NUMB3RS...

...From my time in the service, more or less. I am finally back from another hiatus and feeling inspired by one of my favorite local artists that made it big- Mr. Hall (aka Logic).

His retirement project was an instant classic, naturally; just as he had predicted. In particular, the 12th track, A2Z; wherein he does a culmination similar to that of another mainstream artist, Weezy (aka Lil Wayne), is what got me figuring to do a counting piece akin to that of Hip Hop legend, Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def)'s 1999 classic, Mathematics.

So, without further ado:

1.) The M1 Garand is a no brainer here. Yes, the spent magazine (aka clip) sound (an extremely audible ring) that went off when the last round (aka bullet) was shot, could be described as wholly impractical. However, the rifle arguably won WWII and spared the US a brutal first defeat in the Korean War; singlehandedly.

2.) Another given- the M2 Browning .50 cal (caliber) machine gun (aka Ma Deuce). You're not really a US service-member until you get to shoot one of these babies.

3.) M3 Bradley Calvary Fighting Vehicle (CFV) and/or the M3 submachine gun. While I never really experienced either (much like the Garand) it's on my bucket list to some degree or another.

4.) I can't imagine that there's too many Americans, or even global citizens, who've never heard of the M4 carbine. From GTA to COD, to the Battlefield game series; it's ubiquity is self-evident.

5.) Speaking of which, that standard issue weapon for my fellow U.S. Army Grunts fires a 5.56mm NATO round that my Subject Matter Expert (SME) brother once described as "a suped-up .223 [cal]."

6.) There are now six branches (much love to the Space Force).

7.) Another NATO round- 7.62x51mm. It is used in various weapons.

8.) Choose between the M8 Greyhound (a light tank), the M8 HC smoke grenade, and the XM8 "assault" rifle. Side note- I'm pretty sure that the Greyhound was a common corrective training exercise for my unit (i.e., "You broke the only variable night vision optic [aka scope] that we had for our sniper rifles! Run, touch the tank, and run back for the rest of your smoking [aka punishment]").

9.) Another ubiquitous weapon and ammo caliber- The M9 Beretta pistol which shoots 9mm (aka 9 mil). "Homie got the nine and (in) the glove and he don't play!"- Logic (Hit My Line; 24JUL2020).

10.) The M110 Semi Automatic Sniper System was just being phased in during my time in sniper section, and it's pretty much an SR-25 by Knight's Armament Company. I believe that I shot it once.

11.) The M11 pistol is a SIG Sauer P226; which is pretty much a beefed up P220 that I doubt I've ever held.

12.) While I've never held a Navy Mark (Mk) 12 Special Purpose Rifle (SPR) either, I imagine shooting one at the range to be better than sex.

13.) If you've never picked up an M13 disintegrating link spent by shooting 7.62mm NATO rounds from a machine gun, you may not have ever been a Grunt in the modern era.

14.) The M14 rifle was another classic that I've yet to shoot despite being somewhat popular among designated marksmen in Infantry units during my time "embracing the suck".

15.) Another pistol that I wish I would've shot- the M15 General Officers, which fires a .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol [cartridge]) round. Also, there's the M15 mine (aka vehicle destroying explosive) which the US supposedly has a decent stockpile of.

16.) M16- A more accurate, older, and heavier version of the M4. Though, the buttstock is not collapsible and the barrel is longer (read: terrible for close-quarters combat [CQC]).

17.) The M17 pistol is replacing the M9 as of 2017. It's a P320-based handgun.

18.) Options include the M18 Hellcat (tank) and the M18 pistol which is pretty much a mini M17.

19.) Choose between the M19 antitank mine- intended to replace the M15- and the infamous M1911 which fires the .45 (aka "a four fifth").

20.) Last, tho certainly not least- my unit during my time in the service was 5th battalion, 20th Infantry regiment (aka 5/20 INF).

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I have no idea what I will write about from here on out; though, perhaps I will just continue to essentially "shoot from the hip". By and by, numbers do lie.