FOX: Panetta opens combat roles to women

[DC9]

With respect to the 240 gunner argument...at least in my experience in both mech and light infantry units not every guy in the unit was cut out to be a member of the machine gun team. Those assignments are typically reserved for the more physical of the unit members.

Hahaha. I remember when we got new guys we used to have "drafts" where we could trade picks and even current members of your team and squad. Just like in the NBA (for the most part), the big kid always went first because he was going to be your 240 gunner. He knew it too. Throughout training, all of his drill sergeants and RIP cadre would look at him and laugh... and they'd all tell him "We know what you're going to do."

Problem was, it was hard to get a smart cat that was that big. They happened, but not all of the time. I remember right before I moved out here we got a division one quarterback from like New Mexico or New Mexico State or somewhere in the Southwest who had made it through RASP. I thought to myself... This dudes a quarterback, he may be the first really smart 240 gunner in the history of the Ranger Regiment... so I pulled a Jon Gruden and asked him to give me a play call. I was like, "Say we were in the huddle, and I told you to run some kind of wide reciever screen, what would you tell me?" I don't know if it was nerves or if he was being honest or what, but he was like "Gun right, wide reciever screen." I started laughing and was like "Are you being some kind of a smart ass or were you not a quarterback?" No, he was really a quarterback, showed me pics online and everything, but that's where we are these days.

But I digress. To your point, yes, it's normally the big Ox that gets that job and typically that Ox needs to be trained all day every other day. If that Ox misses a training session, he forgets everything you've already taught him, lol.

Good times, thanks for bringing that up, I'd almost forgotten that story.

[SemperFi Skins]

Hahaha. I remember when we got new guys we used to have "drafts" where we could trade picks and even current members of your team and squad. Just like in the NBA (for the most part), the big kid always went first because he was going to be your 240 gunner. He knew it too. Throughout training, all of his drill sergeants and RIP cadre would look at him and laugh... and they'd all tell him "We know what you're going to do."

Problem was, it was hard to get a smart cat that was that big. They happened, but not all of the time. I remember right before I moved out here we got a division one quarterback from like New Mexico or New Mexico State or somewhere in the Southwest who had made it through RASP. I thought to myself... This dudes a quarterback, he may be the first really smart 240 gunner in the history of the Ranger Regiment... so I pulled a Jon Gruden and asked him to give me a play call. I was like, "Say we were in the huddle, and I told you to run some kind of wide reciever screen, what would you tell me?" I don't know if it was nerves or if he was being honest or what, but he was like "Gun right, wide reciever screen." I started laughing and was like "Are you being some kind of a smart ass or were you not a quarterback?" No, he was really a quarterback, showed me pics online and everything, but that's where we are these days.

But I digress. To your point, yes, it's normally the big Ox that gets that job and typically that Ox needs to be trained all day every other day. If that Ox misses a training session, he forgets everything you've already taught him, lol.

Good times, thanks for bringing that up, I'd almost forgotten that story.

I was a 240 gunner, but I am far from an Ox... I think that's why it took such a large toll on my body. Normally I carried the 240 while someone on my fire team carried the extra barrel.

Not really sure how I got assigned as the heavy gunner but I loved every minute of it.

[Redskins Diehard]

I was a 240 gunner, but I am far from an Ox... I think that's why it took such a large toll on my body. Normally I carried the 240 while someone on my fire team carried the extra barrel.

Not really sure how I got assigned as the heavy gunner but I loved every minute of it.

In my experience it hasn't ALWAYS been the biggest guy to get the gun. But it was never the smallest(unless it was some sort of "remedial training" if you know what I mean). You also bring up a good point about spreading the combat load. There is individual equipment which everyone must carry on their own. But some more platoon/company load type equipment that is typically spread across the unit. Everyone needs to carry their share...but again in my experience not everyone's share was the same.

[DC9]

In my experience it hasn't ALWAYS been the biggest guy to get the gun. But it was never the smallest(unless it was some sort of "remedial training" if you know what I mean). You also bring up a good point about spreading the combat load. There is individual equipment which everyone must carry on their own. But some more platoon/company load type equipment that is typically spread across the unit. Everyone needs to carry their share...but again in my experience not everyone's share was the same.

You haven't lived unless you've jumped with a mortar plate... and you aren't an 11C.

---------- Post added January-28th-2013 at 11:10 AM ----------

I was a 240 gunner, but I am far from an Ox... I think that's why it took such a large toll on my body. Normally I carried the 240 while someone on my fire team carried the extra barrel.

Not really sure how I got assigned as the heavy gunner but I loved every minute of it.

Some guys loved Weapons Squad, some guys hated it, lol. I remember the baddest 240 gunner I ever met was short (about 5'6") but build like a brick **** house. Probably weighed about 230lbs and he looked like a barrell. He was so happy when the MK 48 came out, lol. But he loved his hog and he was an excellent shot to boot. His WSL never had to get on him about anything.

[SemperFi Skins]

You haven't lived unless you've jumped with a mortar plate... and you aren't an 11C.

---------- Post added January-28th-2013 at 11:10 AM ----------



Some guys loved Weapons Squad, some guys hated it, lol. I remember the baddest 240 gunner I ever met was short (about 5'6") but build like a brick **** house. Probably weighed about 230lbs and he looked like a barrell. He was so happy when the MK 48 came out, lol. But he loved his hog and he was an excellent shot to boot. His WSL never had to get on him about anything.

I'm thinking that's where it came from for me... They wanted me to go back to P.I. to be a Primary Marksmanship Instructor. I would have done it but I didn't want to play the whole D.I. role with it.

I'm not a big guy but I can tell you i've never fallen out of a hump... It was shame to see some of the "athletic freaks" and "gym rats" who couldn't hump when they were only carrying their M16 and a ruck...

Lastly, I think my eyes turn red when I hear someone say "clip." Does it not drive you guys B-A-N-A-N-A-S when you hear that?

[DC9]

Lastly, I think my eyes turn red when I hear someone say "clip." Does it not drive you guys B-A-N-A-N-A-S when you hear that?

In the "Regular Army" it's magazine and a weapon is a weapon, lol. When I got into the Rangers, it was "clip" or "mag" and "gun", "gat", "insert stripper's name here" lol. But I know what you mean.

[SemperFi Skins]

In the "Regular Army" it's magazine and a weapon is a weapon, lol. When I got into the Rangers, it was "clip" or "mag" and "gun", "gat", "insert stripper's name here" lol. But I know what you mean.

I think it's more 'street gurus' who claim to be gun experts and have never actually put on a uniform... In combat it's more just about give me something with some mother ****ing bullets in it

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Will every man be able to do this? The woman isn't going to make it through the training if she can't do this.

That's my take on this. All these anecdotal examples are certainly important and relevant. However, some are making the huge assumption that less qualified women will be allowed to serve in place of more qualified men. Has that been determined? If that's how it goes, I'd be pretty annoyed since, in the words of Jack Nicholson, we will have weakened a nation. But I really can't see that they'd allow that.

So, if all things are equal physically and the person next to you happens to be a woman, I'm fine with it. I think the camaraderie aspect is important, but I don't see why that can't be developed with a woman.