Marines Inspect Rifles Bound for Iraq

Marine Link ^ | March 25, 2004 | Pfc. Ashley Warden

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

"Marines Inspect Rifles Bound for Iraq"
 Submitted by: MCLB Barstow
 Story Identification Number: 2004325175150
 Story by Pfc. Ashley Warden

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif.(March 25, 2004) -- Reservists and active duty service members from the Marine Forces Reserve headquarters, located in New Orleans, La., and 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, headquartered in Chicago, Ill., converged on MCLB Barstow recently to inspect 850 M16A4 rifles, supplied by Fleet Support Division, they will be accepting in preparation of their departure to Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

The new service rifle, the M16A4, a replacement for the M16A2, will take a couple of years to be completely fielded because the manufacturer, Herstal out of Columbia, S.C., has to make so many, said Master Sgt. Steve Lepacik, Marine Forces Reserve ground ordnance weapons chief.

"(The M16A4) provides a platform for night vision, thermal and optical equipment that gives the operator enhanced capabilities," he said. This is significant because the inspectors as well as the weapons are getting ready to go to war, said 1st Lt. Jason Kut, ground supply officer and head of the Fleet Support Division Principle End Item Branch here. There is a monthly allocation of 850 weapons from the manufacturer to each of the Marine Corps logistics bases. The weapons are then issued to a unit according to a fielding plan through one of the Marine Corps logistics bases.

The currently deployed I Marine Expeditionary Force had a requirement for more M16A4s than the allocation could support, said Lepacik. An agreement was made between I MEF and 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines that the I MEF could have one of the 24th Marines' shares of M16A4s in exchange for the allowance of M16A4s the I MEF received this March through MCLB Barstow. The agreement ensured that units departing earlier got as many M16A4s as possible when they departed for OIF II.

The I MEF allocation of weapons was stored in a warehouse here, which brought the inspectors to receive the weapons.

"We are helping the Marines meet their mission," said Kut. "We are doing this outside the box."

Normally the equipment is sent to the unit for inspection instead of the logistics bases but because of time constraints and the different units involved the inspections had to be done here, said Kut. A 13-member team consisting of both reservists and active duty Marines was set up to inspect the weapons before the weapons were shipped to 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines.

The weapons come to MCLB Barstow in crates containing 50 weapons each fresh from the manufacturer. Inspectors must unpack each weapon, break it down and look for any missing parts and proper assemblage before sending weapons off to their unit deploying to Iraq.

The weapons are already inspected by the manufactures, said Lepacik. The Marine Corps requires that the weapons be inspected again before any unit accepts them to ensure that they are working properly.

"There is ownership in the process, so inspectors take the time when inspecting the weapons," said Lepacik. The inspection process includes checking the trigger pull, the gauging, inspecting the completeness of the weapon, whether there are missing parts, and finally there is a function check before verifying the serial number and re-packing.

During this process the weapons are completely broken down. This process was accomplished through an assembly line where each Marine has a certain thing he is looking for, said Lepacik. If a minor defect in a weapon is found, the Marines try to fix the disparity themselves, but if this task cannot be accomplished the weapon is rejected. A Product Quality Deficiency Report is filed and the rifle is sent back to the manufacturer, which then replaces the weapon.

These weapons are scheduled to help protect Marines deploying to OIF II. The inspection process ensures that these weapons will function properly if there comes a time they need to be used.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Reservists and active duty service members from the Marine Forces Reserve headquarters, located in New Orleans, La., and 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, headquartered in Chicago, Ill., converged on MCLB Barstow recently to inspect 850 M16A4 rifles, supplied by Fleet Support Division, they will be accepting in preparation of their departure to Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

The new service rifle, the M16A4, a replacement for the M16A2, will take a couple of years to be completely fielded because the manufacturer, Herstal out of Columbia, S.C., has to make so many, said Master Sgt. Steve Lepacik, Marine Forces Reserve ground ordnance weapons chief.

"(The M16A4) provides a platform for night vision, thermal and optical equipment that gives the operator enhanced capabilities," he said. This is significant because the inspectors as well as the weapons are getting ready to go to war.."

 

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 Bang!

[etcetera]

[Long Cut]

Not quite. That's an M-4. The M16A3 has a full-length 20-inch barrel and a solid stock.

The Marines haven't yet jumped onto the shortbarreled bandwagon. A good move, as the shorty tends to lose some of the lethality of the 5.56mm round at long range. Archy, I have been unsuccessful infinding a picture of the M16A3 online. Could you help?

[Lockbar]

Wow, that really is the ugly duckling version of the old VietNam era Car-15. I think I'd prefer a good old M-16A2.

[Long Cut]

My bad. I used M16A3 instead of M16A4. Here is the real rifle...

[Long Cut]

That's general issue in the Army now. The M-4 is replacing the M16A2/3/4 in the Army.

[Long Cut]

If you want to see what's going to replace ALL the M16 series in about two-three years, THEN CLICK HERE.

Here's a pic of the XM-8 rifle, coming soon to a war near you...

[Terpfen]

The XM8 will repleace the M16 in 2008, not before. We still have four years, not "two-three."

[Long Cut]

Indeed? I've been hearing (without ANY backup, so take it with a grain of salt) that it's being pushed faster than originally planned, especially since the M16's shortcomings are becoming more well-known.

Plus, the SpecOps guys are really hot for the new 6.8mm SPC cartridge, and the XM-8 is designed to easily switch to it.

[Oblongata]

In about two to three years?


Heck, I got one of those in 1986 for Christmas with all my other Laser Tag stuff. Only mine looked cooler in black with a red stripe down the side.

[Long Cut]

It DOES have that "Star Wars/Star Trek/Aliens" vibe going on, doesn't it?

Well, we ARE in the 21st century, after all.

[Long Cut]

Just so we don't get too far offtrack discussing one rifle when the thread's about another, the XM-8 project is being discussed at great length ON THIS THREAD, and has been for months.

[Terpfen]

As far as I know, the XM8 is still set for 2008 as scheduled. I don't think we'd be getting this M16A4 otherwise. If the XM8 were really close, I don't think they'd go to the trouble of an M16 upgrade at all; they'd just make do with what they have for another few months, or just produce limited quantities of the XM8 in advance to fill an immediate need.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The new service rifle, the M16A4, a replacement for the M16A2, will take a couple of years to be completely fielded because the manufacturer, Herstal out of Columbia, S.C., has to make so many, said Master Sgt. Steve Lepacik, Marine Forces Reserve ground ordnance weapons chief.

There is a monthly allocation of 850 weapons from the manufacturer to each of the Marine Corps logistics bases. The weapons are then issued to a unit according to a fielding plan through one of the Marine Corps logistics bases.

Now I wonder what is going to happen if Marines are sent to a hotspot and their unit has not yet been issued the new rifles because the Marines followed their fielding plan and that unit wasn't scheduled to receive the new rifles yet.

Will everybody's Mommy and Daddy write their Congressman?

Will this be evidence of colossal imcompetence?

Will George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld be to blame for the death of every Marine who didn't have a new rifle?

Stupid questions, you say?

Substitute M16A4 with Interceptor Body Armor and you can see the risk the Corps is running by even having a fielding plan.

Lucky for the Corps, Marines and their families whine less than soldiers and their families.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

ping

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Travis McGee]

What's the diff between the A2 and the A4, in a nutshell? I'm too tired to look it up myself.

[Squantos]

Physical differences between the two weapons include a removable carrying handle with an integral rail-mounting system on the M16A4. When the carrying handle is removed, any accessory device with a rail grabber, such as an optical sight, can be mounted on the weapon.........also will fire US and NATO rifle grenades without special adapters. Not the M203 40MM just rifle grenades .....

Stay safe and get some rack time !

[radu]

BUMP!