I was a corporal. Chriscoop there was writing at my regiment battle camp base it said every commando is a soldier but not every soldier is a commando. Every training intake of recruits more than half of them would not be good enough to be passed out to get the beret and patch. When we were commandos and joined the commando regiment were we would serve our duties we had much training after this time. The commando regiment is trained in many skills to make us the best of our army. We train to work in enemy territory in small team this are called sticks. we train to reconnaissance, and to sniper, mountain climbing and to anti terrorist and much more. That is why I say things that we are the best in our army and this is known in the country by all the peoples even the civilians. When the army is sent to fight or to help other countries the commando is the first soldiers there. I was sent to do this also. but please I joke with you only. i was told to make more jokes here at agb so i just joke and not make offence with you.
I was a corporal. Chriscoop there was writing at my regiment battle camp base it said every commando is a soldier but not every soldier is a commando. Every training intake of recruits more than half of them would not be good enough to be passed out to get the beret and patch. When we were commandos and joined the commando regiment were we would serve our duties we had much training after this time. The commando regiment is trained in many skills to make us the best of our army. We train to work in enemy territory in small team this are called sticks. we train to reconnaissance, and to sniper, mountain climbing and to anti terrorist and much more. That is why I say things that we are the best in our army and this is known in the country by all the peoples even the civilians. When the army is sent to fight or to help other countries the commando is the first soldiers there. I was sent to do this also. but please I joke with you only. i was told to make more jokes here at agb so i just joke and not make offence with you.
At ease corporal, I take your posts in the spirit they are meant. I meant only that regimental rivalry could happen here, but only in a friendly way.
While I am not proud of my country of the way the government are I am very proud of my regiment always. This was made into me and everyone when we trained. I just do not say we are the best in our army to boast but this is the truth and known to all in the military and the civilians in the country. The training was made by the British commandos and they trained my regiment at the first but they were not there when I was in the regiment. Everyone feels pride to pass out but for us because the training was so hard and six months of training and only the best peoples made training to the very end after selection in the bush and the long 120km marches in small teams with the heavy pack in the very hard country with the dangers of attack from wild animals (many men have been killed or hurt by wild animal attacks doing the selection) always there. When we who had made to the end of the training felt much pride to be given our berets and dagger patch and that pride stays always.
I must say the truth that we look down at the general duties soldiers because of our training and that we always go the first into the operations in other countries to help or to fight. I think many army units who have special training will think this way?
No rivalry here I know my unit is the best (well to me anyway)
Actually have worked with the 'Royals' some of them are lovely people just a shame they are Navy
Seriously though no matter how precious we all get about this unit or that every operation is a combined arms battle, everyone needs each other to function (and we know that when there is a common foe). Whether you jump out a plane, storm up a beach or tab a long distance with only the kit you carry on your back, without all the assets around you this is pretty much all that would happen without enduring support from others. Gee we even need the RAF so every Op really is all Arms and Services!
Anyone who completes military (or other service to that matter) training special or otherwise has earned the right to be proud of that - there is no harm in that at all. It's what builds esprit be corps within any unit. It's the shared experience, a unifying bond between those who experience it. Achieving the seeming unachievable with the right motivation, its a journey not everyone gets to experience or fulfill and that is what makes it special to those who do.
Cheers :007)
My name is Bond, Basildon Bond - I have letters after my name!
I looked on the u tube to find this videos. I only seen the first video of the three but this is close to the training that my commando regiment had. I know the Zambian commandos because we trained on exercises with them some times, but we were better than them! The video shows the sorts of trainings we would do with the recruits who tried to become commandos. Some peoples i think may be surprised. I will watch the other videos.
Interesting. I found this two-part documentary about the first female special forces unit in the Norwegian army. The subtitles are in English, but I suspect a computer did the translating. Some translation choices are very odd. Still, it might be of interest for some of you.
I watched some off the video but the words were too quick on the screen and I could not understand some of the words.
The women of my country tried to join the special forces of the commando regiment in the year or so recently but i think they were not to last long. i keep to the news and i think they were beaten and worse but the commando training commander said that they would have no difference to the men recruits so none off them went far in the training. I think they were gone in the first one or two weeks and no more to come afterwards.
I watched the ZCR video part one and i see that some of the recruits in the physical training would not have made to pass in my regiment. They did the chin up bars poorly and other things but this could be the video editing. If they did this they would not have passed forward to more training in my regiment they would have been taken to the back phase and put in a training troop at the start but if they were still not good enough to pass the tests they would not have any more chance but this one and be sent from the regiment as failures. they would be offered to be GD but only this.
I'm sure the commando unit you served in is a very fine unit, but I was surpriced as many as half the people who try to become a commando make it. more than 700 women tried to join the "Ranger Troop" of the video, but only 10 were accepted. Circa 1200 soldiers apply to the Norwegian Army Paratroop Ranger unit evert year, but usually only 20-30 make it. The applicants to those units are often new recruits, so perhaps the recruits to your commando unit are already experienced soldiers?
I'm sure the commando unit you served in is a very fine unit, but I was surpriced as many as half the people who try to become a commando make it. more than 700 women tried to join the "Ranger Troop" of the video, but only 10 were accepted. Circa 1200 soldiers apply to the Norwegian Army Paratroop Ranger unit evert year, but usually only 20-30 make it. The applicants to those units are often new recruits, so perhaps the recruits to your commando unit are already experienced soldiers?
Hi number24, i to hope to answer correctly and hope you can understand what i try to say. I wonder the numbers you say of how many of these peoples were to apply in paper only and how many to get onto the course? 1200 for the ranger course are these to go on the course or are many less to go on the course after they are have the applicants turned away on the paper before the course? And the 700 women?were all these on the training course or were they applied on the paper and only not as many on the course?
For my regiment yes about half the recruits will make it to become the commando but this is not to say all the time. some time it will be more some trime it will be less even none. I don't think ever none has not finished the course and never all passed the course. To begin the apply with the writing and go for the tests and the interview and then only those who are expected to do well on the course go on the course so perhaps i could say five hundred peoples apply so that would make the rate to fail much harder to get the beret and patch at the end of the trainings period and not half. I hope you understand what I say. I do not now how many applicant on paper before the course but i am sure many will not be allowed to start the trtaining. I remember only three peoples were on the course who did the tests with me and perhaps there were twenty. I think also that peoples from my country are more used to tough life than peoples from Europe and can make more tough to do the training. i do not wish to be saying wrong things here about peoples in Europe but I know from living here that they have a soft life and would not live the life in Africa because it is hard life. this hard life makes peoples to have different ways. No not all recruits are already soldiers. I was from the civilian and I think on my course there were only perhaps 6 soldiers on the course and only one of them passed.
You make very good points, Joshua. People in the West are less used to living under tough conditions. I have read that they can notice this in the French Foreign Legion. I'm not sure about the other special forces units in my country, but it turns out it's complicated. In many ways you are right.
The Paratroop Rangers (FJ) only consider those with very good results from the first screening that all boys and girls in Norway undergo.
About 1200 of those apply for the FJ. They are tested physically in many camps around the country, I think this is running and perhaps more tests. About 200 of those qualify for the actual FJ selection and (in recent years) only 21 of those are accepted each year.
If you are among the 21 you can still be kicked out of the unit later, but usually during the first six months. When a friend of mine was a Paratroop Ranger in the mid-1990's, I think 26 was left after selection, but only 19 were left in the end.
This is a conscript unit, so the training is really just one year. The next ten years they have to do refresher training one month each year.
I would like to know what happens to the female special forces soldier in the video who went to Inteligence School afterwards - it's pretty much a spy school! :007)
I spent 4 years in the regular Air Force building nuclear weapons for the Minuteman III from 1972-1976. In 1986 I joined the Missouri Air National Guard at St Louis and built bombs, missiles and rockets, and strung ammo for the F-4E and F-15A fighters...In 1992 I transferred to the Tennessee Air Guard at Memphis, (my hometown) and spent 18 years working in supply and training. I retired in early 2011. I was deployed to the UK, Germany, and the Middle East...
If the good Lord would let me go around again, I would do it again...
A long time ago in a city, far, far away....
"I don't know if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or imbeciles who mean it."-Mark Twain
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
By the way, Ammo08 was my call sign in the Air Force when I was hauling munitions.....
"I don't know if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or imbeciles who mean it."-Mark Twain
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
You make very good points, Joshua. People in the West are less used to living under tough conditions. I have read that they can notice this in the French Foreign Legion. I'm not sure about the other special forces units in my country, but it turns out it's complicated. In many ways you are right.
The Paratroop Rangers (FJ) only consider those with very good results from the first screening that all boys and girls in Norway undergo.
About 1200 of those apply for the FJ. They are tested physically in many camps around the country, I think this is running and perhaps more tests. About 200 of those qualify for the actual FJ selection and (in recent years) only 21 of those are accepted each year.
If you are among the 21 you can still be kicked out of the unit later, but usually during the first six months. When a friend of mine was a Paratroop Ranger in the mid-1990's, I think 26 was left after selection, but only 19 were left in the end.
This is a conscript unit, so the training is really just one year. The next ten years they have to do refresher training one month each year.
I would like to know what happens to the female special forces soldier in the video who went to Inteligence School afterwards - it's pretty much a spy school! :007)
This makes more sense to me that only 200 people get on the course and it is different to 1200 applies. i think many of the peoples who applies would not ever have the chance to pass the course but just just do this for to do something different to speak with their friends? I think the rate to pass is then 1 to ten with 9 recruits failing the course. in my regiment to pass the selection phase. this ends with a 120km march through the very wild bush with no foods and only the not enough water and the heavy pack and rifle in 48 hours. The live ammunition is issued because many wild animals live there and they attack the soldiers and sometimes kill or wound them. There are no radio so if any soldier is hurt then they must be carried out by the others.
When after you get in the regiment this does not mean you are to stay in if you do not make your training that comes after then you will have to leave the regiment. There is much traing after the basic training and selection. We do not parachute but some of the commandos have the parachute wings but I did not. there is another regiment for the parachute. We are trained to go into the enemy territory by walking or vehicles or the boat and canoe or helicopter. Many times on the exercise we are chased by other units and the parachute regiment soldiers who are the special forces also. We also chase others because we must now how to track and find the terrorist in the bush. This training if the commando is not good enough then he goes from the regiment.
What I say here may sound strange to Europeans armies but we also have a regiment who work on the horses. These regiment is not a special force but because much of the land is very hard it is better to use the horse than the vehicle that will not pass on this land. A horse is quick and can go where no vehicle can go. many kilometers in a day can be made on a horse and spoor can be followed better much times also. If they track they can catch up the enemy or get in front to ambush on the direction they travel.
I did not now this. The horse is still very good across hard ground where vehicles can not go.
A funny story.
At my depot there was a very bad NCO. He was the very senior and no one liked him at all. he would make lifes bad for every one all the time if he could. We all did not like this NCO as he was the worst. One time we decided to get our revenge. If we were caught we would get the prison in the DB so it was best we did not get found. We stole some paper with the official letter on it at the top and got a typewriter and we made out a letter to the NCO. this letter said was from the top brass officers and said the NCO was to be given a special award for his service in the army. he was to get the award at a special meeting and ceremony with the generals of the defence staff. We new this NCO was a man who thought himself the best and above all others. We put the lette into the incoming mail and had stamped the envelop with the stamps from the office. this NCO got the letter and went to all the depot telling how good he was to get the award. Only us few new the real truth. the NCO spent much time getting his uniform ready for the ceremony and it was two weeks of him making big of himself to everyone until one of the officers made to ask at HQ about this award. no onew new about the award and the truth then came that the NCO had been fooled. All the soldiers laughed for a long time about this and the NCO and the officers tried to find who had done this but they never did! It was good revenge!
I spent 4 years in the regular Air Force building nuclear weapons for the Minuteman III from 1972-1976. In 1986 I joined the Missouri Air National Guard at St Louis and built bombs, missiles and rockets, and strung ammo for the F-4E and F-15A fighters...In 1992 I transferred to the Tennessee Air Guard at Memphis, (my hometown) and spent 18 years working in supply and training. I retired in early 2011. I was deployed to the UK, Germany, and the Middle East...
If the good Lord would let me go around again, I would do it again...
A long time ago in a city, far, far away....
As a Minuteman II EMT guy, what sort of building did you perform for LGM-30G? Did you work at Ogden?
I don't recall anyone in the Air Force being involved in manufacturing weapon systems.
When we used to do the exercises, many times these would be in the deep wilds known as the bush. One exercise which happened to all men in the regiment was that a stick of 4 men dropped into the remote bush and have to do different tasks but one task was to get a wounded comrade out of the bush on the stretcher for perhaps 60 or even 100km. At first times the wounded man was a real soldier but many times they would cheat and walk on their own but the officers knew this so the wounded man was a log that was heavy as a man with equipment and rifle and to make sure the soldiers carried to wounded man to the end point even the log was painted with the numbers so no cheating could happen!
The MK-12 Re-entry system came to us in about 1200 pieces, we tested, inspected and assembled every piece. I was a 46350 Nuclear Weapons Specialist, our tech school was at Lowry AFB in Denver. It was around 4 months long, then we had a follow-on 4 week school for the MMIII system. The actual warhead was assembled by Sandia and General Electric, then shipped to us by Military Airlift Command. .
Ogden was know as OAMA, Ogden Air Material Area, they maintained the parts for the MMIII. I got the opportunity to go to Vandenberg AFB 4 times for missile tests..quite exciting for a young guy from the Ozarks.
My four years in nukes was spent at FE Warren AFB, WY...loved that place....
"I don't know if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or imbeciles who mean it."-Mark Twain
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
I never knew that job existed. I thought the RV's all came pre-assembled and went straight to the WSA before being pulled by MMT for a bomb swap or regeneration.
Fascinating.
Incidentally, I wore that Combo 3A in tech school at Chanute and for a year or two at Whiteman until it was phased out. I think the last year for wear was '84 or '85. Not certain though.
I was dressed up to pull CQ at tech school at Lowry AFB, 1972. I generally wore fatigues or the white coveralls with all my patches on it.
We also had to periodically have the the weapons brought back to the WSA (bomb dump) to change out parts that had time limits on them. That was always fun.
"I don't know if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or imbeciles who mean it."-Mark Twain
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
How did you test this weapons? Where they ever test fired (without the live warhead of course!)? was the target into the sea. This sound stupid for a atomic weapon but how accurate where they? Could they hit a certain targets or general area? I think I read that such weapons had more than one bomb, even 4 or 5? does the picture show 3 warheads?
The first test involved pulling the sortie, shipping it to Vandenberg AFB in California and emplacing it into an operational test launch facility. Each base did this concurrently in an exercise called Missile Combat Competition. It was for points and each year one base won the Blanchard Trophy. Whiteman AFB won it five times.
This missile was launched downrange into the south Pacific.
In another type of test called SELM, Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman, the launch facility was isolated from the rest of the squadron, the first stage ignition circuits was electrically isolated, and the launch teams and launch was electrically simulated all the way up to the door being explosively blown from the launcher.
Two of the four squibs that blew the 110 ton launcher closure were deactivated and the door was heavily sandbagged to keep it from rolling off of the rail.
This test was not a competition, but each team involved was graded on their performance by QC teams watching every move you made. I was responsible for electrically isolating the first stage ignition along with my Team Member while a QC team watched us perform the procedure. There could be no mistakes performing this task. IIRC it also involved a BT and G&C can swap for the MMT teams.
Exact accuracy of Minuteman II and III was, and is classified. The CEP is within about 500'
Minuteman II carried one Mk 12C warhead. Minuteman III carried up to three, but START II limited that to one also. I am not certain of it's current configuration nor treaty enforcement at this time.
At a Whiteman AFB launch facility a few months before I arrived a maintenance tech was killed in the launch tube by not following the T.O. procedures.
Seems this maintenance troop either dropped a tool, or a cable or other item was tangled on the missile suspension system arm. This is a large shock-isolated suspension cage that supports the missile and 'floats' it within the launch tube in case of a near detonation of an opponent's warhead.
These vertical arms hold the missile until first stage ignition and then release the missile and violently slam against the launch tube liner.
This maintenance troop climbed out of the work cage and on to one of the suspension arms and something fired the squib that actuates one of the suspension arms.
The suspension arm smashed him between the arm and the launch tube liner killing him instantly.
He was supposed to be wed the following week to another Air Force member. A girl that I knew who worked in Missile Safety and Nuclear Surity knew this guy. She told me the story second hand from reports she received from people she knew in Wing Job Control.
That must have been pretty gruesome to have to clean up.
It's a lot more accurate than 500 feet...I suspect the newer ones are very accurate. I think current configuration is one MK-12C warhead...we always built them with three, and some chaff dispensers...
"I don't know if the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or imbeciles who mean it."-Mark Twain
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
Comments
Who has the highest military rank here?
When it comes to Rock, Paper, Rank 'C' always wins even over 'M'!!
Cheers :007)
I must say the truth that we look down at the general duties soldiers because of our training and that we always go the first into the operations in other countries to help or to fight. I think many army units who have special training will think this way?
Actually have worked with the 'Royals' some of them are lovely people just a shame they are Navy
Seriously though no matter how precious we all get about this unit or that every operation is a combined arms battle, everyone needs each other to function (and we know that when there is a common foe). Whether you jump out a plane, storm up a beach or tab a long distance with only the kit you carry on your back, without all the assets around you this is pretty much all that would happen without enduring support from others. Gee we even need the RAF so every Op really is all Arms and Services!
Anyone who completes military (or other service to that matter) training special or otherwise has earned the right to be proud of that - there is no harm in that at all. It's what builds esprit be corps within any unit. It's the shared experience, a unifying bond between those who experience it. Achieving the seeming unachievable with the right motivation, its a journey not everyone gets to experience or fulfill and that is what makes it special to those who do.
Cheers :007)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrPzXWohreM
Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkhgC2CEmcA
Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eN5N4AZxZs
The women of my country tried to join the special forces of the commando regiment in the year or so recently but i think they were not to last long. i keep to the news and i think they were beaten and worse but the commando training commander said that they would have no difference to the men recruits so none off them went far in the training. I think they were gone in the first one or two weeks and no more to come afterwards.
I watched the ZCR video part one and i see that some of the recruits in the physical training would not have made to pass in my regiment. They did the chin up bars poorly and other things but this could be the video editing. If they did this they would not have passed forward to more training in my regiment they would have been taken to the back phase and put in a training troop at the start but if they were still not good enough to pass the tests they would not have any more chance but this one and be sent from the regiment as failures. they would be offered to be GD but only this.
Hi number24, i to hope to answer correctly and hope you can understand what i try to say. I wonder the numbers you say of how many of these peoples were to apply in paper only and how many to get onto the course? 1200 for the ranger course are these to go on the course or are many less to go on the course after they are have the applicants turned away on the paper before the course? And the 700 women?were all these on the training course or were they applied on the paper and only not as many on the course?
For my regiment yes about half the recruits will make it to become the commando but this is not to say all the time. some time it will be more some trime it will be less even none. I don't think ever none has not finished the course and never all passed the course. To begin the apply with the writing and go for the tests and the interview and then only those who are expected to do well on the course go on the course so perhaps i could say five hundred peoples apply so that would make the rate to fail much harder to get the beret and patch at the end of the trainings period and not half. I hope you understand what I say. I do not now how many applicant on paper before the course but i am sure many will not be allowed to start the trtaining. I remember only three peoples were on the course who did the tests with me and perhaps there were twenty. I think also that peoples from my country are more used to tough life than peoples from Europe and can make more tough to do the training. i do not wish to be saying wrong things here about peoples in Europe but I know from living here that they have a soft life and would not live the life in Africa because it is hard life. this hard life makes peoples to have different ways. No not all recruits are already soldiers. I was from the civilian and I think on my course there were only perhaps 6 soldiers on the course and only one of them passed.
The Paratroop Rangers (FJ) only consider those with very good results from the first screening that all boys and girls in Norway undergo.
About 1200 of those apply for the FJ. They are tested physically in many camps around the country, I think this is running and perhaps more tests. About 200 of those qualify for the actual FJ selection and (in recent years) only 21 of those are accepted each year.
If you are among the 21 you can still be kicked out of the unit later, but usually during the first six months. When a friend of mine was a Paratroop Ranger in the mid-1990's, I think 26 was left after selection, but only 19 were left in the end.
This is a conscript unit, so the training is really just one year. The next ten years they have to do refresher training one month each year.
I would like to know what happens to the female special forces soldier in the video who went to Inteligence School afterwards - it's pretty much a spy school! :007)
If the good Lord would let me go around again, I would do it again...
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
This makes more sense to me that only 200 people get on the course and it is different to 1200 applies. i think many of the peoples who applies would not ever have the chance to pass the course but just just do this for to do something different to speak with their friends? I think the rate to pass is then 1 to ten with 9 recruits failing the course. in my regiment to pass the selection phase. this ends with a 120km march through the very wild bush with no foods and only the not enough water and the heavy pack and rifle in 48 hours. The live ammunition is issued because many wild animals live there and they attack the soldiers and sometimes kill or wound them. There are no radio so if any soldier is hurt then they must be carried out by the others.
When after you get in the regiment this does not mean you are to stay in if you do not make your training that comes after then you will have to leave the regiment. There is much traing after the basic training and selection. We do not parachute but some of the commandos have the parachute wings but I did not. there is another regiment for the parachute. We are trained to go into the enemy territory by walking or vehicles or the boat and canoe or helicopter. Many times on the exercise we are chased by other units and the parachute regiment soldiers who are the special forces also. We also chase others because we must now how to track and find the terrorist in the bush. This training if the commando is not good enough then he goes from the regiment.
What I say here may sound strange to Europeans armies but we also have a regiment who work on the horses. These regiment is not a special force but because much of the land is very hard it is better to use the horse than the vehicle that will not pass on this land. A horse is quick and can go where no vehicle can go. many kilometers in a day can be made on a horse and spoor can be followed better much times also. If they track they can catch up the enemy or get in front to ambush on the direction they travel.
A funny story.
At my depot there was a very bad NCO. He was the very senior and no one liked him at all. he would make lifes bad for every one all the time if he could. We all did not like this NCO as he was the worst. One time we decided to get our revenge. If we were caught we would get the prison in the DB so it was best we did not get found. We stole some paper with the official letter on it at the top and got a typewriter and we made out a letter to the NCO. this letter said was from the top brass officers and said the NCO was to be given a special award for his service in the army. he was to get the award at a special meeting and ceremony with the generals of the defence staff. We new this NCO was a man who thought himself the best and above all others. We put the lette into the incoming mail and had stamped the envelop with the stamps from the office. this NCO got the letter and went to all the depot telling how good he was to get the award. Only us few new the real truth. the NCO spent much time getting his uniform ready for the ceremony and it was two weeks of him making big of himself to everyone until one of the officers made to ask at HQ about this award. no onew new about the award and the truth then came that the NCO had been fooled. All the soldiers laughed for a long time about this and the NCO and the officers tried to find who had done this but they never did! It was good revenge!
As a Minuteman II EMT guy, what sort of building did you perform for LGM-30G? Did you work at Ogden?
I don't recall anyone in the Air Force being involved in manufacturing weapon systems.
When we used to do the exercises, many times these would be in the deep wilds known as the bush. One exercise which happened to all men in the regiment was that a stick of 4 men dropped into the remote bush and have to do different tasks but one task was to get a wounded comrade out of the bush on the stretcher for perhaps 60 or even 100km. At first times the wounded man was a real soldier but many times they would cheat and walk on their own but the officers knew this so the wounded man was a log that was heavy as a man with equipment and rifle and to make sure the soldiers carried to wounded man to the end point even the log was painted with the numbers so no cheating could happen!
Ogden was know as OAMA, Ogden Air Material Area, they maintained the parts for the MMIII. I got the opportunity to go to Vandenberg AFB 4 times for missile tests..quite exciting for a young guy from the Ozarks.
My four years in nukes was spent at FE Warren AFB, WY...loved that place....
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
Fascinating.
Incidentally, I wore that Combo 3A in tech school at Chanute and for a year or two at Whiteman until it was phased out. I think the last year for wear was '84 or '85. Not certain though.
We also had to periodically have the the weapons brought back to the WSA (bomb dump) to change out parts that had time limits on them. That was always fun.
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)
The first test involved pulling the sortie, shipping it to Vandenberg AFB in California and emplacing it into an operational test launch facility. Each base did this concurrently in an exercise called Missile Combat Competition. It was for points and each year one base won the Blanchard Trophy. Whiteman AFB won it five times.
This missile was launched downrange into the south Pacific.
In another type of test called SELM, Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman, the launch facility was isolated from the rest of the squadron, the first stage ignition circuits was electrically isolated, and the launch teams and launch was electrically simulated all the way up to the door being explosively blown from the launcher.
Two of the four squibs that blew the 110 ton launcher closure were deactivated and the door was heavily sandbagged to keep it from rolling off of the rail.
This test was not a competition, but each team involved was graded on their performance by QC teams watching every move you made. I was responsible for electrically isolating the first stage ignition along with my Team Member while a QC team watched us perform the procedure. There could be no mistakes performing this task. IIRC it also involved a BT and G&C can swap for the MMT teams.
Exact accuracy of Minuteman II and III was, and is classified. The CEP is within about 500'
Minuteman II carried one Mk 12C warhead. Minuteman III carried up to three, but START II limited that to one also. I am not certain of it's current configuration nor treaty enforcement at this time.
www.justgiving.com/inMemoryOfLewisCollins
www.helpforheroes.org.uk
At a Whiteman AFB launch facility a few months before I arrived a maintenance tech was killed in the launch tube by not following the T.O. procedures.
Seems this maintenance troop either dropped a tool, or a cable or other item was tangled on the missile suspension system arm. This is a large shock-isolated suspension cage that supports the missile and 'floats' it within the launch tube in case of a near detonation of an opponent's warhead.
These vertical arms hold the missile until first stage ignition and then release the missile and violently slam against the launch tube liner.
This maintenance troop climbed out of the work cage and on to one of the suspension arms and something fired the squib that actuates one of the suspension arms.
The suspension arm smashed him between the arm and the launch tube liner killing him instantly.
He was supposed to be wed the following week to another Air Force member. A girl that I knew who worked in Missile Safety and Nuclear Surity knew this guy. She told me the story second hand from reports she received from people she knew in Wing Job Control.
That must have been pretty gruesome to have to clean up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFnQEwxkeM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNlOsko1H7Q
'Just because nobody complains doesn't mean all parachutes are perfect.'- Benny Hill (1924-1992)