The term “Grunt” was probably coined by a GI with first hand experience.
My brother has had to have neck surgery to replace a disk that was likely destroyed by many many miles off-road with a helmet weighing far too much.
This is one of the hidden costs to Reservists and National Guardsmen...the injuries that don’t show up til later and can’t be proven, but are pretty clearly from these situations.
Also they will also be willing and able to carry the heavy gear they need to do their job.
It is great that all our problems were fixed a few weeks ago. Isn't it?
Look, Flavius; troops back in our day were inured to all conditions wearing and using what they could skim off the resident populations and environment. WWII saw little guys packing 80 plus pounds if they were part of teams supporting one large weapon. They had in common Victory or never returning home. Huge motivator.
Now this CIC is coming in demotivating the grunts declaring failure after a slogged-for victory won through their blood, sweat and efforts - actually winning hearts, minds and trust at the cost of too many American lives. Dirtbag In Chief would never serve and our troops smell that odor that can never be washed off. His proposal for a personal corp of Brownshirts also raises alarms.
Like we wouldn’t cut his non-trained thugs and Birkenstock idealists-turned-tools off at their knees. East and Left Coast fears the Middle for good reason.
And so long as men can sneak up on a machine and place a sticky bomb they are not obsolete.
I’m a grand total of about 125 lbs, and there were numerous occasions, as a Seabee and a crew served weapons team member (.50 Cal) that I had to cart around nearly 100lbs, almost all day long.
The thing that bothered me the most was that damned Kevlar helmet. I never could adjust it correctly and it almost left me with a bald spot. I don’t miss those days, but I sure miss those Seabees.
“That takes a toll on you, because you have to maintain your center of gravity wearing all that stuff and doing your job,” said Abdullah, of Miami. He wore a Kevlar helmet, body armor with four plates, a throat and groin protector, and shoulder pads, while carrying 10 pounds of ammunition, a rifle, a flashlight and other gear.”
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WOW!,,,10 Whole pounds of AMMO! And that heavy ol’M-16?
Mite be time for MO’People in the Military,,,
Rotate~Rotate~Rotate!!!