Phillippine Navy ????

While at the range this Sunday, noticed a commotion going on a few tabled down from me.
One of our Filipino range safety officers was scolding a bunch of shooters.
All in Filipino.
Found out later, they were sailors from Philippine Navy, here for the RimPac exercise.
Somehow they got a hold of a AR15, and some ammo, and wanted to shoot some.
They seemed not to know anything about it.
They could load the mag, and put it in, but didn't know anything from there.
When I walked over, the cease fire buzzer went off.
They, of course didn't know who to lock the bolt back.
More scolding in Filipino.
Talking later to the RO, he was kind of mad because they made Filipino military look bad.
They did the "don't know how to drop the mag", "drop the mag, trying to close the bolt", "don't know how to hold the bolt open".
They didn't do anything any "Newby" didn't do.
I'm guessing they don't train with firearms in the Philippine Navy.
Whenever RimPac comes to town, it's kind of a zoo in Waikiki and town.
Lots of drunk sailors.

I carried enough M16s over the years in the Army that I truly find such things boring, but to each his own. Occasionally I still RSO for a public range, great place with good folks running it, I just shoot mostly on my own place now. Anyway, had two different AR shooters once that couldn't figure out how to zero scopes on ARs, one of them had a real high end one with a real expensive Leupold. After watching both shoot a bunch and not getting on the paper, I asked if I could help, both said yes. I took the upper off, removed the bolt, sandbagged and bore sighted each like I would a bolt action rifle, and put them back together and darned if we aren't now on the paper! Both parties were actually very nice about it and receptive to instruction. Sounds like the sailors on your range were willing to listen too.

Everybody is a newb at something sooner or later, that's fine. It's the occasional ones who won't listen or take instruction that are a problem. You do run into someone now and then with more money than sense who has something that they refuse to admit they know nothing about and won't even listen to recommendations, fortunately, that seems rare in my experience.

I hope those guys had fun and learned a little while they did it. I like and respect young men and women serving their country.

Deck hands on flip boats aren't trained to engage they have a few on the ship trained on the larger vessels like a cutter they have some marines.

Is there a political reason the reg navy isn't trained for combat with riles.

I would suspect their sailors would know as much about small arms as ours do. Their Army and Marines are usually quite competent.

The ABS on some of our ships like the Leroy Grumman were trained with the 870 rem and the M14 thats as far as they went the M2HB was regular marines.

Once in a while, if I see someone having a really hard time, I may offer to help.
99% of the time they are glad for the help.
99% of the time, they just got the rifle and don't really know anything about it.
Had one poor guy who went through 9+ boxes of Gold match ammo, and still didn't get it on paper.
Nice brand new rifle with a expensive scope.
Helped him bore sight it,
He shot a few rounds and was almost in the "X".
How did I know he used 9+ boxes????
After 10 rounds he was out of ammo.
He did give me his empty brass.

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Originally Posted by mold maker

Is there a political reason the reg navy isn't trained for combat with riles.

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Probably the same reason they aren't trained to drive a Humvee. It's just not needed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mold maker

Is there a political reason the reg navy isn't trained for combat with riles.

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The enemy doesn't board your ship like a pirate. You train to maintain your ships operation or scuttle. There are a few trained for boarding and prize crew but they are very few. Brown water navy is a different critter too.

A lot of third world navies ,they figure if the ratings dont know smallarms,gives the officers a bit more time to draw their weapon.

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Originally Posted by jsizemore

The enemy doesn't board your ship like a pirate. You train to maintain your ships operation or scuttle. There are a few trained for boarding and prize crew but they are very few. Brown water navy is a different critter too.

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6 years in the navy, 5 years of that at sea, and i have never once heard of anybody, or any ship training for scuttling. real facts are, anyone who stands a deck watch P.O.O.W. or above is at a minimum pistol qualified, with most being shotgun qualified also. many are also M14 qualified(at least during my time, who knows what is being used now). the US Navy really isnt too concerned about being boarded at sea, but guess what , most ships spend a lot of time in port, and thats where the armed deck watches, and roving patrol come into play, along with the SAT & BAF teams.