Count your rounds

[Christopher J. D'Dario]

I've heard that in modern combat, you must be able to account for all the rounds you fire.
True or False?

[PuNk! ™]

Good question, I think this is primarily true, but I wouldn't know personally. Perhaps JT could throw some light on the matter? If anybody will know, I'm pretty sure he would.
~Danny

[Nathan Whyte]

I don't think it's a matter of counting them as you fire them, but you would know "I left the base with six thirty-round magazines. I'm returning with two empties, two fulls, one with five rounds left and one with six rounds left." And from there you can work out that you fired 109 rounds. (If my maths is up to scratch).

[Christopher J. D'Dario]

Hmmm, I ask because a mate of mine has a mate who's in the army and apparently he's getting court marshaled for firing off 10 rounds, (killing three enemies) but is only able to account for 9 of the bullets.

[Edward"Butcher"McMillan]

Keep in mind that my experience sits with the American Army...the majority of soldiers must account for their rounds, however units whose role is strictly enemy engagement (i.e. Infantry, rangers, cavalry, special forces, so on and so forth) are given all types of ammo before each mission (i.e. bullets, grenades, AT projectiles, so on and so forth) and accountability is a bit lax. Now before you go thinking that handing out loads of that stuff and not tracking it is crazy...everything is stored in each unit's armory and given out as needed per mission based off of intel and upon return everything goes back to the armory once you return and during the AAR (After Action Report) everything is tallied up and reported...the only ammo an individual soldiers carries at all times are the rounds for their primary weapon and side arm. There is also an EXTENSIVE process performed before leaving the AO (Area of Operations) toward peaceful ground that involves the search and cleaning of EVERYTHING. Said process usually takes around two solid weeks with the optimal amount of personnel involved.

It's not impossible to keep trinkets that fall through the cracks

-JT

[PuNk! ™]

Oct 9, 2011 23:05:31 GMT Christopher J. D'Dario said:

Hmmm, I ask because a mate of mine has a mate who's in the army and apparently he's getting court marshaled for firing off 10 rounds, (killing three enemies) but is only able to account for 9 of the bullets.

Maybe one of the rounds flew skyward? Not sure why his under court marshal for not being able to account for one round, sounds odd, but without knowing the whole story it's hard for anyone to say. Perhaps he used lived ammunition off base (or in base) and therefore isn't able to account for it? Who knows...

Sounds a bit like it runs deeper than just shooting three enemies and one single round isn't placed. Like I said, could run deeper?
~Danny

[Christopher J. D'Dario]

I don't know all the details either, what I put on here is as much as I know and I couldn't get any more info out of my mate..