Posted on 02/25/2002 12:52:18 AM PST by kattracks
Edited on 05/26/2004 5:04:16 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Sorry about that. Guess I sorta lost it there.
I have a PERFECT solution for the problem of the difficulty in training a SF trooper: Either hire IRS agents away from the IRS or dip into the same pool from which they get their people. These folks seem to be naturally endowed with the stealth, animal cunning, killer instinct, etc., etc. required for the job. It would save tons of training money. Probably be able to ship them right out to Trashcanistan or wherever to seek and destroy the foe du jour.
(Gingrich once responded to a question from a constituent at a Town Hall Meeting about what we would do with all those IRS agents if we ever got a National Retail Sales Tax by saying they all should get weapons training and be sent south to guard our border with Mexico. Worked for me.)
Of course, unlike current SF folks (most of whom are still capabable of guilt feelings and remorse), THESE new guys could NEVER be allowed to return to the US: Waaayyyy too dangerous to life and liberty here.
Funny story from my epic journey westward after 9/11:
I was driving a Mustang GT convertible from DC to San Diego, and I passed through Amarillo. Just west of the city center, I got pulled over right next to an onramp. I was sweating: I hadn't been speeding or anything.
The cop was a State Trooper who'd noticed the Maryland plates and the VERY careful maintenance of the speed limit (I'd been told that you just did NOT speed in Texas), noticed that I didn't have the top down on a sunny day (I'm pretty fair-skinned and didn't want to burn) and decided I was worth a look.
After a brief check of my license and a quick "Where ya headed/where ya comin' from" Q&A, he was handing back my license when something hit his head, bounced off the top of my car, and landed on the road outside my door. A truck full of rowdies comes up the onramp.
Trooper: "Suh, what was that thing that bounced offa mah head?"
I crane my neck and look down. "An empty Budweiser can."
"Suh, you have y'self a safe trip home. Ah got some bid'ness to tend to."
About four miles down the road, he's got six pieces of white trash in the position, hands on the hood of the truck, and he's tallying up the empty and full beer cans...
In what way?
LEOs seeing terrorists under every rock, or conversely; Everyone's a bad guy but you and me, and I'm not so sure about you.
Definately a communications failure, But I've got to wonder if there isn't more to the story.
Col. Flagg?
Perhaps it speaks to their professionalism that they follow orders. FWIW, I never went anywhere with just blanks. Two stripper-clips in a chemical glove, stuffed in another chem glove, in a ziplock, secured with quadruple rubber bands; in a dedicated ammo pouch.
As an aside; SF with blanks against terrorists with ball? After heavy losses, the SF would ultimately prevail; IMHO.
Col. Flagg?
"I am the wind" crashes through tent window.
"Oh look, the wind broke its led" says Hawkeye.
I can tell you there is damn near zero chance of this happening on Robin Sage. The students are given a shake-down and them locked into isolation before their insert,and the "G's" are normally shaken-down after they are picked up at Bragg. Making sure none of them have any live ammo is the purpose of the shake-down. Nobody wants any mistakes made.
My NCOs always knew what I carried, where I carried it, and assigned two other guys in our platoon with whom I had to "share".
Just don't let Kap'n Kupkake know you have it...
There's Safety First, there's Safety First; and then there's Safety First.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.