In which army did you serve duty?

[Aptrgangr]

I was drafted as conscript and served one additional year volunteerly in the Army Aviators Corps (Army Aviation), so altogether I was in army for 2 years; my last rank was Private 1st Class. FRG is one of the last countries drafting conscripts, but since the fall of the Berlin Wall there is no longer a requirement for many conscripts since the army's strength was reduced, and especially the home-defence units were abandoned. Anyway, I was drafted and I can say it was much fun, after surviving the basic training, I was serving in the flight safety department, much paperwork about crashed helicopters and such. Sometimes when there were maneuvres I flew as crew member (observer, flight safety) in a helicopter, I especially loved the low-level night maneuvres. The type of helicopter was the Bell UH-1D Iroquois, also nicknamed Huey.
I can say I have learned much, also about politics as it became more and more clear the governments wants a mercenary troop sthat can be sent around the globe.

[Buccaneer]

I served as a gun leader for a year. There were things that I liked and things that I didn't like. Shooting cannons was awesome! It felt like someone smashed your face with a tennis racket and many times the blast even knocked me over! Also the barracks life was great. In the evenings there was time to excercise. We had jogging routes, a gym, football fields, swimming pool etc. at the the barracks so I mostly did sports in the evening!
There was plenty of fresh air as well since we spent most of the time outside.
I Didn't like the officers and the atmosphere that they were something better than us conscripts. I didn't like the service arm that I was put into and that really ruined my interest in the army. Not that I was too interested to start with.
I spent the leaves getting completely wasted so that led to some not-so-funny situations. Once after a sixday drinking binge I sent a million dollar equipment into maintenance 'cause I broke it. I still laugh when I think about it. Once I also almost blew of my balls!!

[Menydh]

Is it just me or Artillery is for Alpinoids?

[Menydh]

By the time of my conscription, I signed as a volunteer in paratroopers. You could still call that an army, at that time. I served a Spanish version of the German MG42 machine-gun, the MG42 1A3. Heavy stuff to parachute out of the plane: 11kg without counting the two spare barrels, two ammo boxes, etc. plus the 20kg of the pack and my own weight.



I used to touch land before the patrol that had been parachuted before mine!

[Freebooter]

I served for just under two years in the Canadian Army as an armoured crewman in an armoured reconnaissance regiment. I spent much of the later months as a driver of the Iltis, but was discharged just after the G Wagon was issued in its place.

It was pretty fun stuff. I remember my time on the range most vividly because firing weapons was something completely new to me. Stalwart Guardian 05 and living on base were also good memories, as well as the grueling night patrols. I gained a number of friends that never I'll forget, and did a lot of growing up in that brief period that I was serving.

[Aptrgangr]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

(...)
There was plenty of fresh air as well since we spent most of the time outside. (...)

Well, honestly, noone here would have expected the Finnish artillery practicing somewhere inside

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

(...)
I Didn't like the officers and the atmosphere that they were something better than us conscripts. I didn't like the service arm that I was put into and that really ruined my interest in the army. (...)

I never made that experience, officers always were nic, but NCOs sometimes were annoying. Actually, be happy you did not decide to start a carreer since Finland, like any European nation, abuses her soldiers and sends them to areas where they have nothing lost.

Originally Posted by Mynydd

Is it just me or Artillery is for Alpinoids?

Well, since Spain's artillery is second to none I presume there are many Alpinoids serving

Originally Posted by Mynydd

...a Spanish version of the German MG42 machine-gun, the MG42 1A3...

A great weapon.


Yes, a variant of that famous MG 42, the MG 3 is still in service here as well.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Aptrgangr

Well, honestly, noone here would have expected the Finnish artillery practicing somewhere inside




I never made that experience, officers always were nic, but NCOs sometimes were annoying. Actually, be happy you did not decide to start a carreer since Finland, like any European nation, abuses her soldiers and sends them to areas where they have nothing lost.



Well, since Spain's artillery is second to none I presume there are many Alpinoids serving




A great weapon.


Yes, a variant of that famous MG 42, the MG 3 is still in service here as well.

Hmmm.... I wouldn't mind going to bomb people on some warm tropical island! I'd just work on my tan in between the cannonades and enjoy my time in the rear with the gear! Maybe there'd be a nice town nearby with taverns for some R'n'R !

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Aptrgangr

A great weapon.

Yes, and lots of fun assured.

Yes, a variant of that famous MG 42, the MG 3 is still in service here as well.

There is something not quite right in the picture with the guy with the MG. Guess what.

[Sergius]

The strap is hanging loose?

I wasn't conscripted due to illness.

[dime]

i wasnt old enough in Macedonia but ill join the Canadian when i get my citizenship

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Ljubomir

The strap is hanging loose?

He is posing for a picture, it is not a real exercise.

Given the fire power of the MG42, that is no position to shoot with it. Notice that he has the finger in the trigger, as if he would shoot from that position. He couldn't. The power of the MG42 would throw him backwards.

You also need a server (a helper) to feed the rounds. I was allowed once to shoot with the machine-gun on my waist and standing over a firm position. It was very hard, even dangerous. Contrary to what you see in the movies, shooting with such machines is done from the floor, resting on the bipod and not long rounds but short. The American machine-gun equivalent at the time (can't remember the name), being lighter and less powerful, offered the possibility to fire from the waist. But that's still not what machine-guns are deviced for.

Also, he is holding the machine-gun with his left hand from the bipod under the barrel. The gloves he is wearing look normal winter gloves, to protect from cold. What you would need if you fired from there are gloves to protect you against the hot-red iron. Unless the machine-gun comes with spare hands

[Freebooter]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

The American machine-gun equivalent at the time (can't remember the name)...

M60?

I hear what Mynydd is saying. I remember once on the range we fired the C9 (very light for a machine gun [see below], fires 5.56 rounds as opposed to the 7.62 of the C6 [the C6 is similar to the MG42]) in a kneeling position from the hip and I was losing balance every time I fired. Just to keep from falling I had to cut down the rate of my fire so much so that it was completely ineffectual. I can only imagine the recoil on the MG42 in that position.

The only reason I can see for that position is if they were getting ready to move. But this doesn't explain why his finger is on the trigger, as Mynydd noticed, nor does it explain why there is a man in prone right beside him (cover is indeed necessary, but so close?).

C9A1:

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Vasconcelos

M60?

Yes.

The only reason I can see for that position is if they were getting ready to move. But this doesn't explain why his finger is on the trigger, as Mynydd noticed, nor does it explain why there is a man in prone right beside him (cover is indeed necessary, but so close?).

The right hand should be by the butt in a position more or less ready to hit the ground and deploy it with the bipode extended.

[dime]

Originally Posted by Vasconcelos

C9A1:

is that pic from CFB Borden

[OneEnglishNorman]

I used to go to the Salvation Army... I went AWOL once I heard of the plan to invade Vatican City.