Question: How are weapons issued in the US Army

mmarsh

Active member
I have always wondered how weapons are issued in the Army. What I mean is who (or what) determines whether a soldier is issued a M4, a SAW, a shotgun, who carries the Javelin, who carries the M249 etc.

Is a personal choice? Is it done by shooting qualifications? by physical size (let the high school linebacker carry the heavier weapons).

How is that determined? Do soldiers have any choice? (For example if a soldier prefers the M4 to the SAW is he allowed to switch etc. Also what is the policy on sidearms do all soldiers carry one? is it a choice?

Finally hand grenades, are hand grenades still issued?

Are their differences in policy between US. ARMY/USMC

Can somebody INFORMED, explain to me how it works.
 
most of it is determined by job and doctrine. a lot of it depends on your job, rank, and how you are used in that position according to doctrine. there are certain weapons systems assigned to infantry teams and that is how the composition is laid out.

with other jobs, it depends on rank, location, and mission.

does that help?
 
most of it is determined by job and doctrine. a lot of it depends on your job, rank, and how you are used in that position according to doctrine. there are certain weapons systems assigned to infantry teams and that is how the composition is laid out.

with other jobs, it depends on rank, location, and mission.

does that help?

Yes thanks, but could you elaborate? Perhaps give a few example?

If your in the infantry what job(s) what kind of jobs = what type of equipment. Perhaps the reasoning behind such decisions.

Is there any flexibility in such things or is it fixed?
 
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There is ALWAYS flexibility encorporated into how a squad is equiped. Especially in today's military. I think that is what makes us so unique. Different missions deal with different types of equipment. Plus we employ an Assemetric way of fighting today's battle.

If you look in FM 7-8 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/7-8/ it will show you those types of doctrinal correct ways to employ on the infantry side of the house.
 
^^^Right on, sir.

It can be dangerous to differentiate weapons with respect to rank, because then the enemy can see who is who from relatively far away, bad juju.
 
From my angle. I and all my soliders are issued the M-4 and the M-9 as TO&E for our MOS, MP. I also have soliders assigned to lug M249's and as members of Crew Serve teams, and some assigned to have M203's attached to their rifles.

As a Plt. Sgt I generally assign my 203's and 249's and gunners on the crew serves from my most exiprienced soliders, but thats just me.
 
Which again differed from my unit which had new guys armed with M249s.
It's always different. Depends on the unit.
Same goes with a lot of things. Though they always say it's a common culture, once inside you can tell that each company is somewhat different. That was my experience anyway.
I know this is RoK Marine but I think some things are universal across the board.
 
Yeah, the new guys and screw ups usually get the guns when we're stomping around the bush for a couple of weeks however on wartime operations it goes to experienced soldiers.
 
No screw-ups round here .....

Yeah, the new guys and screw ups usually get the guns when we're stomping around the bush for a couple of weeks however on wartime operations it goes to experienced soldiers.

It has been my experience (Army 1961-1967 [Vietnam] ... Navy 15+ years [Grenada]), that the screw-ups aren't around long enough to worry about what they carry - they end up on permanent KP or assignment as cooks. As far as the rest, depending what your squads NORMAL tactical assignments are ... you will be issued weapons in keeping with tactical doctrine. Squad Leaders, Platoon Sergeants, and Platoon Commanders will assign weapons to those who have the qualifications and experience.

The Platoon will sometimes operate with 'Short' Squads in order to field a Special Squad. If necessary, 'Special Squads' will be made up of 'volunteered' members of the platoon's regular squads. It isn't always necessary to short the squads - sometimes a platoon will be carried over-strength in order to be able to have the Special Squad without shorting the normal 11 or 13 man squads (the normal complement I am familiar with ... I think this is still normal manning).

New doctrine and new weapons may very well have made some major changes ... however ... basic combat SOP hasn't changed all that much ... you still have to practice fire and maneuver today, as you did in battles of yesteryear. Basic differences do exist when the firefight is guerilla warfare as practiced in Vietnam. Part of the difficulties encountered, was learning new skills before you were killed - something that modern soldiers are taught at the advanced infantry training centers of today's military.

So in answer to the original question, weapons and who carries them is determined by tactical doctrine, special needs, qualification of personnel and finally - assignment by Squad Leaders, Platoon Sergeants and Platoon Commanders.
 
Yes thanks, but could you elaborate? Perhaps give a few example?

If your in the infantry what job(s) what kind of jobs = what type of equipment. Perhaps the reasoning behind such decisions.

Is there any flexibility in such things or is it fixed?
We used to have different designations for different types of infantry, like 11M for mechanized infantry and 11H for TOW missiles. Now, you just have your 11B's (infantryman) and 11C's (indirect fire infantryman) for enlisted soldiers. I don't know how officer MOS's work.
 
The way it'll be worked out in an Aussie section is based on your experience and position. For example as a brand new rifleman you'll start at number 3 in the assault group or number 2 on the gun group. From there generally you'll become a machine gunner as you become more experienced (and the rest of the section learns to trust you). Otherwise you may become a scout, depending on your level of field skills and how good you are with your patrolling techniques. From there you may become number one rifleman (who is in charge of the assault group) or go to other platoon within support company (eg. Mortars, recon, anti-armour etc). Finally when you become lance corporal you become section 2iC who is in charge of the gun group, and then finally upon getting your second hook you become section commander.

Now, for this long winded explanation to conclude, each of these positions has a different role and therefore requires different weapon systems. Obviously for example a gunner will carry an F89 Minimi or if he's unlucky enough a MAG-58. And for example one of the 40mm grenade launchers will be carried by the 2iC by virtue of his role and position in the fire fight. Other items like claymore mines, M72A6's etc etc are distributed amongst the section as per either unit SOP or the whim of the seco. It really depends, and as others have mentioned it is always flexible.

This may give some insight into how another military works, as unlike the US we don't have a massive list of different MOS, generally most infantry private jobs are filled by riflemen (ECN 343-2), who are qualified on a very broad array of weapon systems and can operate just about anywhere within the battalion.



Note: The rank of corporal holds different meaning between the US and Australia. An Aussie infantry corporal will command a section of 9 privates, and the rank can take anywhere up to ten years to achieve.
 
When I served in the Infantry (UK), whatever weapon stage you were at, a specific one was allocated to you in the armoury, and that was always the very weapon you drew. It was your responsibility re safety, condition etc. Wherever possible, live rounds were counted back by NCO's when guys stood down. Any loss of weapons etc., was a courts martial offence, just as was, equipment, for example, a kilt in a Highland regiment.
 
I saw a case of a poor guy (on TV "60 minutes") left his M-16 attached to his rack before he went to sleep, and woke up to find it gone the next morning. I believe it was in Germany. A few weeks later they found pieces of it hidden in the Mess, it was determined later that someone had been stealing and smuggling weapons out of the base.

His problems did not stop there. The base had had a perfect record and this incident put a blemish on the base commanders record. He therefore decided to personally punish the soldier and give a dishonorable discharge, which I understand is an extremely severe punishment for this sort of offense.
 
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I knew a very advanced weapons trainer.

He told me once that he would get his squads to to prime their hand grenades and then sleep with them under their pillows in camp, in order familiarise themselves with both the dangers and the confidence.

I myself, as guard commander, have mounted extraordinary guard situations, in England, with a team in denims, fully armed, and myself with a bren gun under my bed, and one essential part of it in my pocket. Although this was 1955, as it was in England, it probably goes without saying who the welcome was set for. They would have been very unfortunate, had they showed.

Even so, the control was very strict, and, yes, loss of weapon was straight into clink business.
 
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If not secured with a lock, I never go to sleep with my weapon leaning against something. My weapon is always with me. Often I just went to sleep clutching my weapon so if anyone tried to move it I'd know about it. That's the way it should be.
 
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