Scarlet Knight

Buying ACRs and SCARs would be far too expensive for a slight change in performance. I can understand giving SOCOM and Rangers specialty weapons like the SCAR, but to give every transpo, intel guy, and infantryman a SCAR would cost far too much. The Army should have a contract worth a few hundred million to make short-stroke piston uppers for the existing M4/M16 stocks. This solves multiple issues: (1. Retain the M4 lower receivers and retain a similar weapon system. This minimizes any possible retraining. With an entire new weapon system like the ACR, you'd need to train troops extensively on a new weapon. When you replace the upper, the troops are still familiar with all the lower-receiver configuration. And to be honest, the M4 has a great lower. I shoot lefty and I never had a problem handling the M4 in my time. (2. A lot lower cost than a new system. Again, you're retaining all the lowers, so things should work fairly well. (3. A short-stroke system runs a lot cooler than a gas impingement system. Overheating is a huge issue and since pistons don't dump gas right into the chamber like a direct-gas system, this would allow the weapon to run a lot cooler. Another is the issue of carbon buildup. A piston-system doesn't dump residue in the chamber like impingement does, making the weapon a lot cleaner after many shots. While any soldier worth his salt should be cleaning his weapon regularly, it would make for less dirty, and consequently, more reliable weapon. Basically, a short-stroke piston upper would solve a lot of the M4s problems, while being a lower cost than other alternatives and retaining the familiarity of the lower receiver. The Army could also invest in quality magazines for infantry-types (infantry, cav scouts, combat engineers, MPs, etc.) to reduce combat stoppages, and let the non-combat MOSs use the leftover STANAG magazines. I say that the Army should have a contract for the uppers rather than just using H&K 416 system, because while H&K makes good stuff, its typically overpriced for what it does. I trust FN, Colt, and others could come up with a well-made and functioning short-stroke system for the M4 that can compete with an H&K design.

Criminal Justice, but only because it's easy and I want my officer's comission (I'd take a degree in basket weaving if they offered it). I have every intention of going back to school in my older years to get a PhD in International Relations so I can do foreign policy or intelligence work after my military run. Edit: The current neo-marxist trend that permeates nearly every social science class is disgusting. I don't know if you encountered it (or cared one way or another) but the school has really taken a swing towards the left over the years.

Infantry There can never be too many grunts around. Does the Army break up Infantry by catagory like the Corps, such as o311 Standard Grunt, o331 Machinegunner, o341 Mortars, etc...? If so what is he? Yes and no. There used to be 11B for foot infantry and 11M for mechanized infantry. Those have been condensed into 11B, and those going to mech units getting mechanized training upon arrival to their unit. Airborne infantry are 11B until they complete airborne school, giving them the Papa/Paratrooper qualifier at the end of their MOS, making them 11BP. Similarly, those that are rangers get the Victor qualifier, and linguists get the Lima qualifier. So a Ranger infantryman who can speak Arabic would technically be an 11B-VL. Mortarmen are still 11C, and their last 3-4 weeks of OSUT concentrate on indirect fire training as opposed to digging dirt and patrols. From what I've seen, machine gunners definitely don't get a different MOS title. It's just a reward for being big. On our FTX our main 240B gunner got "sick" and I got stuck humping the pig around. Was its own kind of fun, but that thing is like lugging around a 9 year old child.

New Brunswick. I currently live on campus but I think I will commute next semester. It's too expensive, even with tuition assistance and GI Bill benefits. Stay in New Brunswick, the campus in Newark is smack in the middle of down town Newark and the ghetto. Don't know about the Camden campus, as I don't go to Camden for anything. The Rutgers ROTC program is based entirely out of New Brunswick so I couldn't swap campuses even if I wanted to. Which I don't. Camden is, well, Camden, and the commute to Newark would be horrendous. I live on the Busch sub-campus, which is technically in Piscataway, which is a nicer area. But yeah, New Brunswick is degenerating. My school email folder is full of crime-alerts and the lower-income areas around the NB campus centers have been getting worse.

New Brunswick. I currently live on campus but I think I will commute next semester. It's too expensive, even with tuition assistance and GI Bill benefits.

Hey all, Was poking around the internet and found this site. Everyone here seems to know their stuff and I'm interested in getting into the gun culture of NJ. First, a bit about myself. I'm a National Guard 11B, completed Infantry OSUT at Benning from May-August 2009. I'm also a student at Rutgers University (explains my username). My dad and I own a Yugo SKS, a Mini-14, a Mossberg .22 Plinkster and a Remington 870. I turn 21 in February and I'm looking to pick up a Springfield XD, and also have plans to buy a DSA-58 FAL in the near future. I've been to SureShot and Brick Armory a few times, and might go to BA on the 5th with my girlfriend to fire the rifles.