[TankerKC]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons? The only time I have ever hand a weapon with me is on a quick trip via a Black Hawk...and only because we were unsure of the situation on the ground. These guys were going to Frankfurt. Surely the weapons would be crated and loaded with other cargo.

[demlosers]

These guys were going to Frankfurt.

She could have meant on the other side of the runway, which is Rheinmain airbase.

[PlanoMike]

Well since you're a 4+ year FReeper and have been a USAF, Logistic Officer @ Maxwell AFB for 22 years, perhaps you're correct. Regarless, I'd rather believe it is genuine.

[weaponeer]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons?

That's the way they do it now. Been watching lots of troops load commercial airliners with their weapons the last few weeks out of Gray Army Airfield, West Fort Hood. They're ready to fight within minutes of leaving the airplane, as soon as they retrieve their ammo from the cargo containers in the belly.

I would share your skepticism if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Back when I was active, we couldn't even carry a pocket knife until we were actually in a war zone. I guess we trust our troops a little more now than we did in the post Viet Nam era. I think there may be a little psy-op involved, also. Seeing those troops with their weapons, body armor, packs, helmets, gloves, googles, makes them look big and powerful. They even scare me! Saddam oughta be getting a little nervous.

[magellan]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons?i>

In short, yes. I have been on military charters where the Air Force Security Police were hand carrying their M16s.

The normal procedure for troops deploying on military airlift is to unload and clear the weapons and hand carry them. My guess is this would also apply to civilian charters if it is in the contract, or if the airline is part of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF).

I'm sure if there was not a specific contract, the FAA rules would apply, which would require the weapons to be put checked.

[OldCorps]

Nope,

I flew via commercial carrier as part of my brigade from the same departure point (England Air Force Base) to Edwards Air Force base for training at NTC. Individual weapons were carried. This was back in 88 or 87.

Yea, the wording is a bit off, i can't really determine authenticity. However, Ft. Polk is no longer a TO&E duty station, its now a training base. I really can't think of any reason an active duty unit army unit would deploy from there. Don't know much about the reserves or other services though.

fwiw

[B4Ranch]

Yes,on my 2nd tour, in commercial aircraft, I carried my rifle by my side to DaNang and back to the States by my side. The trip home was a comedy because all of us were carrying loaded rifles. Somewhere along the line an M-14 with a clip in it just looked normal to everyone.

[homeagain balkansvet]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons? The only time I have ever hand a weapon with me is on a quick trip via a Black Hawk...and only because we were unsure of the situation on the ground. These guys were going to Frankfurt. Surely the weapons would be crated and loaded with other cargo.

I did, when I went to Bosnia a (very) few years ago. Handcarried my M16 (with all accoutraments except live ammo) through two major European airports. Nobody said a word.

[Yasotay]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons? The only time I have ever hand a weapon with me is on a quick trip via a Black Hawk...and only because we were unsure of the situation on the ground. These guys were going to Frankfurt. Surely the weapons would be crated and loaded with other cargo.

I remember flying to Panama on a civilian charter with my whole unit and we carried all our weapons onboard. This has been routine since at least the 1970s.

[Travis McGee]

She is telling it true, the troops hand carry their rifles on the planes.

[fish70]

Yep, I flew back from Haiti on a chartered 747 carrying 3 M-16A2's in 1994

[rangerX]

Has anyone her EVER deployed on a commercial aircraft (charter) and hand carried their weapons?

Sure have. Deployed to SA in 1990, and redeployed from SA in 1991 in Desert Storm. When we hit the runway at Pope AFB on return, the 747 crew had gathered up the battalion colors, and all the company guidons, and about halfway through the touchdown roll, they popped the top hatch and flew the flags. The civilian crews were great to us.