A sign of the times....

Sorry if this has been posted already. It broke today and searching showed nothing. This seemed the forum for something rather general in nature.

Marines detained with military explosives described as 'remorseful'

Two Marines taken into custody in Redondo Beach in connection with explosive devices found in the back of their pickup truck were described by a local police captain as “remorseful.”

My goodness.... Desperados! Explosives! Marines! Combat Stress! DANGER DANGER DANGER! All things that come to MY mind these days after seeing the tag line and buzz words of the story. What on earth?

They were apparently approached after being called by their base and told to stay put for police contact.

The Los Angeles County sheriff's bomb squad was called to the scene and employed a robot to investigate the devices. Ten explosive devices, commonly referred to as artillery simulators, were found inside the truck, police said.

Source

After all this... Whew... Close one! ..no one hurt and no harm done. Now what horrible devices could these marines have had?? The headlines have spoken in recent times about Soliders with Grenades and C-4 cubes off base and in the real world. So...What did they take that evacuated part of the Galleria of all places and brought the Bomb Squad running?



That is the 'dangerous' and terrifying device. The story said the Marines were 100% cooperative and horrified at the trouble this all caused so I am sure they explained...in advance..what these are. I know them by having played with them as big firecrackers growing up out there. A friend got a case of them from where he'd been working and they used them as non-lethal devices to scare the Seals off the docks and Marina spaces they shouldn't be.

These are deafening.....and if I were HOLDING one when it went off...well, I wouldn't be using a keyboard in life again...but I just can't look at this with a straight face and call it anything more dangerous than a *BIG* version of 'crimped' Picallo Pete. Anyone dated enough to recall that trick?

A sign of time times though. When even pure training devices that I can buy very similar versions of at the Fireworks store out on the interstate cause such a major crisis, perhaps we're all taking ourselves and each other just a little TOO seriously. These were U.S. Marines...and they were cooperative. I don't see the reasoning here. I just don't.. Anyone else think this was a prudent use of Police resources?

Yep I most definetly agree with you
2nd line

Our instructors in Infantry school used to throw those in our foxholes while we were sleeping to check our grenade sumps. They are no more dangerous than commonly used fireworks. I bet these guys were just going to go have some fun with them. It sucks that they let their immaturity kill their careers. Stealing government property is a no no, They were obviously not quality Corps material. Send em to Leavenworth for a few years and then kick em out on the streets.

Just an Honorable Marines point of view.

Sounds like the police didn't know they were flash bangs. I don't blame them for being cautious.

Not a real smart move by those Marines.

reply to post by usmc0311

Well put on that. I wasn't sure how to quite put my own feelings of how the Marines as individuals deserve to get that proverbial book thrown at them a half a dozen times at least. They kinda define the term idiots. I didn't want to muddle the OP though so I didn't try.

Whatever the case with the Marines, I think the cops were absurd on this though and it caught my eye particularly because this seems to be happening so often these days. It's not just the abandoned packages anymore. It seems more and more often to be cases like this, where the cops have every reason to know better and know full well there is no threat. There is just a plausible way to SAY there COULD be one if this and if that and so..gee whiz.. Gotta call out the whole Chinese fire drill for some training.

Indeed... It is sad to have seen these young men destroy their careers. By the sound of things, the Marine Corps is very unforgiving when individual members make the whole look like fools. err... I almost pity them in some ways for the short term. Ouch...

Cops everywhere and in many situations are over reacting.

Best to stay under the radar and avoid any contact with them. Heaven help you if you invite them out by calling 911.

Marines are great. I have many friends that are Marines. But they start out young and stupid just like the general population. In fact, I would say that the personality that would choose the Marine Corps over the other services are daring and fearless and maybe a little on the foolish side stating out.

In any case we all make mistakes, hopefully they can recover.

K

yet another checkout aisle magazine -type headline that draws but a mere 'yawn' from the press.

these guys could have blown up a ... mailbox

too bad their stupidity will likely land them in leavenworth, in today's day and age, :shk:

... as opposed to a mere 20 mile pack out with/in full gear.

they'd have come back wiser/stronger and more discerning after the latter, imo
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