Army Basic Training to Drop Hand Grenade Competency as Graduation Requirement

cnsnews ^ | February 13, 2018 | Craig Bannister

[Neoliberalnot]

I recall the grenade throw in combat proficiency exam in military academy—just a dummy, but, I hit the stake 2 out of 3 times at 30 yards. I admit, there was some luck involved.

[tomkat]

Back in the Bronze Age I was a pretty good pitcher.
Maybe that had something to do with this article causing a WTH?!

Gotta wonder how today’s average recruit would measure up against the average (likely)undernourished farm boy gettin’ off the bus in 1941.

[Oatka]

https://i.imgur.com/cXvdC4r.gif

Infantry Maxim #35: “When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is no longer your friend.”

[NFHale]

Yeah, that’ll turn out well..

Because, like NOBODY uses those icky grenades anymore...

Guess they’re too heavy for the females and trannies...?
/s

[ASA Vet]

Seems like you could have a pile of grenade sized rocks at one side of a section. Throw them to the other side. Go to the other side. Throw them back.

That's pretty much what we did in BCT, except they were inert grenades. There was a 55 gallon drum at each end to lob them into. That became possible due to the ballistic trajectory of the throwing technique taught. When we had down time between scheduled training we squad leaders were to take our men out to the company grenade field to practice.

If we saw one of the trainees was weak in any skill, it was our job to bring them up to speed. This was in 1965, so always on our minds was many of us would be facing real war in a few months.

[Sicvee]

When I was in ROTC basic there was a guy who had grown up playing soccer and who was on his college crew team who could not pass the grenade throw part of the PT test. Strength was not the problem.

[Midwesterner53]

Thank you kindly!

[MichaelCorleone]

“Welcome to the Girl Scouts.”

Indeed.

[lapsus calami]

 

 

The USMC at one time did train for "cooking" and "skipping" a grenade, but I think they've banned that...although you can bet it's still done in combat.

 

A vital, go-to technique during the war in the Pacific - the Japs weren't shy about tossing them right back. Then there was a fellow, aptly nicknamed "Captain Zero", who was in a class by himself. He would pick his way up to the side of a bunker/pillbox, put a satchel charge on the end of a trenching tool, light off the fuse, wait until it burned down to nothing (zero) then throw charge, tool and all right through an opening. Blew his clothes to shreds more than once, but cleared the hell out of the obstruction.

 

 

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I heard recently that they’re also getting rid of the skill of stringing com wire. I think it was a MOS, not sure of the actual title. Now it’s all gone to wireless communication.

[morphing libertarian]

I thought there was snowflake deferment

[Gay State Conservative]

I went on sick call once during BCT...and it was the day we did pugil sticks and hand grenades.I wish it would also have been the we did the gas chamber.

[a fool in paradise]

Teach them how to hop on a live grenade then since they are unable or unwilling to throw one away from them and their team.

Even if YOU may not ever throw a grenade at someone, doesn’t mean you won’t still have to deal with one in war.

[Redcitizen]

At Fort Knox in 1990, “cooking off” and “skipping” a grenade was taught to Armor trainees then. Even how to toss into a bunker. Probably not now.

[Redcitizen]

I saw a trainee get a low airburst about 2 or 3 foot off the ground close to the Russian dummy target.

[OldSmaj]

Probably not now.

True words.

Might hurt a snowflake if they actually taught them to be a damned warrior.