Helmet Protects Soldier from Sniper Fire (One Lucky Soldier)

Defend America News ^ | Jan 6, 2006 | Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski

[SW6906]

I hope Namsman Jr is wearing one of these..........

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

WHy would any Jihadists wanna crack of just 1 shot from an AK47 when they could have just emptied at least three spitters in his (Snyder's) direction? - ExcursionGuy84

=====================================================================================================

My guess is that the shooter was a relatively better trained sniper than most. He fired one shot, hit his target, and got the heck out of there.

Fire two or more shots, and an Army fire team with heavy auto's, mortars, and perhaps air support will identify his position and rain hell upon him.

SFS

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Godebert]

"AK's are reliable weapons, but old, moldy ammo or a very uncared for weapon could cause such a malfunction."

Unlikely scenario. It would take more than some mold and dirt to "jam" an AKM. More likely the shooter popped-off a round and then bugged-out.

[endthematrix]

I just saw IRAQ: FRONTLINE ER on the Military Channel. There was a GI with a head wound from an IED. His Kevlar pot saved his life. Just minor shrapnel to the noggin.

[R. Scott]

For many soldiers, the new Army combat helmet is a necessary evil. It can be cumbersome when in the dining facility trying to handle a tray of food and it causes headaches and tension in the neck when worn on lengthy missions.

They should try wearing the old steel pot for a year.

Snyder still wears the same helmet, but he has since replaced the desert camouflage cover which was badly torn.

I am reminded of my last day in Viet Nam. My replacement was a Navy volunteer with no steel pot, weapon or flack jacket. I handed him my gear and he suddenly wanted to un-volunteer as he looked at the shredded camouflage cover, torn and blood stained flack jacked and the scarred stock on my M-14. The patches on the boat with the fresh spot paint also caused him some concern.
As my soon to be ex-crew members held him down I explained that the equipment had served me well and that the blood was mine and was very good blood. While they held him down I made my escape to the helicopter.

[R. Scott]

We used to hang the old steel pot on our canteen.

[JusticeTalion]

Actually, in the Corps in 1979-82, we never hung our helmets from a pack. They either sat on our "grapes" (our head) or we sat on them on the ground. And, if you removed the liner, they made not only great sinks for washing and shaving but also a decent pot to cook in. ;-)

God bless our troops wherever they may be.

[ketelone]

You could be right. The AK of course uses the 7.63x39, but the dragunov (to which i think you refer) is 7.62x54R.
Thats quite the mean round, and I think it would have gone through the helmet.

However, its also unlikely that it was a stray AK round... at the ROF of the AK, there would have been many more flying around this guy if someone was shooting at him.

Whatever it is, Im sure hes one happy man right now.

[HamiltonJay]

He recalls hearing a shot and feeling "a little jerk."

A 7.62 mm to the head, and he only felt a little jerk? Damn.

[Tatze]

I agree. Keep that one as a memento, but get a new helmet for patrols.

[null and void]

Ummmm, he really should replace the helmet. The damage weakens it...