4 Marines reassigned in shooting death from war games

[thedrifter]

Blank ammunition supposed to be used <br />
<br />
By Jeanette Steele <br />
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER <br />
<br />
November 21, 2002 <br />
<br />
CAMP PENDLETON – Four Marines have been reassigned and face possible discipline in...

[MillRatUSMC]

This has been bugging me to no end;
Ottley then fired four bullets into Pfc. Jeremy Purcell, 19, of Provo, Utah, who was playing the enemy in the exercise. The .556-caliber rounds from an M-4 rifle pierced the body-armor vest Purcell was wearing.
Key words here;
The .556-caliber rounds from the M-4 rifle pierced the body-armor Vest Purcell was wearing.
Now the question might be;
WHY did the body-armor fail to protect Pfc. Jeremy Purcell?
Even if there was "human error".
What ever that means.
They best do some testing on that body armor.

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo
Are many placing faith on a piece of equipment, that will not do the job it was intented to do.

[firstsgtmike]

You're right.

That observation went right by me.

I should have caught it.

I hope that someone who can do something about it asks the same question you did.

[leroy8541]

The piece of gear in question is a flak jacket not body armor, they are intended to stop scrapnell from inflicting casualties not to stop bullets or knife blades. I myself never got the whole idea of wearing one they are hot, restrictive, and obviously worthless, mine was penetrated by schrapnell in the gulf during a mortar attack in a mine field.

[arzach]

The Body Armor is a good point, I understand the new armor is more protective than earlier issue Korean War era Flak Jackets. Doubt very seriously if they(new ones) will stop all rounds .223 maybe .30 cal Ball maybe not the heavier stuff.
If this was a training exercise with blank ammo, why did this Marine have live ammo? That was unheard of in my time, live ammo was closely monitored, mebbe you could get a couple rounds, but not a full 30 round magazine.

[mrbsox]

Another question ???

If they were firing blanks, where was the BFA ??? My memories tell me that besides allowing the gas to operate the rifles action, it acts as a live round stop.

Just a question ??

Terry

[leroy8541]

Very good question sox where was the BFA? And the range safety officer! The blanks will not generate enough gas pressure to cycle the action of the automatic weapons without stopping up the barrel therefore the blank firing adaptor BFA! And also blanks generate too much carbon build up for the weaponns to cycle properly thats why we have weapons cleaning time and inspections after training cycles involving the use of blank ammunition before going live fire.