SIG MMG 338 Program Series

Army Pulls New Individual Weapons Training and Qualification Manual, TC 3-20.40

Just after it was officially listed for download by the Army Publications Directorate, TC 3-20.40, Training and Qualification, Individual Weapons, was taken offline.

Currently under investigation, the manual, which transforms both training and qualification standards for Soldiers, is being held up because insensitive examples were used in illustrations.

Sure, it shouldn’t have happened, but why wasn’t it caught during the multi-year rewrite and review process it was subjected to? And what is the cost to the force in lost time while this investigation is conducted?

Army, fix the TC and reissue it. The enemy isn’t going to wait for you to lay blame.

34 Responses to “Army Pulls New Individual Weapons Training and Qualification Manual, TC 3-20.40”

  1. J.D. says:

    Wait, that’s it? The names? The names are insensitive? The names are lighthearted. Heaven forbid there be something that’s not utterly dry and written to a seventh grade reading level.

    Oh and what, a reference to the second amendment? That would seem appropriate considering the subject matter AND the fact that we all swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution.

    I get the changing demographics of the force (and society as a whole) but this is silly. If this is offensive we’ve lost our way.

  2. DiscomfortCauser says:

    Haha, all western nations deal with this absolute cancer of an overly sensitive culture that is pushed on all of us by shit science degree holders in government positions.

    Everyone tries not to be offensive, because hurt feelings can cause discomfort and who would ever want to expose some anti gunner to the second amendment when he is reading an army weapon training training and qualification manual?

    Exactly.

    It is the same reason comments here are so heavily moderated, everyone is afraid as fuck that someone who has nothing to do with the publication is going to tweet negatively about it. Everyone fears some fat, disgusting, pink haired feminist slut and her twitter. What a shitty time to be alive.

  3. Kurt says:

    Insensitive?

  4. Erick says:

    So, I’m really slow and am not understanding how that is offensive.

  5. mudd says:

    cowabunga = your a racist toward Indians
    boogaloo = your a racist toward latin-african dance fusion aficionados

    of course likely not.. probably just catchphrase words that sounded funny as a last name. The Army is right to not give the ridiculous contrived grievance whiners another excuse

    • James says:

      Being funny here? Or Honestly don’t know the context on those two words?

      Both from memes
      Cowabunga- “I gave you a choice and you chose to fight, now I’m going to destroy you” reference Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles character Michaelangelo . Commonly used when discussing firearms confiscation raids.

      Boogaloo- impending societal collapse and civil war

      • mudd says:

        Perhaps because I don’t habit webforums to know populist venacular.. perhaps because I’m significantly older and watched black and white reruns on pre-cable TV when a kid.

        Cowabunga- Originating as a greeting by Chief Thunderthud (the only Indian ever to have a moustache) to the Peanut Gallery on the 50’s television program “The Howdy Doody Show”, the term was later adopted by surfers in the 60’s.

        Boogaloo- is a genre of Latin music and dance which was popular in the United States in the 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City mainly among teenage Latinos. The style was a fusion of popular African American rhythm and blues (R&B) and soul music with mambo and son montuno, with songs in both English and Spanish. precursor to electric boogaloo

        • James says:

          Completely understandable. It’s really a social media wide thing rather than specific forums. Familiar with the root of the words, but the context is what gives the meaning here.

        • James says:

          BTW not much younger than you probably, kids in their 20’s though and it’s how they communicate. Could go into a whole schpiel on generational shifts in language , but for most purposes it’s enough to know they exist.

      • G3SM says:

        Exactly. This is what happens when leadership is not aware of current trends, and someone half in “the know” raises a flag. But it should have been random names vs a Sub-Reddit pop-culture reference.

  6. Bill says:

    It’s not really offensive but it is unprofessional. A more thorough read through and Re issue solves the problem and shouldn’t take that long.

  7. James says:

    Subversive is more likely how they’re reading it, do we know who made that traffic?

  8. Pete says:

    I was really hoping this would remain in there as a nice Easter Egg for generations to come. Didn’t expect the panty-twisters to actually let this slide, but I’d hoped.

    That said, insensitive? To what or who exactly? You want to call this unprofessional or subversive, sure go ahead, but insensitive? Please.

    • SSD says:

      There’s stuff all through it. You use the name Genius for a guy who doesn’t Qual, and the low ASVAB guys who can’t shoot, get offended.

  9. Chris B says:

    In the early 80’s my Dad went over to Japan for an annual intel war game exercise. One of the things they had to do was generate OPFOR groups (all on paper, no actual players), one such group they made up was the Combined Ukrainian Night Terrorists. Oddly no one caught on and the last time he participated in the annual exercise was 88’ or 89’ and the group was still operational

  10. SSG Boogaloo was a heck of a combat leader and should be promoted ahead of their peers. A travesty that their legacy is being erased like this!

  11. Mark says:

    You have got to be kidding me… THAT is OFFENSIVE??

    I guess being offended requires serious study these days.

  12. thebronze says:

    Why does that link not work?

  13. Attack7 says:

    It’s wrong, it’s unprofessional. MMTC, Jumpmaster, Sniper, RSLC, Scout Sniper, none of these courses have this crap in it’s text books….let alone at CGSC, the War College, none of the SF courses out at McKall, Lejeune, or the Ranger Handbook, etc.

    You open instruction by K Lamb, M Pannone, K Defoor, P McNamara and it’s all professional. Why would these people in Bldg 70 do this? Because instead of being solid in their craft, manhood and stewards of the profession. This is the only way they can make a mark, jackassery. Sad. And they’re the ones offended, offended that strong leaders expect them to Soldier at a high level and they don’t want to.

    Be the right leader. Two choices, Soldier and do what Soldiers do, or leave:
    https://www.ausa.org/articles/getting-back-basics-leadership

    • Mitch says:

      Why is quoting something from th Constitution you have sworn to defend “jackassery”?

      • Hmm says:

        You’re getting hung up on the 2nd amendment reference and missing that the whole Boogaloo thing, which is a meme originating from within neonazi terror groups about what a fun time the collapse of the US government and ensuing civil war will be. Writing that into an official manual pretty solidly qualifies as jackassery, IMO. It’s at best inadvertently circulating terrorist propaganda in an official document for teh lulz, and joking about Civil War 2 is not a good look for anyone in the DoD.

        • ID10T says:

          Neonazi terror groups? Please. Go home boomer.

        • What says:

          Neonazi terror groups? Terrorist propaganda? Guy, you’re an idiot who doesn’t have the first clue what he’s talking about. Is your hobby spreading FUD in the most extreme framing you can almost make it fit or is this just how you are? Like do you try to pin an article 15 on privates who do a crappy job pulling smaj lines for treason? Accuse officers who put their hands in their pockets of conduct unbecoming? Professionalism includes knowing when you actually know enough about something to weigh in intelligently. Guess what facet of professionalism you’re entirely lacking in.

  14. Payce says:

    What a time to be alive.

  15. Echosix says:

    Whisky Tango Foxtrot, over. The mope who pulled the manual obviously never saw the Vietnam era comic book maintenance manuals featuring the buxom and provocative, Connie Rodd. And I remember an intelligence manual on Com Blok CBR capabilities. The last page had a photo of a GI wearing a Soviet gas mask with the hose stuck into a mug of beer.