Hi, there. So, as you all know, I saw the movie "American Sniper" over the weekend. It was a good movie, but not something that I would want to see again. However, it did re-kindle a question that I had, and I would like to ask it here, of our former and active Military members, who have seen combat: (And I would like to take this time to thank you for your service.)
My question regards the "use of enemy small arms on the battlefield." Let me explain...
Several times, we see the platoon of armed forced breaching doors and entering houses and etc etc. They shoot around the corners, ok, cool... but sometimes, they get pinned down and have to do a lot of exchanging fire. However, something I never did quite get: They have a "set" amount of ammunition. I understand the traditional infantry weapon to be some kind of M16-A2. So... let's visualize: We have just "taken down" perhaps, let us say, 2, 3, 4, 5 enemy soldiers. They are well armed. In this arena, they more than likely have "some kind of an AK." Everyone says AK-47; we all know that there are many AKs, some even 5.56, though not the same exact as the NATO round.. (5x45 maybe.) Anyways. I got a little off track. The KIND of ammo isn't important...
Wound, in a situation of running low on ammunition, a US soldier do something like in the video game "Doom" or "Doom 2," and use the weapon of the disabled or at least dead enemy? Basically, and in a nutshell: Using the weapons that were being fired at you, taking them physically off the enemy soldier, and using those to "rock out" and fire back? Maybe not for an assault, but to a retreat? Perhaps to an armored Humvee or something?
I never did understand how there can seemingly be a lot of small arms/assault weapons (?) around, on enemy soldiers, and the US soldiers not even so much as touch one, by trained soldiers that know what to do with them, when it may very well have some live fire that they could then use to secure/advance on ... the enemy territory.
?
My question regards the "use of enemy small arms on the battlefield." Let me explain...
Several times, we see the platoon of armed forced breaching doors and entering houses and etc etc. They shoot around the corners, ok, cool... but sometimes, they get pinned down and have to do a lot of exchanging fire. However, something I never did quite get: They have a "set" amount of ammunition. I understand the traditional infantry weapon to be some kind of M16-A2. So... let's visualize: We have just "taken down" perhaps, let us say, 2, 3, 4, 5 enemy soldiers. They are well armed. In this arena, they more than likely have "some kind of an AK." Everyone says AK-47; we all know that there are many AKs, some even 5.56, though not the same exact as the NATO round.. (5x45 maybe.) Anyways. I got a little off track. The KIND of ammo isn't important...
Wound, in a situation of running low on ammunition, a US soldier do something like in the video game "Doom" or "Doom 2," and use the weapon of the disabled or at least dead enemy? Basically, and in a nutshell: Using the weapons that were being fired at you, taking them physically off the enemy soldier, and using those to "rock out" and fire back? Maybe not for an assault, but to a retreat? Perhaps to an armored Humvee or something?
I never did understand how there can seemingly be a lot of small arms/assault weapons (?) around, on enemy soldiers, and the US soldiers not even so much as touch one, by trained soldiers that know what to do with them, when it may very well have some live fire that they could then use to secure/advance on ... the enemy territory.
?