SH>Since Vern Humphrey yelled this at Bob Allman, I hollered this in 
sponse:
SH> VH> We used to take an ammo box (the wooden two-round box that 106mm
SH> VH> rounds are shipped in) and place it about 20 yards behind the breech.
SH> VH> While trainees in the stands watched, we'd light one off, and blow 
that
SH> VH> box to toothpicks.
SH> VH> That was one lesson that sunk in. :-)
SH>Especially if any of those trainees has ever been on a detail hauling the
SH>empties away.  Them damn things get heavy.  Quick.
At the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, there is a
30-kilometer live fire movement to contact exercise for a battalion task
force.  The task force is responsible for re-arming itself (the movement
to contact is executed after a live-fire defense mission) -- the ammo is
picked up at an Ammunition Transfer Point (ATP) tactically.
A lot of people have never actually SEEN all the ammunition a battalion
has in its basic load -- it's really comical to watch people who haven't
practiced handling that much ammo try to figure out how to get it out of
the boxes and into the tanks and bradlies in the time available.
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