All I see are these skinny 6 foot tall soldiers in Iraq.
2007-05-14 21:41:19 · 11 answers · asked by Erika 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
You had better look again - every single one of our troopers in Iraq and Afghanistan is TEN FEET TALL, a hero and made of steel. They don't need to leap buildings in a single bound because they are smart enough to just knock em' down. Anything that Superman does in comic books our folk do twice as well in real life. We always said "It ain't the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog."
2007-05-14 22:25:57 · answer #1 · answered by cwomo 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Marine Corps standard doesn't appeal to 7 foot tall sweaty machine gunners. Often, its the wiry guys that do the best on PFTs (Physical Fitness tests). A perfect 20 pullups and 18 minute 3 mile run time is a hell of an achievement for a 6'4 225 lb male. but a 5'9 160 lb male can pull things like that off. Also remember, muscle mass is hard to maintain when your diet consists of MREs (Which are by the way the worst thing I've ever eaten and can't wait until I never have to see another one). Massive weightlifters devote their life and effort to eating on strict regimens and working out, combat tears the body down, you lose weight from nervousness and exertion. No one ever comes back looking really pretty. At least not guys that are knee deep in the ****. Personally, I like being smaller, flak jackets don't cover that much of the Torso area, smaller is better as far as presenting a target. Don't be fooled though. We can carry the guns and the weight. Its all mental, and a matter of deadening the nerves in your shoulders and feet haha.
2007-05-14 21:55:21 · answer #2 · answered by phi_1350 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
(1) Machinegun slots in any organization are not necessarily dependent on physical stature. In Army infantry weapon squads, it is not uncommon to see both gunners to be the shortest guys in the platoon, as often as they are the biggest. It all depends on who can hump that M240B and handle it most effectively.
(2) Dismounts (those on foot) can be carrying anywhere from 60-100lbs of gear. Drastic weight loss is not uncommon, though this is nowhere near how bad it was in Afghanistan in 2002 or Iraq in 2003 now that supplies are regular and food is more or less not an issue anymore.
(3) Turret gunners and others whose feet never touch the ground onn convoy duties can be assigned machineguns irrespective of size. Since turrets are supported positions where control of the weapon is much easier, it is not uncommon to see females with M249s or M240Bs.
And yes, there are massive, extremely tall, and extremely well built machinegunners out there. I've been honored to work with a few. You just don't see them because you see less than 1% of what goes on in Iraq or Afghanistan on TV.
2007-05-15 00:57:53 · answer #3 · answered by Nat 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The guys you're talking about are really 5' 4" tall and are filmed in elevator boots and on platforms.
The guys in Iraq are mostly children.
2007-05-14 23:37:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you worked outside in the 130 degree heat with 60 lbs of gear on everywhere you went, you would be skinny too....
2007-05-14 22:51:00 · answer #5 · answered by gregpasq 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hey...I'm 6'3 - fit - agile.....does that mean I'm disabled to you.....lol!
You sure that you wasn't looking at an Iraqi soldier, standing on the hood of a car with his flack jacket on!
You are a mean girl....my mama told me of you !
Where have you been all my life....now I'm sad!
2007-05-14 21:53:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Playing sports for multi-million dollar contracts
2007-05-14 23:03:53 · answer #7 · answered by uncle J 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
They're shooting the bad guys out of your dreams.
2007-05-14 22:25:57 · answer #8 · answered by My world 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
only in the movies
2007-05-14 21:46:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
GWB jnr believes he is one of them
2007-05-15 03:00:02 · answer #10 · answered by gunner2za 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋