AbnInfantry, thankyou very much for taking the time to tell me all this.
You're very welcome.
It sounds like there are a few loop-holes in regulations and that it really boils down to who you know and how much they like you.
It's not a matter of "loop-holes in regulations." It's a matter of whether your superiors blindly enforce the regulations or use some common sense. Unless the Army has changed drastically in recent years, you'll encounter many regulations/policies which are asinine and receive orders which are irrational, illegal and usually issued solely to advance/protect the career of a commander unfit IMHO to wear his uniform, let alone hold the rank he does. Good NCOs/junior officers will exercise sound judgment/moral courage and attempt to shield you; others won't.
When I led an Airborne rifle platoon in Alaska in 1979, I was ordered to perform what's called a "health and welfare inspection" of my soldiers' rooms in the barracks. Inside the first wall locker I opened was a Ruger .44 Magnum revolver in plain sight. I knew why the PFC had it (we were scheduled to go on a platoon canoe trip"adventure training"in a few days and personal firearms were authorized to be carried), but he was in violation of post/unit regulations by not storing it in the arms room. Another lieutenant might have put him in for an Article 15 or a court-martial; I told him to take it to the arms room and quit trying to get both of us in trouble. The next wall locker contained a bag of marijuana in plain sight. That paratrooper received a field-grade Article 15.
Here are some examples of the type of orders I was referring to:
1. Many years ago, U.S. Army MPs stationed in Germany were only authorized to load a live magazine into their pistols after receiving permission from a commissioned officer. They could only load a round into the chamber with authorization from a field-grade officer. It's unlikely a MP is going to have an officer handy, let alone a major or above, in a crisis situation.
2. The Marine guards present when a truck bomb destroyed their barracks in Beirut on 23 October 1983, killing almost 300 servicemen, had unloaded rifles in accordance with their "rules of engagement." When I was stationed at Fort Richardson, AK, on a rotational basis certain units provided armed guards to protect the base ammunition dump at nights/weekends. Soldiers performing such guard duty were only permitted to have five cartridges for their rifles. If there was a cogent reason why they were only allowed to have five rounds to defend virtually all the munitions on base, I can't imagine what it would be.
3. In 1978, my battalion was scheduled to deploy on a training exercise in an area of Alaska known to be infested with grizzly bears. Platoon sergeants were issued decrepit MP shotguns and a few rounds of old buckshot; platoon leaders were issued M1911A1 pistols and a single magazine of ball ammo. My company commander (who'd been passed over for major once and was sweating out his second, and last, chance) ordered us to not shoot a bear if it was charging toward our troops; we could only shoot if a bear was physically mauling/killing someone. He was willing to risk an injured or dead soldier rather than have to justify a dead grizzly bear to the Animal Rights crowd.
I explained that a grizzly bear could kill/maim a person in seconds and if one charged any of my soldiers, I'd fire instantly. Out of respect for my CO's wishes, however, I assured him that if I saw a bear chasing him I'd refrain from shooting. I'm not sure why this remark didn't please him but then USMA graduates and I rarely got along well.
I also said it would be more effective to use rifled slugs in the shotguns than buckshot and asked why we were expected to shoot an attacking grizzly bear with a .45 pistol instead of our M16A1 rifles. "Because we're not authorized to have M16 ammunition," he said. "You seriously think I go to the field with my platoon and don't bring live ammo with me? You really believe that?" I asked. You'll find no shortage of people in the military who would apparently be content to have their tombstone read, "He died doing only what he was 'authorized' to do."
My MOS will be an active duty 19D Cavalry Scout, the complete opposite of a desk job. I'm not sure if you're familiar with it but i will be in a small unit of men where getting along and not pissing people off is a do or die situation.
I was a Cav trooper (1st Air Cav in Vietnam) before you were probably born.
When I was an enlisted man, the MOS you refer to was 11D (Armor Reconnaissance Specialist). It was converted from 11D to 19D (Cavalry Scout) on 1 March 1978. Prior to that date, tankers were MOS 11E (which made no sense as 11 series was otherwise Infantry). When the 19 series MOS was created, 11D was switched to 19D and 11E converted to 5 new tanker specialties (later reduced to three).
I will certainly take up on your advice.
I wish I had such success getting legislators and LEOs to follow my advice.
