Forgive me this may have been posted before, but I was rewatching Generation Kill recently and it struck me the variation of the weaponry used.

So my question is how is it decided what gun you'll carry. Who gets the SAW? Looks like some hard M4's some maybe had M16's. For that matter how is it decided if you get a scope, laser sight, grenade launcher, etc.?

Personal choice? Branch? Rank?

I'll hang up and listen.

TO&E
There is a Table of Organization and Equipment.
or an MTOE - modified... TO&E.

Wiki leaks released several unit's MTOEs that you can look through if you want.

Here are some examples from the Army FM 3-21.8 (appears to formerly be called the FM 7-8).

The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad

The Infantry Platoon



Each Squad would be composed of two Fire Teams with an E5 SGT as the Team Leader



There would be 3 Squads in a Platoon plus...



A Weapons Squad



Note that the M240 gunners are the only ones here who would be firing 7.62mm ammo. Everybody else would be firing 5.56mm rounds. Except for the Javelin obviously. And the grenades from the M203s.

I'll dig up some Armor crew diagrams later if I can find them. I just did a quick Google search and found these online via the Army's documentation web site.

Like others said, it's the TO&E. But when a pvt gets to his squad, the squad leader will just plug him into the slot missing. And a good rule of thumb for the light Infantry, the smaller the Soldier, the heavier the weapon he will be issued.

Back in my tank company XO days (1977-1978) we had the weapons assigned like this on tank crews.

TC - M85 Cal.50, and a M1911A1 pistol
Gunner - Cal.45 'Grease Gun' MG and pistol
Loader - M79 Coax MG and pistol
Driver - Cal.45 'Grease Gun' MG and pistol

Different weapons currently for all the above but, as described above, the Unit MTOE (Modified Table of Equipment) had all the personnel by rank/MOS and equipment by LIN number. MTOEs change from time to time. Other 'property' on the unit Property Book listing was acquired via various CTA (Certified Table of Allowances) sources, i.e., like tentage, tables, desks, storage items, etc.

Every unit has an MTOE. Special Ops folks get to 'freelance' some when it comes to stuff but the rest of the Army deals with an MTOE.

The platoon sergeants decide who gets what. Every company has M249s, M4s, and some M16s that haven't been turned in yet. Every company has some ACOGs, some holographic sights, some red dot CCQ sights, and a variety of day/night capable lasers.

When a new guy comes into a unit, the platoon sergeant will look at what weapons his platoon is allocated from the company's MTOE, and then will assign that Soldier a weapon, an optic, and a laser (if available).

The platoon sergeant will also decide who has to carry the M320 (rifle-mounted grenade launcher, replaced the M203), who carries the extra machine gun barrels, who carries the machine guns, etc. Periodically, if some Soldier is an exceptional marksman, or if someone leaves, etc, the Platoon Sergeant will shuffle some weapons assignments around.

It also depends on the deployment.

Some friendly countries don't allow us to bring in anything heavier than 7.62; no M2, MK19, M203/320, etc., even if on the unit's TOE.

If you are a medic you carry an M9 ( Baretta 9mm) or an M4/M16 (5.56mm Rifle). The Geneva Convention doesn't allow you to carry or operate anything bigger than that.

Someone tells you what to carry. New guy, here's the SAW.

quote:

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If you are a medic you carry an M9 ( Baretta 9mm) or an M4/M16 (5.56mm Rifle). The Geneva Convention doesn't allow you to carry or operate anything bigger than that.

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Our Doc carried both in Afghanistan.

We also had the M-14 EBR used to counter the PKM and engage targets out to 800 plus meters.