Posted on 02/15/2018 5:53:54 AM PST by MarvinStinson
The U.S. Army will drop its hand grenade competency requirement for graduation from basic training because getting recruits to pass it is taking “too much time” and they’re just not strong enough, Major General Malcolm Frost told reporters on Friday.
Changes to the Army’s Basic Combat Training (BTC) will eliminate the current hand grenade proficiency standards as a requirement for graduation, Military.com reports:
“The new BCT does, however, do away with hand grenade qualification and land navigation course qualification as graduation requirements.”
Discussing the change with reporters, Maj. Gen. Frost explained that training recruits to pass the current requirement was taking too much time:
"What we have found is it is taking far, far too much time. It's taking three to four times as much time ... just to qualify folks on the hand grenade course than we had designated so what is happening is it is taking away from other aspects of training.”
Plus, trainees just aren’t strong enough to throw the grenade far enough away – and simply can’t be taught to properly throw a grenade “if they haven’t thrown growing up” – Maj. Gen. Frost explained:
"We are finding that there are a large number of trainees that come in that quite frankly just physically don't have the capacity to throw a hand grenade 20 to 25 to 30 meters. In 10 weeks, we are on a 48-hour period; you are just not going to be able to teach someone how to throw if they haven't thrown growing up."
Still, the amount of grenade training won’t be reduced – developing enough proficiency to meet the current standards just won’t be required - Maj. Gen. Frost said:
"Just because we took it off as a graduation requirement does not mean they won't be conducting hand grenade or land navigation training."
“They are going to learn all the technical aspects of the hand grenade, and they are going to learn tactical employment and they will throw a live hand grenade.”
As Army Times reports, in order to save time trying to teach trainees to meet requirements, hand grenade training will be blended into other exercises:
“Rather than spend time getting soldiers through the hand grenade and land navigation qualification courses in order to graduate basic, those skills will be incorporated into three new field training exercises, dubbed Hammer, Anvil and Forge.”
Re-cycled was what it was called in the 60s and 70s.
And he had to guide her away from the grenade and throw her in there. If he would have thought only of herself, no way she’d have gotten in there in time.
Hand grenades are one thing, but no land nav?!?!? This is one of the most quintessential skills possible for all soldiers.
I threw newspapers from my bicycle that far when I was 10
I understand what they are saying but can’t they teach them to throw? Then once they know how it’s just a matter of practice. 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.
Give or take.
The Mk2 is a little heavier, comprised of basically square chunks of steel around an explosive.
Current use grenades use a different style of "projectile", comprised of a hardened steel wire scored evenly along its length, wrapped around an explosive compound and covered with a thin sheet metal.
When developed, the current use grenade was designed to be thrown at least 40 meters.
Not all troops could accomplish the 40 meters, so training tactics evolved to impress upon the troop to throw as far as possible, then hit the ground.
As a DS, I did train a few females on the grenade throw and had no problems with any of them, other than an initial tendency for some to throw the grenade and then stand there with their fingers in their ears, waiting for the pop.
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.
Probably more information than you cared to see, but I firmly believe in training to success, even if you have to spend extra time with a few.
We're making warriors, not baking bread.
Well, THEY are, not me...as I'm happily retired, but still engaged enough to be pissed at a stupid bunch of Desk Commanders that want to push training into a regimented, unwavering timeline with a Power Point attitude.
If I remember my pit construction rules from back then (1977), there is a grenade hole in the pit that the grenade should roll into or be pushed into. This hole allows the grenade to explode with less possible damage to the people in the pit, and keeps them from jumping out of the pit when there might be more explosions or enemy fire occurring.
The training hand grenades have a relatively small charge. But you still must throw them more than 12 inches.
Left to her own devices, she probably would have looked over the edge to see where it landed...
I don’t think those are american troops.
My son qualified “expert” in hand grenades in basic. I mused that a lifetime of video games had prepared him for that.
Women and some others whose wrists are too limp to make the throw.
In an actual armed conflict the adrenaline should kick in to provide more than ample strength, no? But, yeah, it would be preferable to be able to throw the grenade far enough in training.
“..they’re just not strong enough,...”
and herein lies a very serious problem now and in the future for society. Running and throwing should be a strong suit for every American child. Beside reading, writing and arithmetic, school must have an equal emphasis on physical education, and everyone graduating should be able to perform basic physical activities.
Thanks for that.
I play lots of senior softball and I train the year around throwing an 19 Oz. training ball. 40 meters is quite a throw with a grenade even tho it's a little lighter than mine, I don't know if I could do it.......
Furthermore, Integration will be taught in Calculus. Differentiation will not;too exclusive. All constants with men’s names will only be referred to by the letter used in equations.
That’s called a grenade sump. Yes, it’s part of a properly constructed fighting position (foxhole).
What happens when they go into combat? Hahahaha
Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.
Heraclitus
Pathetic General, pathetic recruits.
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