Oh dear, will they never learn?
It seems the Brown Jobs on the ARRSE website are truly having a field day.....
However there have been some entirely predictable remarks about the RAF Regiment on this forum, which I learned to take with a certain resignation when I was in the corps. However I would submit that this bloke is no more a typical RAF Regiment gunner than Bud Holland was a typical B52 pilot, or the guy who took a soldier's head off at South Cerney was a typical Hercules pilot. There are idiots in all trades and specialisations, and when it all goes wrong they have to accept the consequences of their actions
Roadster - I agree - five years is what I would have thought more appropriate.
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Not wishing to create thread drift but military 'automatic' pistols look the same whether loaded or empty, whereas it was pretty apparent with the revolver when it was loaded. Is there any way of looking up figures which might indicate which type causes fewer accidents?
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Followed closely by the type that "is checked to ensure no rounds are in the firing chamber or in position to be easily fired" (like in the weapon at all).
The first rule of weapons-handling is to treat all weapons as loaded and ready to fire.
The second rule of weapons-handling is to physically check the weapon as soon as you hold it to determine whether it is loaded or not.
The third rule of weapons-handling is to render the weapon safe (unable to fire) unless you are planning to fire it immediately.
The fourth rule of weapons-handling is to never point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to shoot.
The first rule of weapons-handling is to treat all weapons as loaded and ready to fire.
The second rule of weapons-handling is to physically check the weapon as soon as you hold it to determine whether it is loaded or not.
The third rule of weapons-handling is to render the weapon safe (unable to fire) unless you are planning to fire it immediately.
The fourth rule of weapons-handling is to never point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to shoot.
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It. Would appear that the RAF regiment is not the only military organisation to suffer from poor firearm discipline - an American publication states that 90 US servicemen were killed by negligent discharge of a firearm during operations in Iraq.
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TT
TT Ex Rock!
Despite this
I agree with you totally. Three years is far too short. Would this be Colchester or civilian prison? Also will he get time off for good behaviour? In which case 3 years is ridiculous. Why was the Judge an army officer not Royal Air Force?
And who can blame them on this occasion.
However there have been some entirely predictable remarks about the RAF Regiment on this forum, which I learned to take with a certain resignation when I was in the corps. However I would submit that this bloke is no more a typical RAF Regiment gunner than Bud Holland was a typical B52 pilot, or the guy who took a soldier's head off at South Cerney was a typical Hercules pilot. There are idiots in all trades and specialisations, and when it all goes wrong they have to accept the consequences of their actions
Roadster - I agree - five years is what I would have thought more appropriate.
However there have been some entirely predictable remarks about the RAF Regiment on this forum, which I learned to take with a certain resignation when I was in the corps. However I would submit that this bloke is no more a typical RAF Regiment gunner than Bud Holland was a typical B52 pilot, or the guy who took a soldier's head off at South Cerney was a typical Hercules pilot. There are idiots in all trades and specialisations, and when it all goes wrong they have to accept the consequences of their actions
Roadster - I agree - five years is what I would have thought more appropriate.
Despite this
I agree with you totally. Three years is far too short. Would this be Colchester or civilian prison? Also will he get time off for good behaviour? In which case 3 years is ridiculous. Why was the Judge an army officer not Royal Air Force?
Exascot
Things have moved on a bit. The judge is a civilian and the prosecutor can come from any of the Services. I think the deal is still that long sentences are served in normal clink rather than Colchester.
ff
Things have moved on a bit. The judge is a civilian and the prosecutor can come from any of the Services. I think the deal is still that long sentences are served in normal clink rather than Colchester.
ff
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Two years or less - Motor Cycle Training Centre.
Anything more - civvy clink.
That is, unless the MOD can't countenance having prisoners guilty of the particular offence(s). Usually the sentence itself would be longer than two years so not an issue, but there can be mitigating circumstances.
I knew a chap a long time ago - later in his career, after I had left, he got done for kiddy porn. He only got 6 months but didn't go to Colly. I think the MOD & civvy police figure out where's best to try the nonces and such.
Anything more - civvy clink.
That is, unless the MOD can't countenance having prisoners guilty of the particular offence(s). Usually the sentence itself would be longer than two years so not an issue, but there can be mitigating circumstances.
I knew a chap a long time ago - later in his career, after I had left, he got done for kiddy porn. He only got 6 months but didn't go to Colly. I think the MOD & civvy police figure out where's best to try the nonces and such.
bcgallacher:
With ops from 2003 to 2011, that figure is very believable.
We used to get accident reports and summaries each month when I was in the Navy. Even in peace time, you'd get a few accidents a year where firearms were discharged wrongly, and some of those ended up being fatal.
With tens of thousands of troops and loaded weapons everywhere, the chance for a cock up increases significantly in wartime.
It's a tribute to the training that there aren't more such mistakes.
With ops from 2003 to 2011, that figure is very believable.
We used to get accident reports and summaries each month when I was in the Navy. Even in peace time, you'd get a few accidents a year where firearms were discharged wrongly, and some of those ended up being fatal.
With tens of thousands of troops and loaded weapons everywhere, the chance for a cock up increases significantly in wartime.
It's a tribute to the training that there aren't more such mistakes.
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Regiment gunner in 'firearm works exactly as advertised' shocker. If he was so confident in his party trick perhaps he could have demonstrated on himself first. His mate is extremely lucky the he lowered the weapon from his head. Crikey! Not a clever bloke.
I wonder when he was "whisked out of the wagon and away round the corner" if he tripped up any stairs?
No amount of training will ever stop that "Unthinking Moment".
I found that a healthy fear of getting several good hard punches from your Cpl or peers if you:
1. Did anything dangerous
2. Dropped another Rock in the dwang
3. Did anything which caused the Sqn grown-ups to get involved
Generally prevented most incidents.
Yes I am old, and yes I understand this cannot happen in these truly modern times.
Per Ardua injured matey and speedy recovery.
A message to the fool; I hope it hurts in jail.
No amount of training will ever stop that "Unthinking Moment".
I found that a healthy fear of getting several good hard punches from your Cpl or peers if you:
1. Did anything dangerous
2. Dropped another Rock in the dwang
3. Did anything which caused the Sqn grown-ups to get involved
Generally prevented most incidents.
Yes I am old, and yes I understand this cannot happen in these truly modern times.
Per Ardua injured matey and speedy recovery.
A message to the fool; I hope it hurts in jail.
Couldn't agree more, Sittingstress. I can well remember as a 16year old apprentice being on the range at Locking. I had finished firing, removed the magazine and cleared the weapon. I stood up and turned to one side bringing the rifle parallel to the firing line. The next thing I knew I was flat on my back with a severe pain in the kidney area and a Rock Cpl bellowing " You won't do that again, you ****", and I didn't.
