ORIGINAL: Colorado Luckydog
It all depends on your job description. When I was in, I only learned the basics because I was in an artillery unit. But you can bet your ass Iknew how todo my job to the letter. I have a friend that was a sniper that hasFORGOTTEN more than most of us will ever learn about "ballistics and related topics". When he first started telling me about howhe uses the heat vapors coming up from the ground to judge his windage and where he was going to aim for his kill shot, I thought he was full of chit. I've known him alot longer now and I know he is for real, and I can't wait for the basic lessons he is planning on giving me this summer. Our military does alot better job than some might think, but there isno way they have the time or the money to train the cook to be an expert in ballistics.
Artillery myself, so ballastics on big bullets and stuff I can work with you. But yes I heard that heat waves and stuff can be used, but they go to school for months and you are right it is there job. So they learn all about it. I know because I reload and read on it.
What happens, you get a kid that is never held a gun till the military, gets fascinated with them, and doesn't have a mentor like the rest of us had, so he listens to his buddy that talks all about the .375 H&H and .50 Cal and the rest, and he wants one cause he has a pocket full of money after being here, and he has seen all the weapons over here or there, whereever. THese are the ones I think Red runs in to, the ones that have held a M16A2, first time in their life holding a gun, and like most of us who got it at an early age, get hooked on em. Trouble is never had the aunt, uncle, mom or dad that took them to the range or the field or the outdoors and so they haven't a clue.[&:]