Post a picture of yourself!

[Lowly Bantha Cleaner]

And thank you for serving!

I echo that statement too.

Thank you for your sacrifices in protecting our country.

[Slicker]

Them are some sweet arsed pictures Chris. I never really realized how huge the Abrahms is. I guess when you weigh 70 tons you tend to be quite large.

[chrisc]

Thanks guys. And for Tychos question. One year Iraq, one year Afghanistan, four monthsin Bosnia, and in January eighteen months in Afghanistan again. Yeah she is a sweet ride.

[Slicker]

You've been in 6 years so that'll put in the Sgt. range wouldn't it?


Unless you're totally awesome...or totally sucky.

[Tycho]

How fast does the tank go? Is there a speedometer in it, like in a car? 0-60mph in ?? seconds?

They're big, so they look like they'd be slow, but I know they're not.

Is it scary to be such a large target for fast and mobile terrorists with portable anti-tank missle launchers (shoulder mounted rockets etc?) Is the machine pretty impervious to that kind of firepower or does it scare you and the crew you ride with? I'm sure you do good with bunker-busting and you're protected from small arms fire, but there's really no safe way to be a soldier is there? If they decomissioned your tank and told you to run around with a missle launcher of your own, some guy with a handgun could take you down - plus you'd probably only be able to carry one or two big rounds unless they figure how to make nukes you can carry in your pockets - else why are tank shells so big? You could add a rocket launcher to an ATV and it might be faster and harder to hit. (cover it and the driver with armor against small-arms fire though). But I'm watching all these war movies where they used flame throwers to light tank crews on fire and it doesn't inspire confidence. The same flame carriers get shot though, and their tanks explode. The best way to win a war is to not fight one I guess. That's really too bad because there's glory in a victory and everyone likes to have that.

[Slicker]

How fast does the tank go? Is there a speedometer in it, like in a car? 0-60mph in ?? seconds?

I've seen shows where they say they can travel up to 50mph. They can also stop in a matter of feet from that speed.

Is it scary to be such a large target for fast and mobile terrorists with portable anti-tank missle launchers (shoulder mounted rockets etc?) Is the machine pretty impervious to that kind of firepower or does it scare you and the crew you ride with? I'm sure you do good with bunker-busting and you're protected from small arms fire, but there's really no safe way to be a soldier is there?

with the armor on the Abrams I'd have to say that he's in one of the safest places in the country. In the first Iraq war we only lost 20 or so tanks due to battle damage. The armor is quite thick and they also have the British invented Chobham armor on it. It's basically explosives mounted on teh outside of the tank that explode the ordinance (shaped charges mostly) prematurely so they lose most of there effectiveness. But that's all I know so I'll let the person that actually works in them finish.

[dr_evazan22]

Just incase some didn't see it here is Dale and myself:

Lookin' good guys!

[chrisc]

How fast does the tank go? Is there a speedometer in it, like in a car? 0-60mph in ?? seconds?

They're big, so they look like they'd be slow, but I know they're not.

Is it scary to be such a large target for fast and mobile terrorists with portable anti-tank missle launchers (shoulder mounted rockets etc?) Is the machine pretty impervious to that kind of firepower or does it scare you and the crew you ride with? I'm sure you do good with bunker-busting and you're protected from small arms fire, but there's really no safe way to be a soldier is there?

First it is freakin awsome to be in such a large vehicle. They can go from 0 to 20 in four seconds. Thats dang fast for a seventy two ton vehicle. They can go about 65 but have a governor on them that keeps em at around 45. There is a combat overide that can be engaged at kicks it up to 70, but that is a last resort. since you can't steer it. Also it destroys the transmission completley. Pretty much point in the way you want to go and haul arse out of there. At forty five mph it can stop in six feet. Only problem is evry one in the turet usually gets banged up pretty good. Never make you driver mad. As far as the armor goes, I was in a tank that got hit eight times with RPG's. Burned our personal gear on the outside up, but we were safe. Tankers are the most feared people of the battlefield, and we eat that up.


Oh and I am an E-6 Staff Sergeant

[Tycho]

Wow. That is one of the most interesting posts I've ever read on SSG. It's like talking to a real life hero. We're on a Star WARS site and we actually are talking to someone who's really been shot at. My father was too, (a Navy Commander of a destroyer involved in some very serious action) but let's just say there wasn't very good father-son communication going on most of the time when he was alive. I was never healthy enough to be accepted in any of the services, as an officer candidate nor enlisted. I tried every branch except the Army I think. I went the furthest with trying to be in the Marines. Once my physical review was done, they told me what each of the other services said: not with a major surgery in my past (I had my whole chest opened up as an 11 year old kid) and now with my kidney disease and the aneurysm last summer (plus I'm older anyway), forget it.

It's no secret that I don't rather like Bush, nor many Republican politicians for that matter, but I think supporting and admiring our troops is an entirely different thing. We'll be rid of this CIC in 2 more years (time doesn't pass quickly enough). Whoever leads our nation must fund our military and support its strength. I'm sick of Democrats being accused of being weak on the military. They don't have military-industrial corporate sponsors often enough. That's what the issue is. Northrop-Grumann, Haliburton, etc. buys Republican politicians. I think it's time that Democrats that know what they're doing with the military, perhaps Clark, and Kerry was probably good in that area, ought to get up there. On the other side, John McCain knows what he is doing also. Bush might, but he's lied to the American people and who knows what else. I'm so far into Rancor Pit territory that I better stop right now. Sorry about that.

My point I wanted to make was that I admire ChrisC's service and wish I could have contributed as much to my country.

[Slicker]

Oh and I am an E-6 Staff Sergeant

Staff in 6 years? Very impressive Chris.

My point I wanted to make was that I admire ChrisC's service and wish I could have contributed as much to my country.

There's still a chance Tycho. I read that the Army just upped it's top age to 42 so if you're under you should give it a whirl.





That's just what this country needs. A soldier that actually gives a damn about politics.