NUMB3RS Vol. 2

Picking right up where I left off:

21.) I turned 21 on a base in Iraq called FOB (Forward Operating Base) Warhorse. Sure enough Command Sergeant Major (CSM) G. remembered; and only one of my Battle Buddies First Sergeant(?) (1SG) S. (I believe a Specialist [SPC] at the time) couldn't resist the urge to get in the Bday licks if memory serves me right.

22.) All jokes aside- the 22 a day average of military suicides is 22 too many. "Periodt".

If anyone you know and/or care about has ever worn a US mil uniform, at a bare minimum, we oughta be checking up on them on the 22nd of every month. "Do better."

23.) The Mk 23 is a beautiful pistol favored by SOCOM (Special Operation Command). Not gonna give ya the random stats; tho, I will say that the Glock 23 (completely different gun) was my fav pistol for a long time.

If the economy goes the way that I'm predicting and I "feel cute", I might start wearing one on my hip again.

24.) Not only were we on call 24/7, tho some of us were blessed enough to train on the M24 sniper rifle; which was a suped up Remington 700. Side note- Those rifles are known to accidentally discharge (AD), now referred to as a "negligent discharge" or ND, when attempting to unload the weapons for cleaning and/or storage.

It's a travesty the way that the matter has been handled, or grossly mishandled rather, by the manufacturer. A supposedly easy fix that could definitely save lives is ironically being shunned in favor of "saving face", or whatever the hell that company's execs happen to believe that they're accomplishing.

25.) I highly doubt that there's a single serviceman (or servicewoman) in the modern era who's never been instructed by a superior to "Drop and give me 25 [pushups]!" It's simply quintessential to the nature of the branches, save maybe the Space Force (no disrespect).

26.) Not sure if I've ever seen one or if it might not've been the one we had to run and touch for "corrective training", but there's the M26 Pershing tank of the WWII and Korean War eras.

27.) The Corps (aka Marine Corps [pronounced like "Core"]) has the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle and this upcoming 27th of August will mark 13 years since I swore in.

28.) This one is more or less a stretch; tho, the M240 Bravo (aka The Hog) is "27.6 lb of sweetness", as well as "the most casualty producing weapon in the U.S. Army's arsenal" as of the time that I got out about a decade ago.

29.) The M29 mortar from the Korean and Vietnam War eras lobbed 81mm explosives into the air, which usually rained down on enemy combatants or innocent civilians depending on who you get your stats from. I like to imagine that the Chucks (aka 11 Charlies) using these weapons were highly skilled, moral, and accurate. "Sue me; I'm rooting for [all 11 series soldiers (aka my fellow Grunts)]."

30.) Another factoid that I believe can hardly be disputed is that almost every American, "military aged" male (~13-52 years old[?]), has a general idea of how many rounds (aka bullets) a "banana clip" (aka long magazine for most so called "assault rifles") can hold each. Spoiler alert: It's 30 for the M4s/M16s and AR-15s.

31.) I'm roughly 89% sure that I've never driven, rode in, or even "ground guided" the Mk 31 tractor truck, produced by Oshkosh, before. Apparently it's a member of the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) family. Whatevs.

32.) Another new favorite of the "Devil Dogs" (U.S. Marines), the M32 is essentially the handheld version of the Mk 19 (which I somehow forgot to include in Vol. 1 of this series). Suffice it to say that you never want anyone you care about (or yourself) to be on the business end of either of these Multiple Grenade Launchers (MGLs); especially if it's being aimed at you by a "Leatherneck" (U.S. Marine).

33.) Nothing too exciting; tho, the M33 Ball Military Grade (BMG) ammo is the peanut butter to the .50 cal machine gun jelly. Also, rumor has it that ya might could hit a close target with a Barrett sniper rifle using the M33.

34.) I'm roughly 89% sure that the M34 truck (aka the "deuce and a half" [because it weighs ~2.5 tons]) is the opposite of my experience with the Mk 31.

35.) Frago (Fragmentary order)- The M35 replaced the M34 likely "before I was a shimmer in my daddy's eye."

36.) Last one for now- The M36 tank destroyers, which were formally known as the 90mm Gun Motor Carriage, was a WWII vic (aka vehicle).

***

Obviously, I had very little to no familiarity with several of the items listed above, being a lowly Army Grunt in the "Global War on Terror" era and all. Limited experience notwithstanding, I'm looking forward to feasibly doing another volume to this collection so as to have my second trilogy up and externalized.

For now, stay safe, free, and hydrated.