Shock as German soldiers let kids play with machine guns

TheLocal.de ^ | 14 Jun 2016 16:43 GMT+02:00 | (DPA/The Local)

[Olog-hai]

The German Defense Ministry is taking flak after pictures emerged of soldiers letting very small people play with some very big weapons.

It all started at an open-house event in Stetten, Baden-Württemberg at the weekend, where civilians were invited in to learn about the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr.

But on Monday, the advocacy group German Peace Society/United Opponents of Military Service posted pictures on Facebook showing small, preschool-aged children being offered the chance to handle some powerful guns on their own.

The guns in the pictures included a G36 assault rifle, a USP pistol, and a MP7 submachine gun, but Bundeswehr rules dictate that children under 18 should not be allowed to handle handguns. …

[Flintlock]

Even touching those guns would give the kids cooties.

Everybody KNOWS THAT!

[Sergio]

I was at a WWII display and got to hold a Thompson SMG. I was amazed at how heavy for it’s size that beautiful weapon was.

[bruoz]

I'll never forget the look a Gunny sergeant gave me when I (a ten year old) cranked an Amtrac mounted .30 Browning around level with his face at Macdill AFB back in the 50s.

[OldNewYork]

I thought the same thing.