Rocket Tester 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
When I was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, this "safety" story was recounted to me....
At the "LAW" range (LAW stands for Light Anti-Tank Weapon), soldiers were allowed the rare priviledge of firing a real LAW round; the rounds that are commonly used are much smaller, non-explosive (they have a orange chalk warhead), and resemble a model rocket.
After the firing of the "live" rounds was concluded, a "policing" of the range area was conducted, to clean up any debris. The Non-Commissioned Officer in Charger of this detail had found a round, that had not exploded upon impact with the target.
As the other soldiers repeated warned the good sergeant to place this dud round on the ground and let the Explosive Ordinance Detachment come and handle it, he repeatedly insisted that the round was safe because it had not exploded when it hit the target.
To further demonstrate the "safeness" of the round, the sergeant took a metal tent peg and tapped the head of the missle. This is where the warhead, with a pizoelectric detonator is located.
Needless to say.....E.O.D. was not called out; an Army Forensics Team was dispatched from Womack Army Hospital to literally scoop up the remains of the former "Range Safety N.C.O.".
This story was recounted to soldiers on explosive device ranges all over Ft. Bragg (and possibly elsewhere) to teach soldiers to LEAVE A DUD ROUND WHERE IT LAYS! Submitted on 09/17/2002
Submitted by:
Eric T. Deem
Reference:
Personal Account - Mid 1980's
Copyright © 2002 DarwinAwards.com
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