Is every soldier issued a rifle or weapon even if you are not directly invovled in combat?

Question

Such as mechanics...techs....etc...

Answer 1

Yes everyone is issued a weapon except for chaplins.

My husband use to be a mechanic and he was issued a gun.

In fact all soldiers must also qualify with their weapons except of course a chaplin because he doesn't have to carry a weapon.

All soldiers upon entering a new unit are issued a weapon. This is their weapon they use everytime they go to quailfy and it will be the weapon they use when they deploy. This weapon stays with the battery or company when they pcs. They are issued a new weapon each and every new unit. You don't keep your weapon it does stay in the arms room.

EDIT: Rick are you telling me you don't have a weapon that is issued to you, that is kept in the arms room. And you have been in a "hostile" enviroment and never had a gun. What were you in a kindergarten classroom? By Hostile enviroment do you mean Iraq or Afgan. Yeah okay.

Answer 2

This will depend on the branch. In the Navy, "soldiers" on ships are not issued guns, and may not even be trained to use them.

I was onboard USS Chosin. We were scheduled to pull into Yemen a week after the Cole disaster... so I guess you could call the Gulf there hostile territory... For a month after that, I still had never touched the service 9mm. We had to go back into drydock after 9/11 before they taught me how to use the shotgun, and it wasn't until we were on our way back to the Persian Gulf for OIF that I got to even touch an m-14... which Our ship still had instead of the M-16 for some reason.

I was a storekeeper, which means I spent all day ordering parts, and I never, EVER got to fire the rifle. I've shot twelve rounds from the shotgun for target practice... but we never shot them at targets. I fired 30 rounds from the 9mm twice a year at cardboard dummies.

The only time we got to touch any of these weapons aside from training was when we stood watch. At that point, we were issued "A" weapon, but it was not "OUR weapon. In fact, when the next guy came up to stand watch, we would turn it over to them. I didn't much like having a pistol and all those rounds on my belt for four hours, so I preferred carrying the shotgun around on watch when I could.

Answer 3

As a tech (Army mos 33W to be specific) that has served in many "hot spots" I have always, always , always been isued a weapon. Had I not been I wouldn't be here today.
One of the first things taught in Army basic training is that you are a soldier first. That said any one who did not draw a weapon before going to Iraq or Afghanistan must be from some service like the Air Farce that never use them anyway.

Answer 4

The answer is no. If you are not directly involved in combat then are not issued a weapon unless you are military police, they are the only members of the military that almost always have weapons. I have been in the military for three years and been overseas in a "hostile environment" and have never been issued a weapon.

Answer 5

Every soldier is issued a weapon, but is not in constant possession of it unless in a hostile environment or for training purposes. I recieved the weapon issued to me in the Guard twice a year, qualification and annual training, but it was the same weapon each and every time and was documented on my weapons card.

I was a crewchief

Answer 6

Yes, except for Chaplins. Everyone must qualify with a weapon.
I'm not sure about medics and doctors. I use to be an Armorer and issued out weapons, but don't recall ever giving medics firearms except for a Captain once.

Answer 7

Yes. Qualifying with -your- assigned weapon is a requirement. It has to be your own assigned weapon so that the sights are set to YOU.
Everyone in a combat zone carries their weapons with them.
If not in a combat zone, your weapon will be locked up, but you will have one assigned.

Answer 8

Yes. According to my husband who spent 4 years in the Marines and took chef classes.

Answer 9

not if your just going to be here in the us in a role that wont have you in any kidn of threatening situations but if you were to be deployd the yes you would be issued a rifle even if you were the tech or mechanic because then your active duty in a combat scenario.

hope that helps you

Answer 10

yes you are a soldier first and a mechanic..techs..etc. last...my husband workes his @#$ off as a 63H, carrying all of that equipment plus his gun and a few knives(his personal)!! and guess what..mechanics are directly involved in combat..not sure where you get your information from......