Did the dumbass tag get a dishonorable discharge?

I once spent two hours attempting to defuse a practice anti-tank mine equipped with two pushme-pullyous (anti-handling devices) and a moustrap-type deadman switch attached, that was buried in fresh-plowed dirt. I managed to defuse the two tripline equipped pushme-pullyous, and thought I'd disabled the mousetrap, by tunneling under and holding it in place with my finger (not the unauthorized one). I flipped the mine over triumphantly, and BLAM! I was killed. Not dead of course, but I did get a nice burn on my finger from the primer that would have detonated the mine had it not been inert.

The lesson I learned: Whenever possible blow it up in place. Also, if you're gonna keep things that go boom, keep 'em somewhere that if it makes that big noise accidentally, nothing of value is lost, especially human lives, as there is a lot of paperwork involved, and you gotta send flowers and shiat.

Mugato: Did the dumbass tag get a dishonorable discharge?

You would be shocked the kind of sh*t people have sitting in their closets that was declared "used in training" and happened to find it's way home.

I'm not talking about no single grenade either. We're talking about enough to wipe out a platoon of heavily armed infantry and, in some cases, light armored vehicles.

UNAUTHORIZED FINGER: I once spent two hours attempting to defuse a practice anti-tank mine equipped with two pushme-pullyous

Ya know, we only spent 1 day at Knox on anti-personnel mine training, but I remember it most vividly. The instructors set it up in such a way that it was fun, informative and they scared the living crap out of you by really explaining how things work and how methodical you need to be in probing for them... Zig-zag pattern, etc... Then they had a great obstacle course where I think everyone died. Just clever placement and really made you look for stuff to place engineer tape on it.

I took two things away from that training. 1) Always look down and be aware of where you are stepping (Made me 5 bucks I found in the parking lot yesterday.) 2) Anytime I saw an EOD sticker on a DOD ID, I gave that man a hearty handshake a smile and whatever he needed. We have an EOD team here at the Navy base. Coolest, craziest guys I ever met. Always fun to have drinks with them.

NewportBarGuy: Ya know, we only spent 1 day at Knox on anti-personnel mine training, but I remember it most vividly. The instructors set it up in such a way that it was fun, informative and they scared the living crap out of you by really explaining how things work and how methodical you need to be in probing for them... Zig-zag pattern, etc... Then they had a great obstacle course where I think everyone died. Just clever placement and really made you look for stuff to place engineer tape on it.

I took two things away from that training. 1) Always look down and be aware of where you are stepping (Made me 5 bucks I found in the parking lot yesterday.) 2) Anytime I saw an EOD sticker on a DOD ID, I gave that man a hearty handshake a smile and whatever he needed. We have an EOD team here at the Navy base. Coolest, craziest guys I ever met. Always fun to have drinks with them.

I taught demolition in the National Guard but like you, I have utmost respect for EOD. I'm glad I never had to do their job. I was a Combat Engineer, and it is part of our job skills, but not our primary duty, so we never got enough training to consider doing anything but packing explosives around the suspicious object and stand back.

We did a practice mission one fall, where we emplaced a minefield according to military specs on the side of Mount Shasta. This was back when the doctrine was to bury the mines, now they say leave them on the surface. Anyway, we emplaced approximately 20 antitank mines and maybe 100 antipersonnel mines, some with anti-handling devices. We mapped it, as it wasn't a hasty minefield but a deliberate one. The next spring, we were tasked with removing the minefield. Hell, we couldn't even find it! So every day (this was 17 years ago), I expect to read a news story about some skid-loader driver in the Penny Pines District finding an entire minefield. It's gonna happen. And when it does, I KNOW NOTHING!

"'Es I 'spose."
"Yes, I suppose."

UNAUTHORIZED FINGER: So every day (this was 17 years ago), I expect to read a news story about some skid-loader driver in the Penny Pines District finding an entire minefield. It's gonna happen. And when it does, I KNOW NOTHING!

Ha! Man, that's beautiful. Not at all surprising, and probably why they make them leave them unburied these days. Maintain your lack of knowledge at all times. CRS it a helluva thing. "I Cain't Remember Shiat!"

My dad found a grenade while cleaning under the family camp. He called in the bomb squad and the story even made the news. Turned out to be inactive, but I guess you can never be too sure.

krafty420: My dad found a grenade while cleaning under the family camp. He called in the bomb squad and the story even made the news. Turned out to be inactive, but I guess you can never be too sure.

You have a smart father.