Lessons Learned in Combat

[kdbutler 563]

This is a cross-posting from another forum: M4carbine.net. Its written by Paul, a Marine Rifleman wounded in combat in Al Tarmiyah, Iraq back in '03. He has given permission for others to cross-post his story elsewhere.

 

I'm Paul, the wounded Marine mentioned above in Jeff's AAR. I served as a Rifleman (MOS 0311- Get Some!!) during the initial invasion of Iraq some 6 1/2 years ago, and was severely wounded in one hell of a gunfight on April 12, 2003 in the city of Al Tarmiyah, a small suburb just northwest of Baghdad. I can now say with complete confidence that had I somehow been able to attend a TRICON class (or similar training class offered by another quality instructor) before I deployed to war, and had been able to learn all of the things taught by Jeff Gonzales in this carbine course I recently took here in Houston, I would NOT have been shot the way I was on that Sunday afternoon in Iraq. That's not to say I wouldn't have been blown to shit in an IED attack on my second deployment to Ramadi in 2004 (which is where my unit deployed next), but I would not have been shot that day and wouldn't be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of my life.

 

I originally heard it read on "The Handgun Podcast", Eric Shelton's show on the Gun Rights Radio Network. It's in episode 78-Getting Schooled and can be heard HERE.

 

As I've said before on here, many of us don't talk up training enough. I myself am saving up for a carbine course taught locally at a large shooting range and training facility. I'll probably be ready in March.

 

Whether you're a warrior in the world's finest military, an LEO, or just a regular ol' sheepdog; there's something to be learned from Paul's story:

 

Lessons Learned in Combat

Edited January 11, 2010 by Kevin in Texas

[Lone Star Arms 2,047]

This is a cross-posting from another forum: M4carbine.net. Its written by Paul, a Marine Rifleman wounded in combat in Al Tarmiyah, Iraq back in '03. He has given permission for others to cross-post his story elsewhere.

 

I'm Paul, the wounded Marine mentioned above in Jeff's AAR. I served as a Rifleman (MOS 0311- Get Some!!) during the initial invasion of Iraq some 6 1/2 years ago, and was severely wounded in one hell of a gunfight on April 12, 2003 in the city of Al Tarmiyah, a small suburb just northwest of Baghdad. I can now say with complete confidence that had I somehow been able to attend a TRICON class (or similar training class offered by another quality instructor) before I deployed to war, and had been able to learn all of the things taught by Jeff Gonzales in this carbine course I recently took here in Houston, I would NOT have been shot the way I was on that Sunday afternoon in Iraq. That's not to say I wouldn't have been blown to shit in an IED attack on my second deployment to Ramadi in 2004 (which is where my unit deployed next), but I would not have been shot that day and wouldn't be paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of my life.

 

I originally heard it read on "The Handgun Podcast", Eric Shelton's show on the Gun Rights Radio Network. It's in episode 78-Getting Schooled and can be heard HERE.

 

As I've said before on here, many of us don't talk up training enough. I myself am saving up for a carbine course taught locally at a large shooting range and training facility. I'll probably be ready in March.

 

Whether you're a warrior in the world's finest military, an LEO, or just a regular ol' sheepdog; there's something to be learned from Paul's story.

 

Lessons Learned in Combat

 

Great post Kevin. Plus one!

 

WS

[chevyman097 2,579]

This is a great post ty, another +1 I also like the postcasts you posted in the past as Ive told you before. Anytime you post em Im very thankful!

[Frankyoz 15]

I did 2 tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, all together 9 years in the Corps. i will be the first to say we were unprepared for a MOUT combat scenario coupled with the gorilla style tactics and wide open spaces of Iraq and Afghanistan. Up until that point all doctrine was based largely on cold war tactics. Anyway long story short training after the invasion was stepped up DRAMATICALY and improved upon from all the current lessons we were learning first hand. In my MOUT Instructors class we had allot of guys who were at the battle of Hue brought in to give us their first hand experiences and what they learned. Training is everything and should always being improved upon, never stop learning thats when you lose the advantage and the edge.

[loki0629 55]

I've read that guys account and think it's bullshit. For example, where was the rest of his fireteam? He wants me to believe that he got separated from the rest of his team while he jumped a fence and engaged 8 of the muj by himself? Only a fucking idiot does something like that in urban combat. There's a reason why the fireteam is the smallest element in an infantry platoon. The team stays together...always! There isn't a single instance in his narrative that accounts for the rest of his fireteam. As I read it, this guy is in some residential back yard, by himself, engaging the enemy in a close in fight, ran out of ammo, stood out in the open to reload, and got hit by the muj he thought he killed? He wants me to believe that a trained grunt did not call out "Cover me, I'm reloading!" so that the rest of his team/squad/platoon could pick up the slack? This isn't even advanced grunt stuff either.

 

I feel sorry for the guy and it sucks that he's paralyzed but I'm not buying his story of how it went down.

[Frankyoz 15]

Didnt read the story just saw the bit about training from what you say I have to agree with you on every point wth I'm off to read the story lol

[Frankyoz 15]

Ok biggest flaw in this story is not being taught reload drills I dont know if he is a reservist and forgot his time doing rapid fire at the range during boot camp, or like I said a reservist who didnt get adequate repition and time at the range prior to his deployment. I did 6 of my years with Light Armored Reconnaisance, the Corps equivalant to mechanized infantry and was taught those basics and more. I think that its hard to determine what was up with his fire team as he may have just been focused on the first person narrative of his story but who knows. Either way its unfortunate what happened to him in the end and I hope he has faired well since the events occured all things considering.