequence, he was trying harder to CYA than to take care of his soldiers. Everyone CYAs once in awhile, but, if you don't know when it's time to stop CYA and just do your duty, you are very likely no longer an effective officer or leader.

Right there, I don't blame the Tillman family for their years of trying to get the truth and not trusting the only people that can give it to you because they were not doing their jobs. I would be crawling up Rumsfeld's well protected hindquarters too since these officers were allowed to continue to act that way after two investigations without proper "re-direction".
-Kat [update: I apologize for the chopped up sentences and thoughts on the earlier posting. Learned my lesson, too. If you are in a hurry, you likely can't do the job right. A problem the Tillman investigation showed and I should have learned my lesson from. update to the update: forgot to mention, after much review and re-checking the source material, updated part I of the Tillman story with a more complete outline of the battle scene and an updated diagram. Apparently, I was looking at the scene in reverse. Tillman was on the north side and serial 2 coming from the east. My apologies for any confusion.]

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A Canadian serving with the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan e-mailed some photos and an interesting story to go with them - a story of incremental progress in local governance that you won't find in the MSM. - Damian

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I had a meeting on the Fort this morning, which prevented me from standing with a flag along the cortege route as I usually do when we bury a fallen warrior. We buried hometown Leavenworth loss Sergeant Courtney Finch at Fort Leavenworth today. The odious Phelps clan was present, with a new sign (to me) "Don't worship the dead!"

We don't worship them, you buffoons. We honor their service and offer our respect to the grieving. Something in short measure for you carrion-eaters, who feast on the flesh of the slain to sustain your warped view of the world.

The Armorer was bad. I gave the Phelp's a single-digit handwave as I passed their knot of pinch-faced small-spirited drones spouting their vileness. I regret the lapse that dropped me to their level of discourse. -the Armorer

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Once again - pressure works. The Army is going to do head-to-head testing of the M4 carbine against rifles critics charge function better in extreme environments. This is a good thing, methinks. The flip side, of course, is the whole Dragonskin foofaraw... -the Armorer

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]]> *A term of art from the artillery. Harassment and Interdiction Fires.

Back in the day, when you could just kill people and break things without a note from a lawyer, they were pre-planned, but to the enemy, random, fires at known gathering points, road junctions, Main Supply Routes, assembly areas, etc - to keep the bad guy nervous that the world around him might start exploding at any minute.

*Not really relevant to today's operating environment, right? But, it *is*

The UAVs (oops, can't call 'em UAVs anymore - they're now Unmanned Aerial Systems... some Colonel got his Legion of Merit for that change...), er, um UAS's we fly over Afghanistan and Pakistan looking for targets of opportunity are a form of H&I fires, if you really want to parse it finely. We just have better sensors and fire control now.

I call the post that because it's random things posted by me and people I've given posting privileges to. It's also an open trackback, so if someone has a post they're proud of, but it really isn't either Castle kind of stuff, or topical to a particular post, I've basically given blanket permission to use that post for that purpose. Another term of art that might be appropriate is "Free Fire Zone"

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2007-08-03

2007-08-03T11:58:11Z

Hmmm. I don't have a Galil, nor have I ever handled or fired one. I have handled, humped across hill and dale, and shot the G3. The G3 is too nose-heavy for my taste. Yep. Gimme my ugly-plastic-stocked M14 again. I've an interest in the P90, but I'm not sure that design would transition well to a 7.62-ish cartridge, since it stacks the bullets transverse to the line of fire. Hmmmmm. I've not handled a P90, nor have I been willing, thus far, to pony up the bucks for a PS90.

Comment from BillT on 2007-08-03

2007-08-03T10:24:45Z

Yeah, I read that the Galil works well, and is also heavy. There are times when heavy is nice to have and there are times when light(er) is better. Personally, I don't think there's a One-Size-Fits-All out there -- but in my particular occupation, I prefer something rugged (so it won't break if you look at it cross-eyed), compact (so it doesn't rattle around in the cockpit) that will hit what I'm aiming at and will knock down what I hit -- because that means whatever *he* was using hit what he was aiming at (my helicopter) and knocked it down, placing me in the situation of needing something that will hit what I'm aiming at and will knock down what I hit. And if my ride home is delayed, I want a boatload of ammo, just for the warm-fuzzy...

Comment from Justthisguy on 2007-08-03

2007-08-03T06:27:43Z

And, yes, I have been drinking. I'll stop writing now. 'Nite, all!

Comment from Justthisguy on 2007-08-03

2007-08-03T06:14:56Z

What I'm trying to say here, I think, is that we've known for about a hundred years just what is the right rifle cartridge for humans to shoot each other with, when warring against each other. Now just what is the optimum rifle for the crazy dangerous humans to use, to fire such cartridges at each other? That's a different question. Yeah, I read that the Galil works well, and is also heavy. Then there's the question of what to do about the crazy-dangerous normal people who may well make up 99% of the human race, but I won't get into that here.

Comment from Pogue on 2007-08-02

2007-08-03T00:38:06Z

H3ll, just provide me 7.62 X 51 mm or .30-06 in 8 rnd clips and I'll bring my own next deployement. The (stupid) A2 is only a pound lighter than a Garand anyway. I'd actually be happiest with a G3 if they insist on buying European.

Comment from kat-missouri on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T23:35:52Z

Jim..you're killing me. LOL the Major will see you now. Please come back tomorrow.

Comment from Justthisguy on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T22:33:36Z

Hey, I'm not rigidly fixated on the number "7"! We could bring back the 6mm Lee Navy, a cartridge which was ahead of its time, shooting a heavier,farther-ranging bullet than the .223 anti-woodchuck projectile.

Comment from Justthisguy on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T22:13:15Z

Ahh, Jim B, ain't this Deja Vu all over again? Reminds me of what I've read about how we got the M-16 in the first place: The tests were rigged against it; that later became so obvious that McNamara [spit!] required its adoption anyway, without addressing some very real problems, and then there was using the wrong powder, and it really did need to be kept clean, and possibly wrong theories about wound ballistics, and etc. usw. and so forth. It was obvious to anyone of the meanest understanding, a hundred years ago, that some kinda 7mm cartridge is at the sweet spot of optimization for infantry rifles using smokeless powder. Britain was about to switch to that, but then there was this big stupid War and all, .....

Comment from Murray on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T21:54:46Z

Here we trap, shoot and/or poison vermin. There you give them rights. You are an odd people. Seriously if ANYONE tried that level of disrepect at a funeral here there WOULD be violence.

Comment from jim b on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T21:54:36Z

I have very low expectations for the rifle testing. I am willing to suggest the results are already in. They will follow the guidelines of "Catch 22" Obviously we have found a better rifle than the M16 family however the fact that we already have M16's make it a superior choice. Or else it will be Lalalalalalalala I can't hear you. You can't see the Major when the Major is in. You can only see the Major when the Major is out.

Comment from Justthisguy on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T21:06:25Z

Dang, Chief, beat me to it! *And*, it has a bottle opener! And a wire cutter! And it's a dessert toppi .

Comment from kat-missouri on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T21:03:43Z

PS...bummed I couldn't make the flag line with you this morning.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T20:55:32Z

"... drop to their level ..." The broom can sweep up the trash only if it's dropped to street level. It can not do so while being held in a lofty position above the trash. It may become soiled somewhat in its duties, but the broom itself does not become trash while being used responsibly. Only if abandoned and discarded in the street does it become the trash. John, thank you for being the broom today!

Comment from BillT on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T19:41:27Z

Why can't our weapns aquisition people get somebody to "reverse engineer" an AK-47? *Somebody* already did -- utilizing the most useful features of it, anyway. They make some neat variants, too.

Comment from Barb on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T19:35:25Z

John - I know what you are saying about dropping to their level ... but you didn't. Their level of vile spewing is something I don't think you (or any of us who treasure the Castle environment) could emulate, as it is entirely alien to us. A simple (and as Cricket says, subtle) bird is simply a statement of disgust. Don't feel bad.

Comment from Oldloadr on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T19:09:19Z

I'm going to ask a dumb question: Why can't our weapns aquisition people get somebody to "reverse engineer" an AK-47? It may have a few drawbacks in the accuracy department, but it's well known as the Timex watch of assault rifles. You just can't abuse them enough to cause a stoppage. Besides the paratroop model with the folding stock is quite versatile.

Comment from Cricket on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T18:44:47Z

You gave them the finger? I wouldn't have been as restrained. However, you didn't engage them in any dialogue, nor did you taint the air you breathe or violate your personal space by getting in their faces. Definately more classy. Must remember the subtlety of the bird.

Comment from Heartless Libertarian on 2007-08-02

2007-08-02T18:36:53Z

I hope they include the SCAR-L and Robinson Armament XCR in that test, along with Colt's SOCOM competition entry, and not just make it the M4 vs the HK 416. Actually, neither the HK416 nor the Colt product, being that both are basically piston-driven M4s, address what I see as the #2 and 3 design issues with the M4/M16-first, that 7 lug bolt (8 if you count the extractor) which is much weaker than other designs, and the narrower grooves are more susceptible to fouling/dirt, and second, the lack of space inside the receiver to allow any dirt/sand that get in there to move out of the way of the moving parts. But I suspect this will just end up being a way to get some 'compensation' for HK for the XM8 getting canned.