May 28, 2010
Why Was This Solider Off Base, In Civvies, with His M4?
The chain of command is going to rip someone a new one over this bit of idiocy:
The soldier had been in Atlanta less than a day when when he and his cousin, identified simply as T.J., were sitting in his blue Chevrolet Impala at the Rolling Bends Apartments in northwest Atlanta, the soldier told WSB.Seven men walked to the car, he said.
"They were coming up to the car,"' the soldier told the television station. "I noticed T.J. hit the unlock button. They came up to the side of the car. They opened the door and grabbed my rifle."
The soldier said he was punched, kicked and hit in the head with a glass bottle when he tried to retrieve his gun.
"I tried to call out to my cousin T.J. but he didn't do anything," the soldier said in a WSB news report.
"A weapon like that being in a neighborhood like that is not a good combination," the soldier said. "I still feel betrayed by my family because T.J., that's my blood. Like, how are you going to value the streets more than your own cousin?"
The soldier was not in uniform at the time. It was not clear why he had his weapon with him.
There is no logical reason that I can think of that a soldier on leave would retain a selective-fire carbine or machine gun as he left base. The weapon should have been secured in the unit's armory. Both the soldier and his immediate superiors have some explaining to do.
Meanwhile, a real, honest-to-God assault rifle is in the hands of criminals.
Commentor Just a Grunt over at This Aint Hell says story pulled after he talked with reporter and editor agreed it sounded fishy.
Posted by: NUCSNIPE at May 28, 2010 10:23 AMWhat is fishy is that this sounds like a story conconcted to explain how he lost his weapon. Most likely he stole the rifle, then agreed to sell it. The story of it being stolen by friends of his cousin is just that, a story. Clearly he sold it.
Posted by: Federale at May 28, 2010 10:27 AMMaybe the thug will balk at the price of 5.56 ammunition, chamber up some .223 and hurt himself.
Posted by: David L., Lower Alabama at May 28, 2010 10:40 AMI don't see anything in the news article (other than a stock photo) that indicates that this was his issued weapon. Soldiers do have personal weapons. Also I've lived in Atlanta, the Urinal & Constipation is a disgrace unless you consider it as a publicist for Democretin identity politics.
Posted by: RRRoark at May 28, 2010 10:46 AMI'm betting drugs were involved. For both TJ and the soldier.
Posted by: Kevin at May 28, 2010 11:57 AMHe's home on leave with his duty weapon? Uh, no. Not a chance. Some information is missing here.
Posted by: Pablo at May 28, 2010 01:13 PMOne weapon lost; Big deal! Have you followed how many of the things that law enforcement loses? In addition, how many does our government send to trustworthy allies like Mexico?
From all I know of Army policies and procedures, I have never heard of the Army "checking out" weapons for soldiers to take home. This does indeed sound fishy.
Posted by: Jerry in Detroit at May 28, 2010 05:46 PM"Meanwhile, a real, honest-to-God assault rifle is in the hands of criminals."
Assault is a verb, not an adjective.
No way that was an issued weapon.
Posted by: ThomasD at May 28, 2010 10:11 PMlenf:
And "snow" isn't an adjective either. But, it is a noun, just as "assault" is.
Snow Plow
Chain Saw
Railroad Train
School Bus
"Maybe the thug will balk at the price of 5.56 ammunition, chamber up some .223 and hurt himself."
You can shoot .223 through a milwep just fine. It's the other way round where you gotta be careful.
Posted by: Bohemond at May 29, 2010 03:18 PMMaybe he was like the Atlanta Police officer who took his patrol car to Alabama, to show his proud parents.
Yeah, this was freaking stupid,and both the arms master and this solider should be facing huge trouble - possible a court martial.
Posted by: Michael at June 1, 2010 07:07 PMOMG, that's horrible! I'll give you $2K for it :)
Posted by: Jim at June 3, 2010 02:23 PM
