As I mentioned in another post somewhere, I can't throw anything worth a darn--rocks, baseballs, whatever--I'd be a dud with hand grenades and would probably kill my buddies and myself.
flashguy
Texan by choice, not accident of birth
February 17, 2018, 07:24 AM
sigfreund
Another thing to remember as we ridicule the soldiers who have difficulty developing the strength to throw a hand grenade the satisfactory distance is that they are part of the estimated only 30 percent of young Americans who are fit enough to even be accepted into the military services in the first place. According to a study recently reported by the Military Officers Association of America, seven out of 10 who would otherwise be eligible don’t meet that basic standard due to various physical issues, with obesity—usually a voluntary condition—being a prime reason.
And of course those soldiers are also part of the estimated four-tenths of a percent (yes, 0.4%) of the population who are on active duty with all the forces today, and the estimated 7.3% of living Americans who have ever served—including all the old veterans of the draft era and the big wars.
► 6.4/93.6
“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” — Plato
February 17, 2018, 08:05 AM
CD228
quote:
Originally posted by sigfreund: Another thing to remember as we ridicule the soldiers who have difficulty developing the strength to throw a hand grenade the satisfactory distance is that they are part of the estimated only 30 percent of young Americans who are fit enough to even be accepted into the military services in the first place. According to a study recently reported by the Military Officers Association of America, seven out of 10 who would otherwise be eligible don’t meet that basic standard due to various physical issues, with obesity—usually a voluntary condition—being a prime reason.
And of course those soldiers are also part of the estimated four-tenths of a percent (yes, 0.4%) of the population who are on active duty with all the forces today, and the estimated 7.3% of living Americans who have ever served—including all the old veterans of the draft era and the big wars.
Thank you for raising that point Sigfreund. Folks sometimes forget the numbers.
February 17, 2018, 09:08 AM
Speedbird
My $0.02: - Lots of BS at Basic and sucks for the Joes to take a day of Hooah away from them. - 11 series will still probably do it at AIT and will probably be part of anyones Mob-Station train-up. - What I REALLY want to see is drivers training. Everyone will need to drive a vehicle sooner or later. But, Drivers training is not part of Basic / OSUIT / AIT (Unless your the small % that have a drivers MOS). It's not that its hard to do, but hard to schedule when they get to the unit and takes 40 hours just to get a Army "Learners" permit.
February 17, 2018, 10:10 AM
LimaCharlie
I had the pleasure of Navy boot camp at San Diego in 1963, Marine Advanced Infantry Training at Camp Pendleton in 1969, and Navy SERE at Warner Springs in 1969. I spent a year as a Navy advisor on Swift Boats in Viet Nam.
We had to qualify with hand grenades in Marine AIT. We were behind one large log and had to clear another large log about thirty meters away. It was hard using the dummy rounds. It was much easier using live grenades.
U.S. Army, Retired
February 17, 2018, 04:58 PM
Gutpile Charlie
Went to Army basic training in June of 1959. I kinda of enjoyed chunking a grenade. The "prescribed method", with the extended arm and the grenade in you palm behind your ear is kind of unnatural. I can see where a dumb ass could kill himself (and some one else) real easy. I don't believe it should be removed from the curriculum. Also, I wouldn't want to be the training guy that stands next to every clown that throws a grenade. That could be a life shortening experience.
"If you think everything's going to be alright, you don't understand the problem!"- Gutpile Charlie "A man's got to know his limitations" - Harry Callahan
February 26, 2018, 05:54 AM
SgtGold
quote:
Originally posted by Speedbird: My $0.02: - Lots of BS at Basic and sucks for the Joes to take a day of Hooah away from them. - 11 series will still probably do it at AIT and will probably be part of anyones Mob-Station train-up.
Yea, I don't think they are gonna issue out a case of boom balls to just anybody. We did some train up on the grenade family prior to mob station, but no live HE.
_____________________________ 'I'm pretty fly for a white guy'.
February 26, 2018, 10:51 AM
tacfoley
'Please accept this fine hand grenade on behalf of the management of your current opponents. Thank you.'
After all, it IS called a 'hand' grenade, right?
tac, being sarcastic again.
February 26, 2018, 11:40 AM
SBrooks
Having never been around a grenade in any form or fashion - please explain why they make you throw it in a weird fashion instead of the way every boy in america learns how to throw a ball or pine cone or apple or rock, etc.
------------------ SBrooks
February 26, 2018, 11:46 AM
parabellum
'cause pinecones don't 'splode
February 26, 2018, 11:55 AM
SBrooks
the green ones hurt like a bitch when your brother and sister hit you with them....
------------------ SBrooks
February 26, 2018, 12:01 PM
Sig209
quote:
Originally posted by SBrooks: Having never been around a grenade in any form or fashion - please explain why they make you throw it in a weird fashion instead of the way every boy in america learns how to throw a ball or pine cone or apple or rock, etc.
The technique is over-hand but more of a lob than a throw. You want an arc.
A grenade is not heavy - but its heavy for its size. So like a heavy bullet - it's going to drop quickly and you don't want that - especially for farther targets. So you want more arc - to lob it onto your target which is likely a trench, foxhole or ditch. If you try to throw it like a baseball - it's likely to drop too much before getting to its target. Unless you are Hulk Hogan-strong then you can throw it however you want.
The best technique to get it to go the farthest - is to lob it. And - it lands coming down more perpendicular so less likely to roll off in odd directions.
I have only thrown one or two live ones - but also did a few grenade assault-type courses in training.
IIRC it's still part of the Expert Infantry Badge assessment in the Army.
-------------------------This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sig209,
Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
February 26, 2018, 07:16 PM
SIGSense
Progressivism has infected our military, and it is the Officer Corps fault. They are charged with ensuring the combat capability of the armed forces. Clearly they are failing. They have no shame anymore.
February 27, 2018, 01:48 AM
CD228
quote:
Originally posted by Sig209:
IIRC it's still part of the Expert Infantry Badge assessment in the Army.
-------------------------
It was part of the EIB on FT Campbell when I was there.