Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy
Frankly I think you guys are making a systemic problem out of a handful of guys who F-ed up. The Army kills more of its own than the Air Force does. They kill people in training...they PLAN FOR IT for crying out loud. Maybe they should just back off and let the Marines handle it.
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100% false. AR 385-63, the bible on surface danger zones, used to be entitled "Policies and Procedures for Firing Ammunition for Training, Target Practice, and Combat" until 2003, when it was retitled "Range Safety." Nothing changed content wise, and to fire within 15 degrees of troops during training requires a waiver from the installation range safety officer, who is one step removed in most cases from the post commander. You cannot fire within 15 degrees during training, period. Any leader that deliberately plans a live fire that exceeds the safety limitation will be relieved in the least severe case, and could find themselves facing criminal charges depending on how negligent their behavior is if it results in the injury or death of a soldier.
During combat, the ground commander has the authority and responsibility to fire closer, but it should be a decision such that it is less dangerous to fire more closely than to not do so.
So, bottomline, I'm not sure where you're getting your information from, but it is patently false.