When I was searching for a pic to illustrate the previous post, I ran across this one of a Soldier actually employing local foliage as camouflage.
Just yesterday I was chatting with a source and he was saying how Iraq had made Soldiers lazy or complacent because of the relative convenience of the fighting there (close, vehicle borne engagements in primarily urban settings) whereas Afghanistan stressed old school soldiering skills that were last seen in Vietnam.
One of the things he mentioned was using local foliage to camouflage your outline, and low and behold, here’s a Soldier (clearly a designated marksman with his souped up M14) who’s destined for Ranger school.
U.S. Army Sgt. Zachary Adkins, from Sweetland, W.Va., conducts a dismounted patrol with his platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan, Oct. 11. The Soldiers were searching for sites from which the Taliban has been using to fire rockets at the outpost. Adkins is deployed with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment.
– Christian
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Christian,
To the extent that we’ve been at war for 8 years now, I would hope that all our officers and enlisted are wise enough to look at each location for it’s own uniqueness and master the terrain’s characteristics to their advantage. To do so local camoflauge would just be one aspect of mastering that terrain and the fact that Iraq gave us abundant urban experience and less need for camoflauge should not distract any soldier from using common sense in adapting to the local terrain and its potential for camoflauge.
I want a souped up M14, I guess I’ll just have to settle for the M1A.
Good Morning Christian,
What ever Sgt. Adkins is carrying it is not an M-14. From the visual the weapon appears to be an M-249 SPW variant. This M-249 variant seem to be popular with light Infantry units since it weight only about 13 lbs. vs. the 17lbs. (unloaded) of the regular M-249.
When bustin’ bush all day that 4lbs. make a lot of difference. The local camouflage might indicate that Sgt. Adkins is on a dismounted sweep through an open area.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
Sorry Byron,
You’re wrong again. It’s a modified M14, much like this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CSA-2006-10-17-093634.jpg & this one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Soldiers_patrol_Waygul_Valley_2009.jpg
It’s a sloppy camouflage job.
It’s an M-14 EBR with all the bells and whistles.
Mr. Zandor, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Troll? Liquor? So you support the military? You hate it? You hate the government? I’m confused.
Dear Octubre;
Nice response. Logic is obviously not one of your stronger suits. Perhaps it is football?
There are several things that you neglected.
The failure to answer the questions.
But then again, why should I be surprised about that?
By the way, in my opinion you are confused.
( see your last post)
Vastly confused.
Dear Project Thor;
You are funny.
Zandor,
Some more troops from our allies couldn’t hurt.
How about some from Paraguay??
Can you help us out there?
Then again if you think about how the conflict over the Falkland Islands went, we know how South Americans fight…poorly.
Never mind.
Zandor,
I was referring to how South Americans fair against non-South American nations who are actually trained well.
A crappy army fighting other crappy armies doesn’t tell you much.
Also Paraguay lost, even though it had the bigger and (supposedly) better military.
Today, Paraguay spends roughly 1% of it’s GDP on it’s military, and considering that it’s GDP is a mere 28.89 Billion that’s pretty pathetic; so I wouldn’t be criticizing the U.S. military at all if I were you.
Also, I hope you don’t have chauvinistic fervor for Paraguay buddy, land-locked countries are usually fairly poor, and it doesn’t look like Paraguay will stop being a poor joke-of-a-country anytime soon.
Lastly, when compared to other nations of ANY SIGNIFICANCE, the U.S. has a pretty tough stomach when it comes to fighting wars, possibly only surpassed by Russia. We can win in Afghanistan if Obama shows some balls and stops fighting this war half-assed.
Viva the United States of America! (All of them)
Last sentence should read:
However in the meantime take comfort in knowing that The USA can kick the shit out of anybody that doesn’t put up a fight.
Mark my words, the USA will leave Afghanistan defeated.
The sooner the USA leaves that worthless hell hole the better it is for the USA.
But oh no, the USA won’t do that.
It will spend billions and spill oceans of blood in order to save face.
Then, after all of that, the USA will leave Afghanistan.
What a waste, what a crime, what a disaster.
Where can I get more pictures of Zachary?
The dude is soooo kool.
Does the guy like have his own web site?
Thanx!