Wednesday, July 5

CFLRS Notes (25): The Optical Sight Story

Recruits normally get to their lockers on the main floor before going back to their section to get their stored stuff. They might do that a few times during the day. Once we all went to the lockers to get our exercise stuff before going back to our rooms. I laid down my rifle close to me and opened my locker while I had an eye on it. Recruits are not supposed to have their rifles more than an arm away from them. I realized someone put her rifle next to mine to open her locker. She showed her displeasure by saying: Whose rifle is this?! I paid no attention and carried on with my own business. I noticed that she finished and left before me but forgot her Optical Sight! I was waiting for her to come back because normally sane people(!) would immediately realize that something is missing on the rifle. She didn't! 
I grabbed it and put it in my pocket. It's unbelievable that someone climbs up 7 floors without looking at her rifle even once or feeling, with any other sense, that it's missing! What a dumb! Is that how you're going to serve the CAF?! You're a disgrace to any armed forces! 
We went back to the rooms and headed down, again, this time for supper. At the table I discussed the situation with a number of guys and they all suggested me to return the item to the gal. I truly didn't want to return that because I believe someone as careless as her should be punished, no matter how big the penalty would be, for her incompetency. 
We went back to get ready for the night and there she was coming to me practically begging to return the Optical Sight to her! She mentioned that she had, quoting, bad people in her previous(!) platoon. I didn't know what she meant by that. I asked her to tell me the item's serial number but she stated that she didn't know that! I then wrote down the serial number in my notebook and attempted to take a photo of the Sight but that didn't mean anything because the serial number cannot be read. It could be my own item! I finally handed it to her and advised her to be more careful. She thanked and left. What an idiot!
(Picture: C79 optical sight mounted on a C7A2 rifle)

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