Stop the War

After 13 years in Afghanistan it was only a matter of time before the machine caught up to and quashed pragmatism.  And so it is with our weapon. 

We were taught how to use them, and how to avoid mishaps.  The Policemen in our group say their Departments have officers load once in the morning and unload once at the end of the shift resulting in very few unintentional discharges.  The Army on the other hand, wants you to load and unload your weapon every time you enter and exit key facilities.  To me, this is an accident waiting to happen; I guess the Army never studied complexity theory. 

So the way the Army will keep us safe is with a big sign at the entry points telling you step by step how to safe your weapon, and for good measure an enlisted soldier watching you do it.  They are serious about your weapon.  Brandish it and you go home.  If you “negligently” discharge your weapon (there are no such things as accidents in the Army), you go home.  If you lose your pistol or pieces of it, you go home. I suspect that within six months they will be counting bullets too. 

SEAL Pete told of us of a harrowing mission that had gone sideways.  His team got back to base with their lives, only to find out a pistol was missing.  Leadership actually made them sneak back into the enemy territory that same night just to get this thing. 

I realized then that all we need to do is lose one pistol at every base and the fighting would immediately stop.