RedLeg,
Firstly I am sorry if my post came across as disparaging towards general officers or Hertling as a general/soldier. That was not my intent. For instance, I am sure we may disagree on some political issues, but all your posts be they related to geopolitics, hunting, firearms, life in general etc... are always very informative, and they really are a treasure trove of knowledge. I have nothing but respect for you and it really is a privilege to be able to interact with someone of your level of knowledge/expertise on this forum. I'm pretty sure I am not the only one who feels this way either...
Getting back to the post in question. I was just shocked by Hertling's level of ignorance/ inexperience when it comes to handling a rifle. He is handling that AR-15 like a total beginner would. I've seen guys who have not touched a gun for decades after they left the military display superb technique while shooting at the range. Once you learn to properly handle a firearm its not really a skill you lose- much like riding a bike.
The reason I thought he was in a non-combat MOS is that I had seen a few videos of his where he is talking about physical education, fitness, etc... and i think he was an advocate for the new Army Combat Fitness Test. Hence I figured that was his area of speciality/expertise. This is my fault for not checking his bio adequately.
With all that being said, when you gave his brief bio here I am even more shocked now. The fact that he was in a combat zone and was not a "political general" and even got wounded- why on Earth would he not take the time to learn how to handle a rifle properly ? I would imagine for a cavalryman, and for a "hands on" officer in a combat MOS, knowing how to handle a rifle would be a crucial and fairly basic skill. I would imagine most officers/soldiers in any combat MOS should know basic firearm handling no ? And I do not mean to disparage him at all, I am genuinely curious here...
As i can imagine it could be a pretty useful skill to have...
As far as the point about people who have no business owning a AR-15 I agree with you 100%. However i would not limit that to just an AR-15- those people should not have access to anything that could be used as a weapon period. In Toronto a few years back there was an idiot, who could not get laid and was angry at the world for it, who murdered about a dozen people using a u-haul van. These disturbed individuals will always find a way to kill someone if they are motivated enough. With or without an AR-15