Posted on Jan 7, 2016
What would you do if your Sergeant didn't know how to load a magazine?
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I just saw this video and felt like I was watching a multi-car accident on the interstate. It just got worse as it went on. What made it so bad as this was a SGT. The Safety was professional as he could be. Hats off to him. When I heard her say "I'm not Active Duty" I would have kicked her off the range. I am glad the Safety told her that she was a soldier and that he was a reservist too. If I was her CO I would have do everything I could to reduce her. But I think if you have a NCO like this in your unit the unit itself has a lot of issues in the first place. What kills me also is that she has a combat patch.
What would you have if you were the Safety?
Just so you know that you know it is believed that they Safety was a SSG just the same as was the soldier trying to load the mag.
https://www.facebook.com/Theseniorspecialist/videos/ [login to see] 43848/?fref=nf
What would you have if you were the Safety?
Just so you know that you know it is believed that they Safety was a SSG just the same as was the soldier trying to load the mag.
https://www.facebook.com/Theseniorspecialist/videos/ [login to see] 43848/?fref=nf
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 394
I would jump on his stuff and ask him what kind of magazines does he read anyway? Oh we're talking about the other kind of magazine huh?
Well I was a Range Safety NCO and was the Marksmanship coordinator for many years in my unit so I feel that it isn't the soldiers lack of knowledge necessarily but the lack of proper training. We would go through each weapon that was being fired whether it was an individual or crew served weapon in the classroom weeks before we live fired. Its to important not to do it as lives can be lost through a stupid mistake made by someone unfamiliar to the weapon being fired. Soldiers ETS out of a unit and new soldier unfamiliar to that weapon system are now tasked to fill that weapon slot. So before you bust some Staff Sergeant down to PFC maybe you should take a good hard look at the training in your Battalion and thank God this incident came to light before anything serious happened. I would use this as a training tool to make sure everyone is familiar with a weapon before walking out on the range. Big failure for the Training NCO's in my mind and it needs to be fixed.
Well I was a Range Safety NCO and was the Marksmanship coordinator for many years in my unit so I feel that it isn't the soldiers lack of knowledge necessarily but the lack of proper training. We would go through each weapon that was being fired whether it was an individual or crew served weapon in the classroom weeks before we live fired. Its to important not to do it as lives can be lost through a stupid mistake made by someone unfamiliar to the weapon being fired. Soldiers ETS out of a unit and new soldier unfamiliar to that weapon system are now tasked to fill that weapon slot. So before you bust some Staff Sergeant down to PFC maybe you should take a good hard look at the training in your Battalion and thank God this incident came to light before anything serious happened. I would use this as a training tool to make sure everyone is familiar with a weapon before walking out on the range. Big failure for the Training NCO's in my mind and it needs to be fixed.
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I'd just show him how and try to be as professional as possible but it would be very hard not to double face palm.
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There is a very real training gap in her unit and her chain of command. Yes, the SGT has some responsibility but so does her entire chain of command up to at least battalion level.
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What is even more sad is she has an 18th Airborne Corps Combat Patch. She requires some remedial training and an attitude adjustment. The I'm just a Reservist crap does not fly.
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CPT Russell Pitre
I have a feeling that she was attached to some part of it. There is no way she was actually in the 18th ABC.
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Conduct training. Soldiers do what they've been trained to do. This is the cornerstone of our profession. I get paid to lead and train Soldiers, and this particular NCO has given me the opportunity to do so.
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CPT Russell Pitre
Do you think it is a little late in the game for this? This is a soldier task. Even civilians know how to do this. Don't you think it would adversely affect how their soldiers view them.
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SFC Marcus Belt
It's not even in the game yet. Everything we do before we deploy is practice time. Practice time is where I sort this out.
My Soldiers and NCOs will also know that I'm not going to berate or belittle them for a training deficiency; I'm going to correct it and move on, and my NCOs will know that I'll expect the same from them.
Consider an alternative COA; I trash this NCO in front of everyone, or attempt to reduce her grade. It's a Reserve unit at a range, which usually means deployment cycle training; she'll have a funky attitude, or figure out a way not to deploy, leaving the rest of the unit shorthanded.
No: assuming all other aspects of the SGT's performance are at least adequate, then I've got to prepare the people I've got for the tasks we've got to accomplish.
My Soldiers and NCOs will also know that I'm not going to berate or belittle them for a training deficiency; I'm going to correct it and move on, and my NCOs will know that I'll expect the same from them.
Consider an alternative COA; I trash this NCO in front of everyone, or attempt to reduce her grade. It's a Reserve unit at a range, which usually means deployment cycle training; she'll have a funky attitude, or figure out a way not to deploy, leaving the rest of the unit shorthanded.
No: assuming all other aspects of the SGT's performance are at least adequate, then I've got to prepare the people I've got for the tasks we've got to accomplish.
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I would train them, even if it took hours to get it right. There is no substitute for safety on the range.
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While I do understand your frustration, I think you're being too harsh. Rank should have nothing to do, you're either trained or you're not, it's not a rank thing. Also, understand that some soldiers rarely fire their weapons, MOSs such as human resources, fuelers, commo, cooks, how often do they get to shoot in s reserve unit? In my three deployments, I saw negligent discharges, and guess what, they were all LTCs. Everyone can have a bad day. Make in the spot corrections and get the task done. Thank you.
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CPT Russell Pitre
Well first rank always matters. You can't escape that. If you are the NCO or section leader they are going to look to you for leadership. You lead by example or failure in this case. If she was the only soldier in her section that didn't qual on that day it would should her lack of proficiency as a soldier.
As a soldier you should be able to fire your rifle. There is a thing called PMI. If your soldiers don't go to the range a lot it should only urge the command to ensure they put out the best PMI they can for their soldiers.
As a soldier you should be able to fire your rifle. There is a thing called PMI. If your soldiers don't go to the range a lot it should only urge the command to ensure they put out the best PMI they can for their soldiers.
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MAJ Ronnie Reams
The patch only means that you were in a country that was a combat zone, not that you were in combat. Heck, we had REMFs in RVN that the only time they held a weapon was when they went for the annual familiarization* firing at an ARVN range, but they are entitled to wear a right sleeve patch.
*Do not know if that the reg today to familiarize when in a CZ annually, rather than qualify.
*Do not know if that the reg today to familiarize when in a CZ annually, rather than qualify.
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Not defending this by any means, but I can say it has been years as a reserve Soldier, since I have ever loaded a magazine. During the peak of the war efforts, we were stuck with virtual bullets and virtual qualification. Other times, we are handed pre-loaded magazines. I bet that Soldier in the video has not loaded a magazine since BCT, if they even then.
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CPT Russell Pitre
But if I handed you a Mag could you not load it? Don't you need a weapons qual to be promoted to SGT.
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1SG (Join to see)
Damn phone. Maybe you should have to show basic stuff in addition to shooting to qualify
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The Specialist professional as he could be....by videoing the encounter and posting it.
So the unit only has one magazine?
So the unit only has one magazine?
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CPT Russell Pitre
From what some have been saying is that they were both SSG's. That would make sense as how he was talking to her.
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1LT William Clardy
They must have had at least 2 magazines, LTC Jason Mackay. The stripper clip guide must be on the other one.
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CPT Aaron Kletzing
It's easy for the Queen of Battle to misunderstand the wisdom of the King of Battle
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1LT William Clardy
Very easy, CPT Aaron Kletzing. Which soldier would get the counseling statement and which the remedial training? Or did you mean both for both?
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I'd start with going to my CO. I'm not sure if the next level of the Chain of Command would be available to me but I would most definitely look into it. I can't imagine being in a combat situation with anyone who couldn't load a magazine. It's a simple task and you'd have to have some mental deficiency not to be able to figure it out let alone accomplish it. It makes me wonder if they have done away with the tests that showed whether or not you had the basic IQ to be in the military.
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First of all I would pull her off of the line and take her back to the rear for some retraining. I then would be asking why she doesn't know a basic soldier task. I don't understand how she would have a combat patch without knowing this. In every unit I have ever served there was always a train-up period prior to deployment. I didn't see the video so I'm not sure what it was that she was having problems with. I know in certain MOSs the soldiers go through initial training and then go to a unit that just checks the boxes for training. She may have never had to load a mag for herself. She could be in a unit where the armorer pre-loads magazines for range training. I also know that there are soldiers that have never loaded a magazine using the speed load strips.
As far as the combat patch she may just be wearing it because her unit is wearing it, not because she earned it.
Way back in "88 (the year of the Olympics) when I was in Korea my unit set up a mini combat training course for the rear area troops (clerks, medics and cooks) I'm an MP. I was really surprised at some of the basic skills that were lacking in these troops. Many of them went through basic and once they got to their units were nothing more than civilians wearing a uniform.
As far as the combat patch she may just be wearing it because her unit is wearing it, not because she earned it.
Way back in "88 (the year of the Olympics) when I was in Korea my unit set up a mini combat training course for the rear area troops (clerks, medics and cooks) I'm an MP. I was really surprised at some of the basic skills that were lacking in these troops. Many of them went through basic and once they got to their units were nothing more than civilians wearing a uniform.
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Has to be fake, has to be,I hope its fake...Unfortunately it could be authentic.
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I would pull the sgt aside and quietly show the person how to load it and give them full instructions and make them practice it till they got it.
I'm not army/marine where weapons are used a lot....don't know much about job descriptions, but does everyone in the Army learn and practice shooting? Is it required for all jobs...even desk jockeys or cooks? I don't know, this is why I'm asking....
I was Air Force...not a soldier....was never taught in Basic training or after how to shoot, although I did have to shoot and qualify for the M16....good thing I learned before joining.
I'm not army/marine where weapons are used a lot....don't know much about job descriptions, but does everyone in the Army learn and practice shooting? Is it required for all jobs...even desk jockeys or cooks? I don't know, this is why I'm asking....
I was Air Force...not a soldier....was never taught in Basic training or after how to shoot, although I did have to shoot and qualify for the M16....good thing I learned before joining.
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CPT Russell Pitre
She is far past some training at the side of the range. But in the Army every soldier is required to qualify with their weapon annually. It doesn't matter what your job is. But the patch she is wearing is a combat patch. She deployed somewhere. That is a scary thought to think of. I would hate for this to be my SGT if I was found in a gun fight.
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