How are soldiers assigned their weapon?
I've always wondered how a soldier is assigned his weapon (specifically the Canadian forces because I'm Canadian). I was watching that show Combat School and i noticed they all had random weapons, some had m16's modified with different stocks/sights some had m249 SAW's with different scopes and the same case for m4's (well the Canadian versions of those guns). Do the soldiers get to choose their weapon then pick how to modify it to their liking or are they simply assigned them?
The following answer is based on my experience in the US Army during the 80's and 90's.
The number and distribution of weapons in a unit is dictated by the TOE, which is an acronym that stands for Table of Organization and Equipment.
A US Light Infantry platoon from my era consisted of three squads, each squad consisted of two fire teams.
Each of those fire teams was allotted two M-16s, one M203, and one M249. These weapons could be distributed amongst the four members of the fire team in any way the fire team leader saw fit, based on the skills of the soldiers and guidance from the squad leader.
The squad leader himself was not a member of either fire team, and typically carried an M-16.
In addition to the three squads, there was a command section consisting of the platoon leader, the platoon sergeant, and a radio operator, all typically armed with m16s. Last but definitely not least, the command section included two two-man gun crews.
The gun crews each operated an M60 machine gun. The assistant gunner in each crew was armed with an M16, but would be expected to spend most of his combat time helping to keep the M60 firing.
Doing the math, I count 34 weapons:
20 M16s
6 M203s
6 M249s
2 M60s
Again, these weapons would be assigned by the leaders based on the requirements of the mission and the skills of the soldiers.
That's how it worked on paper.
In practice, if a unit could "obtain" additional weapons, they would be very likely to employ them. Also, different styles of leadership might permit even relatively low-ranked soldiers to customize their weapons, provided there was a commensurate increase in combat effectiveness.
Generally, as rank increases, more latitude is afforded to the individual in terms of what weapon they will carry. This becomes irrelevant eventually, since higher ranking leaders spend most of their time directing the fire of others, rather than operating their personal weapons.
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