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Dude, Where's My Pistol?
By Lt Col P
About a year ago, the Marine Corps decided to switch the T/O weapon of most officers and staff NCOs from the M9 pistol to the M4 carbine. (See MarAdmin 378/07.) Accordingly, pistols are beginning to disppear from armories as M4s flow in. Interestingly, I didn't really notice this policy change at the time it came out. (Who knows what other item in my warped priority list was commanding my attention at the time... )
At the risk of telling CMC how to do his job, I'm not sure this is a good idea. I'm not alone-- John Farnam weighs not once (scroll down) but twice on the subject, and I generally agree with him, if not completely with his correspondent in the second post.
Here's my opinion-- It's not that I favor the M4 over the 9mm, or vice versa, it's that I want both. The M4, 'though short, is really a long gun; the pistol is the back-up. It's a damn good thing to have when your carbine shits the bed, or runs out of ammo, or you're grappling with your opponent and can't bring the rifle to bear. I want them both. I'd prefer something heavier than the 9mm, but I won't turn it down.
I do realize that the officer's primary weapon is his radio, and his ability to direct his forces, but sometimes the boss needs a rifle. One battalion FAC I interviewed in Iraq about the first battle of Fallujah related how the inital contact in the city was so intense that he couldn't talk on his radios because he was too busy defending himself with his rifle. Nice thing to have when you need it.
Somewhere, somehow there has to be a funding angle to it. I wish HQMC would resolve it and give us back our sidearms. When you need a pistol, you really need it.
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Comments
I agree to a point - they should be given the option of carrying both. For some the additional ammo load (both size & weight) may prove to be more distraction than value.
I've quoted you and linked to you here: http://consul-at-arms.blogspot.com/2008/05/re-dude-wheres-my-pistol.html
I think they should talk to Brad Kasal about not having a sidearm.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ze4qhBAhL._SS500_.jpg
This picture is worth a thousand words on this subject.
...he couldn't talk on his radios because he was too busy defending himself with his rifle.
Reminds me of the scene in Starship Troopers where one of the privates asks the DI why they need to learn how to knife-fight in a nuclear age when you can kill millions just by pushing a button. The DI sticks the kid's hand to the wall with a knife and says, "If the enemy can't use his hand, he can't push the button. Medic!"
Simple, follow Col. Jeff Cooper's (USMC, Ret.) advice and allow Senior NCOs and Officers--to start, then open it up--who are issued a rifle to carry the sidearm of their choice, at their own expense. You supply the ammo, you supply the magazines, spare parts, gunsmithing, etc., including for qualifications! Probably would need some minimum standards regarding caliber and such; possibly do like some police departments do and publish a list of "acceptable" pistols.
(Egad, I can't believe someone quoted that abortion of a movie instead of the actual, original book by Robert A. Heinlein...)
M4...swish... 6.8 or M-14,..... BOOM-BABY!!!
9mm.."Dance baby Dance, with my two clip romance!!" 1-9-1-1 that's APC for break the trigger to SHOCK N'DROP!!!(Saves on ammo too!!) Tango pancakes anyone?
juss seein...da sayin.
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I've never quite understood the mindset of providing the minimal amount of small arms to our soldiers. With crew served weapons that go in the millions of dollars each, you would think providing a rifle and pistol per soldier/marine wouldn't be such a terrible cost. I believe it is because procurement and force design are still in a cold-war, or next big-war mindset.
At a minimum the services should authorize private procuremtent of a sidearm, model and caliber as required by the service, much as various and sundry police agencies do.