Well, I finally got off Radio Guard and back out on the line with the Scouts.

We did some dismounted patrolling today. I saw one of the fattest Iraqi children In existance, I believe. This kid, No joke, was no more than 4'5" and had to have weighed 200lbs +, And this is in a poor area of Baghdad. I'm just wondering how these people are poor, but you have fat midgets parusing the streets.

The little Combat Outpost where my Company stays got hit with 27 mortars the other day. Then our larger COP got hit with 21 mortars and one of the 120mm (biggest mortar round made) rounds hit their ammo point.

During the day I sit on a rooftop with an M240 and about 200 rounds for 2 hours at a time. I sit there just praying we'll get attacked so I can unload some rounds. It's like being in Wal-mart with a million dollars, but someone telling you that you can't spend it.


Describe your past week.

this thread delivers.

I used to watch this show about American soldiers in Vietnam called Tour of Duty. Have your experiences in Iraq been just like on that?

Kick some ***.

Sometimes I want to be a soldier. I think I've seen too many war movies.

I think I've heard too many Mortars impact

I went back to Camp Taji (A secure place, Understand this, SECURE) to get some dental done and I saw my fiancee. Well.. No one was in the barracks so I snuck her in and we slep together.. for 8 nights in a row It was glorious, but anyway to the point.

I was laying in bed and all of the sudden I hear this loud noise and the walls shake.. knock stuff down. Just out of pure instinct from being shelled so much out in sector, I jump up and start to put my kit (Body Armor, Helmet, weapon, etc.) on. As I'm doing this my girl is like "Chris, What are you doing?" I said "I'm putting my kit on, we're taking fire. Come on, Get your **** on!"
She was like "It's outgoing fire from that Howitzer battery over there"

Scary ****. I think I might have PTSD

I know I'm not fully crazy yet though because while I was at Taji, We actually did take incoming fire. And this stupid intercom sounded off with "INCOMING INCOMING INCOMING REPORT TO YOUR UNIT FOR ACCOUNTIBILITY!", but I just rolled over and went back to sleep that time

They only give you 200 rounds for a machine gun??

What's the rate of fire for that thing? You'd burn through it in 20 seconds. :saddowns:

The Army and National Guard have been playing really good ads lately. I always think about joining for a while after seeing them.

If you fire stupidly

Still seems darn light, even if you fire smartly. Only 200 rounds? It *is* a machine gun..

We're not sitting in the tower playing ****ing Rambo.

You do controlled bursts. 9-12 rounds at a time.
Any more than that and the barrel will get too hot.

Plus, we also have AT-4's (Shoulder Fired Rocket System) and Frag grenades in the towers.

Also, if I came under contact, I'd probably use my M4 first because it's more accurate than the M240.
Machine guns are used more for suppressive fire than accuracy nowadays.

Except the .50's They are highly accurate. But those are a vehicle mounted weapon system usually. We don't have the facilities to put them on the rooftops where I am.

Now, At our larger COP, they have .50's on the roof because it's a bigger place and they have more room.

Sheesh Freelancer, spraying only makes you miss. Just like in CS.

But spraying with the machine gun in CS is one of my favorite pasttimes. :saddowns:

Also you have to think about, in the real world, how much ammo costs. If you burn up all your ammo on stupid ****, you'll get more ammo from higher up, but they will chew your *** up one side and down the other for a stupid waste of ammo.

These are MY main weapons:

AH-64D Apache Longbow:
Carries 30mm Cannon, AGM-114 Hellfire Rockets and 2.75" Full fin rockets.

OH-58D Kiowa Warrior:
Carries .50 cal machine gun, AGM-114 Hellfire Rockets and 2.75" Full Fin rockets.

M109A6 Paladin 155mm self-propelled Howitzer:
Capable of firing HE, Smoke and Illumination rounds

M-119A1 105mm Howitzer:
Capable of firing HE, Smoke and Illumination rounds.

Also 60mm, 81mm and 120mm mortars.