The 101st was leaving, so they had a locally formed 101 rock band play the day before they left in the MWR.  It was a good time, they were pretty good.  plenty of puking buzzards there.  Well, the band then asked for requests.  So happy that the 101st was leaving and with the thought of them taking their goofy-"air-assault"-saying-when-they-salute butts with them,  Ole Capt Fred asks the band loudy to play that good old fashioned army song "blood on the risers".

Suddenly I felt like everyone was staring at me.  Well...they pretty much were.  So, still feeling bulletproof I then say f#$k yall legs and leave.

I think the only thing that saved me was my posession of a NTV w/ a full tank of gas.

Next time though was Army induced...

There I stood, minding my own business...BSing with some Stryker troops who were uploading their wheeled toys...when all of a sudden I hear the "BRAAAAAP" of a 240B go off  REALLY REALLY CLOSE. 

Now mind you we're about hmmm...50 feet from the runway when this happened.

After a quick check to make sure I don't have any new holes...out come the words "who the f%^k did that?!?"  It was pretty cool to hear that in stereo from about every platoon Sgt there too. 

Next near death encounter...ahh my AF pals.

Being the gun-guy and scrounger of all things strange and unique for the AF, I went talking to my troops (well not mine...but I lay claim) here.  They hadn't been to the range, either before they left or here.  The AF just handed them weapons and said go have fun.

Well, I find out how to get access to the range, the proper clearances and whatnot.  To make things better I pulled some strings and snagged a M249 for them too.  Also made a quick recon of the range w/ my e-tool and dug up some 249 links.  I also scrounged up some 9mm for the captured British Sterling SMG that I borrowed too.

So the big range day comes.  No rules for the range, just call in and say you're hot.  I do lay down some simple guidelines though...

1. do not shoot me or at me

2. do not shoot each other or at each other

3. do not shoot the base or in the general direction of the base

4. do not shoot over the berm.

Everyone gives me the head nod that they understand and then they did their best to unleash hell.  What is the first thing all 15 of them do?  They take their GAU's, load them up and set them on rock-n-roll and let loose!

(The GAU is an AF version of a M-4.  basically, the AF instead of buying new M-4's just bought enough parts and barrels to convert old A1 M-16s into M-4's.  To keep costs down they didn't go w/ the 3 rd burst and kept them in the old Rock-n-roll style)

So here I am...15 AF guys blasting away with unsighted rifles on full auto thinking...what the hell did I get myself into?  Well, when in Rome I say....so I break out the Sterling.  what a fun gun.  Short, compact, handy, easy to use, breakdown,  no muzzle rise, and not finicky of ammo.  The sterling was given to us dirty, yet it worked 100%.  It was actually more controllable on long bursts than w/ short ones.  after a few tries I was able to "draw" a circle while shooting in a long burst.  while not having fancy optics or all the do-dads...for being almost 50 years old the ole gal could till get hot and rock.

Now to the 249.  Everyone loved it.  Hell, there was a female troop who must weigh 85 lbs dripping wet who preferred shooting from the shoulder.  No jams hang-ups or failures w/ the SAW (thanks to me remembering to clean and scrape and chisel off all the built up carbon from the gas system)  We went through about 5 drums.

Fun times!  If I'm stuck w/ 5.56 I'd rather have a SAW.  Felt more like a rifle than the M-4 I have (then again I'm used to carrying around heavy a## guns).

But back to the questions...at my secondary base about a month ago we got some new troops in, and I feel like I am in the twilight zone.  they're all wearing 82nd patches but wearing coveralls.  Instead of ACU covers they wear stetsons and spurs.  the only one w/ Jump wings I've seen are the LTC and SGM.  Its freaky! 

Well got to run.  Yall take care.  Got to see what other trouble I can get into on the FOB.

Fighters are our salvation, But BOMBERS alone provide us with the means of VICTORY! - Winston Churchill

I ran into some Cav's at the convention and found out that they are still waiting on equipment and all sorts of items so many of them are spending the days just hanging out doing some minimal training.

Sounds like the transform went so fast it stretched things thin.

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As for the Cav guys I think that is something that will be corrected over the course of the next year.  The problem is that for years there have been so few Cav slots on jump status that you didn't have a lot of Cav guys going to BAC.  There are a lot more infantry, artillery engineer qualified Soldiers than there are slots available.  I always kind of thought that most of those going Cav wanted armored cav and didn't want to get sidetracked into an Airborne unit.  Time will tell if this changes over the next 2-5 years.

End of hijack.  Fred, let us know if you need something.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American GI.  One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

"History teaches that when you become indifferent and lose the will to fight someone who has the will to fight will take over." COLONEL BULL SIMONS

Not me! I was more Airborne than Cav. Bring back the 3/73.

And as far as I see it, the whole Division should be qual'ed or start pulling the maroon berets.

The band....hehe...embarrisingly enough, they once went out the door before me to jump into Willow Grove AFB (Pennsylvania) for the 82nd Abn convention.