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I have a fun story to tell, and this thread looks like the place to do it.

When I was at Fort Knox and the changeover from M-60's to M-1 had been finished, our tankers of course had to be trained in the use of their new toys.

We were out in the field a LOT!!

I was a 31V, Tactical Communications Specialist, I was in charge of the communications systems of Bravo troop, 1/10th cav, part of the 194th armored Brigade, which sadly is now gone, from what I understand.

Anyway, the Colonel had attached himself to our troop for live fire excercises, and we were at the range.

I was over in my APC hanging out with the rest of the mechanics, when a tanker came running up to me all out of breath.

He wanted me to get to the colonels tank and RIGHT NOW, so I grabbed my toolbox and headed over there at my best possible speed.

The colonel started yelling at me about how NONE of his commo equipment was working, intercom, radio etc. He was REALLY pissed off at me. A full bird mad at me was NOT my idea of a good time. I knew it was working because I had CHECKED ALL of my tanks that morning.

I got into the tank and started looking around, flipped the on switches to ON, and he was ready to roll.

The colonel looked at me with this asking look on his face, and the E-6 gunner looked mortified. I sat there for a minute and he looked at me and asked me what was wrong and why was everything all of a sudden working.

I looked at him, looked at the E-6, the E-6 gave me a nod and I told the Colonel that the system had been off, and all I had done was turn it on.

He kicked the E-6 out of the tank, he was SO PISSED!!! He told me to take the gunnery seat, and I got to fire 5 rounds down range, He aimed it, but I got to push the fire button, it was UNREAL!!

Such power, such unbelievable power, it still makes my heart race when I think about it.

It's not like artillery, that has lots of power too, but you are too far away to see the result, with a tank, you ARE THERE, you see the destruction that you wreak.

Sorry, it is just a fun story and I like to tell it, and this looked like a good place to do it.

Sorry, it is just a fun story and I like to tell it, and this looked like a good place to do it.

As for the "Sorry"...stow that bilge, as they say (or used to say) in the Navy.

Great story.
Just like the look of amazement ABC's Joan London (sp?) face when she was allowed to
take an Abrams out for a run...you've given this civilian a good vicarious thrill.

As a "boomer" generation guy I'll never forget the dread and anticipation I had
during the days leading up to Desert Storm (the 100-hour war).
I remembered all the sad, seemingly endless mess of Vietnam (thank, politicians!)
Additionally, knowing of the general incompetence of the Carter Administration...
and hearing that the US military would be relying on "smart weapons" started under
Carter's SecDef Brown...
I was just praying that over-reliance on a bunch of technology that wouldn't work
wouldn't get a lot of our personnel killed.

After those 100 hours...I've learned to have more faith in our military...and the
technologists who help them have the edge (force multiplier effect).

Fortunately our fights in Afghanistan and now Iraq have just increased my faith
in our military.
I just pray "long may she run" in this manner.