The Australian Defence Force recently issued a prohibition on the use of all non-ADF issued load carrying equipment including webbing, pouches, and body armour. This comes on the heels of an accident involving a commercially produced ammo pouch. In this odd tale, live rounds were stripped from a magazine during a training range and remained at the bottom of the mag pouch. Then, miraculously, those same live rounds were inserted into a magazine later during a blank firing event. For those of you wondering, yes, the assertion is that the mag pouch somehow loaded those rounds. I say, if someone in Australia has developed a pouch that will load mags for you, let’s see that thing.
Unfortunately, this mishap has resulted in fewer options for the Australian Digger. Apparently, it is easier to ban inanimate objects than to ensure leaders and Soldiers inspect their equipment and conduct safe training operations.
