Alledged, Senos? Please don't go their. I know more about tanks and cavalry fighting vehicles than you can hope to know. Is this a quiz show? do I get a prize?

And it makes my opinion no less valid regardless of my service.

But Senos feel free to ask me questions on how to bore sight a main gun or curse loudly taking apart a 25mm chain gun.

I'm no Gunnery rate, but I can organise the bore sighting and battery alignment of 3 dual turrets of 4.5" naval guns. I can also disassemble a MkVII 40mm Bofors. (And do a barrel change in less than 30 minutes given the tools and four men to help me lift it in and out)

None of this sort of stuff is beyond the reach of an old hairy @rsed Stoker. So to have knowledge of the using and disassembly doesn't quite crack it with me.

Yeah right. I can't begin to count the number of job applicants who knew anything about a Bushmaster I've interviewed over the years.

That is sort of a job specific learned skill.

Originally Posted by Lavite

But Senos feel free to ask me questions on how to bore sight a main gun or curse loudly taking apart a 25mm chain gun.

Sounds like the work of an enlisted rank if you ask me.
Most enthusists can pick up this sort of information from books... some which have leaked out but shouldn't have (i.e. some folks have a copy of a field manual that came from God knows where).
But they seem to miss the stuff like the Apricots.

Sometimes the knowledge that "re-enactors" and posers have about the most miniscule gear is just mind blowing.

"Sounds like the work of an enlisted rank if you ask me."

I wasn't aware that being competent on a weapon system was exclusively a NCO thing. Damn all those wasted years.

Heaven forbid we have qualified officers trained and ready to lead our forces into combat.

I still remember my first regimental commander, an aviator and Vietnam combat vet. He knew how to operate all equipment in his command. He led by example.

Well, if that is the case, I would easily be able to get some expert advice.

"Nimblefingers" pictured below, is a qualified armourer. We have a long standing family tradition of being rather handy around firearms, we start 'em young.

And that impresses me how, Senos?

I got friends who are professional armorers on contract with the Army. They generally have a good laugh and patiently explain to me how to take apart my new toy.

When you can take apart a tripod for a 40mm grenade launcher down to the tiny springs get back to me. I can't by the way.

I assure you that I can quite easily disassemble and re assemble a Woodward Electro/mechanical governor off a 100,000 HP Sulzer engine. I therefore very much doubt that a tripod of any size, no matter how intricate would hold many fears for me.

However, I feel that we digress.

However, I'm still not convinced of your past,... and as to whether I impress you or not, I don't care a fig. To me, your service knowledge is at best "flakey", and for that reason amongst others I shall continue to treat your impressions of service life as I would those of a civilian.

Yep, I'm a suspicious old fart, but it's always served me well in the past.

So Senos, what proof do you need?

Congress was satisfied when they commissioned me. Hell, last year even the Department of Motor Vehicles was satisfied and gave me a Vet plate.

But they are all liars.

I guess I can scan all my military records from Northern Warfare School, Airborne School, to tanks and post them. But they would be forgeries of course.

Yeah, like a fraud would know the difference between dropping a breach in a 105mm rifled cannon and a 120mm smooth bore.

Topic reminder: Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy

I think we're going just a tiny bit off-topic here now..