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When the National Guard opened up on the 101st

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  • When the National Guard opened up on the 101st

    I can't make this up.

    Friendly fire is anything but “friendly”- and members of the 101st Airborne Division’s Rakkasans learned this the hard way in Afghanistan after they were allegedly “lit up” by trigger-happy Army National Guardsmen. In a 2014-published video, a gun battle can…


    Friendly fire is anything but “friendly”- and members of the 101st Airborne Division’s Rakkasans learned this the hard way in Afghanistan after they were allegedly “lit up” by trigger-happy Army National Guardsmen.

    In a 2014-published video, a gun battle can be seen taking place between Taliban and members of the 101st Airborne’s 187th Infantry Regiment (who go by the name “Rakkasans”) somewhere in Afghanistan.

    Embedded with Afghan National Army troops, the “Raks” began to return fire toward the village the Taliban were firing from.

    “Halfway across this giant field we took contact, seemed like it came from everywhere,” one Soldier said in the video description, claiming to be a NCO on the ground that day. “So we hit the first bit of cover available- this small a*s ditch. We got lead rained down on us.”

    Around ten minutes into the fight, a National Guard supply convoy rolled into the area of operations (AO), apparently not tracking force movement. Seeing a gun battle unfold, they opened fire on the Raks.

    “Our battalion was not aware they were on the road, therefore [no one] had their frequency to jump in and call a ceasefire,” the NCO wrote. “These guys just rolled in blind.”

    From 300 meters away, the “weekend warriors” began opening up with their vehicle-mounted weapons.

    “They assumed they had been engaged and doing what supply units are not taught to do,” the NCO recounted. “[They] stopped their trucks, spun their turrets, and engaged what they saw- us, in that ditch, bobbin’ up and down trying to figure out where the bad guys were.”

    In fact, the National Guard was so good at laying down fire on the 101st, the Taliban packed up and went home.

    “They lit us up so good, the Taliban broke contact shortly after,” the sergeant recalled. “Guess they were like, ‘The National Guard will get’em for us.’”

    During this time, the Afghan National Army troops continually spooked and endangered the Raks, firing RPGs in close quarters without warning.

    “Ay, a**hole,” one US Soldier can be heard shouting at the ANA soldier firing rockets. “Warn us next time, you dumb motherf**ker!”

    One Afghan soldier began babbling to another Soldier in his native tongue, only to be cut off by a frustrated GI.

    “Unless you speak English, Dont talk to me!” the Rak shouted.

    Once again, the National Guard opened up on the Raks, forcing them to stay low in the ditch and find a way to call off the barrage.

    “Dumb f***s,” one Soldier said.

    The 101st apparently still hold a grudge against the National Guardsmen, who allegedly saw the signals and had to eventually be reached by radio.

    “We had a JTAC [Joint Terminal Attack Controller] and he was tossing smoke, yelling into his own net, and cursing in every direction,” the NCO said, noting that he had been wounded in the battle. “It took them a minute to even believe us that trucks were lighting us up! That convoy was just a bunch of idiots trying to earn their [Combat Action Badges], they did a million things wrong and yes, we hate them.”

    At one point, a “beloved platoon sergeant] was shot through both arms,” and the Soldier’s account sarcastically alludes that the National Guard likely played a part.

    “Not saying those Guard turds shot him, [I] don’t want to give them credit for having any accuracy whatsoever,” he said. “But we didn’t take wounded till they showed up with 14 trucks and [crew-served weapons].”

    The platoon sergeant was apparently sent home, forcing the NCO retelling the tale to take his place.

    The video has been viewed 516,588 times, and features plenty of jabs at the sub-par National Guard and Afghan National Army troops.

    “National Guard and ANA,” YouTube user “Doctor Schnabel” began. “I can’t think of a deadlier combination for friendlies.”

    It is unknown which National Guard unit opened up on the Rakkasans, or if any corrective actions were taken later.
    I wear a Fez. Fez-es are cool

  • #2
    From the Plt. Sgt.


    Troy Martinek
    Published on Sep 24, 2014
    To clear things up about what was going on in this video I'm adding a comment one of my guys posted on facebook about this video. The only thing I want to add is that I was shot within the first few seconds of this fight. I was shot by the Taliban firing at us from the village. Yes, I'm the guy in the video with bandages on my arms. I was the Platoon Sergeant of these brave men. I will go to combat with anyone of these guys anyday.

    I was there, in this fight, and it was one hell of a day. I never post comments but I happened to be up late browsing hilarious comments on funker and what do ya know...our video made Funker! So since I was there, on the far side of that ditch and I've read tons of comments speculating on what was happening, some funny, some retarded...and I'm up late...I'll tell what happened. I haven't checked but maybe some of my buddies already did this...
    We were dismounted, arrived in the village before dawn, looking for a guy. Didn't find him, exfiled a little after 8am (which was bad juju in that area...as you can see) and wedged out to move across this open area. Halfway across this giant field we took contact, seemed like it came from everywhere. So we hit the first bit of cover available... This small ass ditch. And we got lead rained down on us as we tried to get a fix on their position/s. Our video here is actually about ten minutes into the fight. We still weren't sure were it was coming from and that's when shit got interesting.
    A national Gaurd supply convoy came through our AO and did not battle track. Our battalion was not aware they were on the road therefore they nor us had their frequency to jump to and call a cease fire. These guys just rolled in blind. The rounds from beeb were whizzin over out heads as you can hear, and traveling on to the road that just luckily enough for us...the trucks were passing by (sarcasm). They assumed they had been engaged and doing what supply units are not taught to do...stopped their trucks, spun their turrets, and engaged what they saw...us in that ditch, bobbin up and down trying to figure out where the bad guys were. At about 300 meters...that's how far off the road we were...I guess we looked like Taliban to them (sarcasm). it's not funny cuz it sucked but...they lit us up so good the friggin Taliban broke contact shortly after. Guess they were like..."the national Gaurd will get'em for us lol"
    So to clear up the most common speculation I've read, no we didn't have comms issues, we just didn't have those retards frequency cuz they didn't battle track and it took a while to get anyone to believe that trucks were Layin into us. We thought it was our Charlie co at first since they were nearby...fog of war. Then when battalion realized we weren't all geeked out on hookers and blow and were actually being serious..(you have to understand..we are the battalions Recon platoon, we are known to conduct baffoonery on an epic scale) it took another piece of time to spin up C co to come out and get the national Gaurd trucks to knock it the hell off.

    Also Yes, we had a JTAC and he was tossing smoke, yelling into his own net, and cursing in every direction...and yes we were shootin flares and yes we were on the net with battalion yelling our heads off. It took them a minute to even believe us that trucks were lighting us up! That convoy was just a bunch of idiots trying to earn their CABs...they did a million things wrong and yes we hate them and yes they saw the smoke and the flares and still didn't think that it's ridiculous for anyone to mark their own position with smoke and flares...but they said fuck it and kept shootin and etc etc. they were reporting to their higher that they had killed several Taliban and wounded several others!

    Those weekend d bags killed NO ONE, but our beloved platoon sarg was shot through both arms. Not saying those Gaurd turds shot him...don't want to give them credit for having any accuracy whatsoever...but we didn't take wounded till they showed up...with 14 trucks and crew serves...just sayin. He is the definition of professional mother fucker and we did some major ass kicking with him over there...fuckin major. We were NOT happy that he was hurt and got sent home. Missed him everyday. And poor Kinney busted up his ankle scrambling for the ditch with all the AG gear on his back. Lol sounds terrible but it was kinda funny at the time...you gotta walk a long way as an AG to get the irony of having the heaviest kit in the platoon and now a busted ankle to try to move on, and getting lit up from all over..shit sandwich. He toughed it up though and returned fire like a boss...until the trucks showed up...then we all just got real small and said fuck a lot.
    I wear a Fez. Fez-es are cool

    Comment


    • #3
      Holy shit
      Originally posted by Broncojohnny
      HOORAY ME and FUCK YOU!

      Comment


      • #4
        Damn, crazy story

        Comment


        • #5
          holy hell the way that story was written/told is hilarious. Crazy.

          Comment


          • #6
            Amazing story. I’m glad you’re still on this side of the grass.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by AnthonyS View Post
              Amazing story. I’m glad you’re still on this side of the grass.
              Oh not me. I don't think I could have kept from opening fire on the POGs. That was some incredible discipline. They had every ability to shut those NG's down with accurate fire vs the weekend warriors but they didn't.
              I wear a Fez. Fez-es are cool

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Forever_frost View Post
                Oh not me. I don't think I could have kept from opening fire on the POGs. That was some incredible discipline. They had every ability to shut those NG's down with accurate fire vs the weekend warriors but they didn't.
                It appeared that the NG didn't have a firm grasp of where they were shooting. Firing back at the NG may have solidified the NG's point of aim.
                Magnus, I am your father. You need to ask your mother about a man named Calvin Klein.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by svauto-erotic855 View Post
                  It appeared that the NG didn't have a firm grasp of where they were shooting. Firing back at the NG may have solidified the NG's point of aim.
                  As I said....

                  The NG didn't have a firm grasp of anything and they were POG's trying to get their CAB's. They even reported they killed enemies without verification so they could get their medals...When they were shooting their own.
                  I wear a Fez. Fez-es are cool

                  Comment

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