Since Mike Downs yelled this at Steve Henderson, I hollered this in response:
 MD> to protect, I can at least rebuild it. To me, using a TOW-II on
 MD> troops is perfectly acceptable, and as for innocents and other
You don't get it.  A TOW gun system only carries TWO missiles.  Say you
decide that it'd be great fun to watch Luke d'Gook go up in a fiery
fireball.  Then you decide it'd be even greater fun for Ahab the Arab to
join him.  What the hell are you going to do with the tank platoon that
tops the hill -behind- them?
The pucker you just permanently installed in your anus, not to mention the
one you just gave to all the ground troops supporting -your- armor platoon,
isn't going to help you -or- the troops you are supposed to be protecting
from that tank platoon, now is it?
 MD> collateral damage, I'll simply quote to you what was told to me "You
 MD> were acceptable losses." A fly won't shoot at me, and I don't have to
 MD> use a cannon on it, but I would prefer overkill to underkill and me
 MD> being killed. But that is just the way I feel.
Overkill IS preferable to underkill.  However, we weren't discussing either
one.  My point, all along, is that you use the tool that is -best- suited
for the job to be performed.  Doing it your way is like cracking walnuts
with a hydraulic ram.
The T.O. weapon of the TOW gunner is a .45.  The T.O. weapon of the TOW
A-gunner is an M-16.  Use -them- first.  Use your supportive ground troops,
your radio (The damn thing is on the gun platform for a reason.).  The way 
he
TOW is deployed is -with- ground troops for perimeter security.  Call in
fire-support.  Call in an airstrike.  The PRC-77 is a -direct- link to the
unit that the TOW is supporting.  The TOW is -never- used as a frontal-
assault weapon.
If the Commander of that supported unit is incorrect in the way the TOW is
to be deployed, it is -your- job to see that he is properly informed.  Use
-tact-.  Remember your NCO development course?  USE IT.
... Rush Limbaugh:  The whale that walks like a man!
--- FM 1.02g/RA 2.02/FD 2.12
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