Re: I'm sorry what....??
 

doh.....

Re: I'm sorry what....??
 

Anyone with any sense if handed a weapon or picking up a weapon should check it is not loaded, that does not apply only to the military. However one assumes that this man was trained to handle weapons and so should have known to do this.

That said, we are all human and make assumptions. What he did was stupid but not intentional. I think the sentence is probably correct. If the dead man's mother forgives him, who are we to judge?

Re: I'm sorry what....??
 

Agree with LP. A completely avoidable death, but you might ask why the rifle was left lying around, loaded, and with the catch off.

Re: I'm sorry what....??
 

Loaded unloaded doesn't matter.

Whilst I have never been military I held a FAC for over 20 years.

Lesson no 1. You never touch another persons gun without being given permission.
Lesson no 2. The first thing when you do pick up a gun is to check it is unloaded.

I note in the description they say it was a gun he had not been trained to use, as if that is an excuse for an ND. WTF do they mean by that. The only person taught to use a snipers rifle is somebody who has been through the sniper course. Surely though even the most stupid of squadies knows that you only need to pull back the bolt to check the chamber is clear.

Sounds like this guy lacked enough common sense to qualify him as cannon fodder.

Re: I'm sorry what....??
 

first thing your taught in handling weapons never point them at anything other than the target