US Army issue weapons

[copeab]

I'm not sure if medics are issued weapons. Otherwise, nothing looks terribly unrealistic.

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by copeab

I'm not sure if medics are issued weapons. Otherwise, nothing looks terribly unrealistic.

In an infantry battalion, a medic carries the same weapons as a basic rifleman -- which means he's one of the heaviest members of the platoon. They trained with us and were pretty much as good as infantrymen as the rest of us were.

As an aside: Who's the most heavily-armed individual infantryman of an infantry battalion? It's the Chaplain's aide. For example, in my first active duty unit at Ft. Stewart, Slev (nobody could ever remember his mile-long name) carried an M-16A2/M-203 combination. He was issued twice the ammo of anybody else. The HMMWV he drove had a wartime load of a Dragon and two missiles, six AT-4s, two satchel charges -- and it was the only armored HMMWV we had. The Chaplain, who is unarmed, is considered very important in a US Army unit, and the Chaplain's Aide is his bodyguard. (And Slev also had to be able to assist in religious rituals!)

[pmulcahy11b]

I have to semi-disagree with you on one point, Eddie -- if the combat journalist is a civilian, he would be unarmed (though unless he is stupid, he's have picked one up in a T2K context). That is because he is legally considered a non-combatant.

If he's a military Combat Correspondent, he's basically a rifleman with cameras.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

I have to semi-disagree with you on one point, Eddie -- if the combat journalist is a civilian, he would be unarmed (though unless he is stupid, he's have picked one up in a T2K context). That is because he is legally considered a non-combatant.

If he's a military Combat Correspondent, he's basically a rifleman with cameras.

Since you're wanting to play semantics, I have to disagree with you then, pmulc, if he's a civilian, he's an embedded journalist, not a combat journalist. Combat Journalist is a Combat Correspondent.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Since you're wanting to play semantics, I have to disagree with you then, pmulc, if he's a civilian, he's an embedded journalist, not a combat journalist. Combat Journalist is a Combat Correspondent.

But also, he's specifically listed as an Enlisted Combat Journalist, so we can argue the semantics all day, but the OP already identified what he meant.

[Legbreaker]

Meh, it's T2K. Arm him with whatever you feel like....

[Cdnwolf]

Guns??? What are you a bunch on panty waste sissys! I killed more men with my sharpened spoon then my gun! Ahhh nothing better then the feel of hot blood running over your hands when you make the first cut!!


(Okay... I have to stop eating my spiked rum cake... That was my alter ego Sgt Mayhem taking over for a bit...)

[pmulcahy11b]

Originally Posted by Eddie

Since you're wanting to play semantics, I have to disagree with you then, pmulc, if he's a civilian, he's an embedded journalist, not a combat journalist. Combat Journalist is a Combat Correspondent.

I don't want to play semantics, I'm just good at it.

[weswood]

Thanks for all the help.

To further clarify ( or confuse!)the situation, in my Twilight world, I've pushed back the nuclear exchanges. War starts as usual, with China/Soviet border clashes in 1996. It stays conventional until '97 when the USA/Nato/reunified Germany enter the war. Warsaw Pact uses nukes in China to free up some Armies to send against NATO, but avoids using them against NATO. '98 is pretty quiet re nukes, 99% conventional warfare. '99 the tactical nukes start falling again, this time against NATO. Then, Thankskgiving of '99 Warsaw Pact launches strategic nukes against the US and others in a last ditch effort to win the war.

The NPC party ( 1 SSgt, 1 Cpl Medic, 3 PFCs) were part of replacement troops, the last ship out from the US. They were actually at sea when the US was hit.

The reason I came up with that timeline is because if I ever find live players they probably won't be prior military, or combat experienced. Having them fresh to the war will cover any serious tactical blunders then make. That, and I have a hard time believing that the US would send troops overseas after being hit with massive nuclear strikes (TDM).

And while on issue weapons, is there an Army equivalent to the USMC K-bar knife? Issued instead of a bayonet to those whose primary weapon won't handle a bayonet - machinegunners, M203's etc.

[Legbreaker]

I'm not US, but back when I was in the Australian Infantry, machinegunners were not issued with any knives (besides a pocket knife hardly anyone carried). This was one of the reasons I made a habit of carrying a hand axe. There was a rumour though that gunners were to be issued pistols, but I never even laid eyes on one (the battalion only had 9 total if memory serves me).

Grenadiers (both M79 and later M203) were issued with bayonets, even though they could not be used while the launcher was fitted.

[copeab]

Originally Posted by pmulcahy11b

In an infantry battalion, a medic carries the same weapons as a basic rifleman -- which means he's one of the heaviest members of the platoon. They trained with us and were pretty much as good as infantrymen as the rest of us were.

Ah, okay. I've done more WWII gaming that modern military gaming and medics in the ETO generally weren't armed as Germans usually didn't shoot at them (the Pacific was an entirely different matter).

[Ramjam]

But most modern armies don't have medics as such (apart from at hospitals and aid posts etc). They are combat medics which are infantryman trained to be a medics.
They are armed because a) they are infantryman first and b) they have to be able to protect any wounded in their care.

[TiggerCCW UK]

I have a friend who was a Royal Navy doctor before leaving the service. IIRC he usually carried a sidearm at least, both for personal protection and to protect his patients. I'll check with him when I see him at the weekend and let you know.

[fightingflamingo]

In the US Army there are Medics and Combat Life Savers.

Medics are the traditional aidmen attached to platoons. In the past they have been armed with sidearms for self defense, but there has been a trend to arm them with rifles/carbines in my experience in addition to the side arm. Their Aid bags, and carry an assortment of pharma & bandages which gives them the ability to triage personel in a broad range of ailments and injuries ranging from colds to traumatic combat injuries. The medic is responsible for the general health and hygene of a platoon in the field.

Combat Life Savers, are soldiers whom have completed a 40 hour block of instruction to enable them to stabalize casualties, and otherwise supplement the Platoon Medic. The are armed as a rifleman (or whatever function the platoon serves, depending on branch) and carry an aid bag which is less comprehensive than that which a Medic carries. They typically are able to apply field dressings, and start IV's (saline typically carried in aidbag). Generally, on Combat Life Saver will be present in a Squad, but there may be as many as one per fire team (again this is dependent on the unit and the TO&E).

Battalions usually provide aid stations in the battalion rear area, located away from the TOC, and the Logistical trains. There may be a physician, LPN, NP, or other health care professional there Plus several medics as staff. From the Battalion Aid Station, evacuated casualties may be evacutated further to a field hospital (the Aid Station may be bypassed by way of a heliborne Medivac), or returned to duty. Treatment for minor illness, injuries, may be completed at the aid station prior to a return to duty order. Personel will be equipt with a mixture of rifles/Carbines/sidearms... I never served in one myself, but I've seen them carry all kinds of weapons with no apparent logic to their assignment.

[rcaf_777]

I say your orginal TO&E is good, while yes those weapons would not normally found on pers of thier rank, job ect. In Twiligt there any number of reasons as why this party was armed that way, I mean this is role playing as long as you come up with a logical reson, I say go for it

[Abbott Shaull]

Originally Posted by copeab

Ah, okay. I've done more WWII gaming that modern military gaming and medics in the ETO generally weren't armed as Germans usually didn't shoot at them (the Pacific was an entirely different matter).

Well it one of those things with the mind set of local culture. I wonder how medic faired on the Eastern Front.