Ok, for those that don't know, following the MVPA convention at Fort Lee, I
had a little visit from the DoD CID type reference a call made to the Fraud
Waste Abuse hotline (Thanks whoever it is, may you rot with Bin Laden) about
my M151A2 which sports a TOW (Tub Launch Optical Wire Guided Missile) System
(the Tank Killer so popular in Desert Storm)
Anyway, he came out without my knowledge the first time, snooped around the
shop, explaining to my Mother that they had "missed" me at the show, and
wanted to show his kids the Jeep...... (By the way, not a question has
arisen about the MUTT, only the TOW Optics and Launch Barrel)
Then after seeing it the first time, he calls me, and makes an appointment
to view it + photo it for an official DoD investigation, etc. I oblige, as
I have nothing to hide, and legally obtained ALL of the gutted / demilled
(and notice I point out GUTTED) system parts over the past 12 years. He and
a buddy photo everything in detail and even take a picture of me (after a
request, and again, nothing to hide...)
So a month and a half go by... Today I get the follow-up call saying a
"specialist" from Battle Creek, Michigan wants to come down (Larry M for
now) and look the system over in light of the recent events. (By the way,
I'm Native Born US, Northern European Decent, don't sport a beard or carry a
Koran, and am still active in the Reserves following 20+ years Army Infantry
service, with expectation of LTC soon)
Well, I'm beginning to get a picture of a guy willing to brave the terrorist
skies to travel ALL the way down here to Virginia to feast on Crab meat for
a three day TDY trip. Seems a LOT Like Fraud/ Waste/ Abuse..... (Maybe I
should call the hotline ;o) ))
What can't he see from the photo's the guys took? (I disassembled
everything, including ripping out the fake optics (truck panoramic mirror)
to show the insides of the housings (gutted)
So what's this have to do with the Mil Veh Hobby you ask? Well, this stuff
passed THROUGH DRMO with the current demil regs (and is harmless, trust me,
I was a TOW Platoon Leader and Company Commander, I KNOW the system
thoroughly!)
Once they pass a law requiring Demil, and you put it back together again
such that it even LOOKS like a system, then you will have to demil it again.
(I have a Mig, Stick and Gas welding outfit, and can do wonders with Bondo
too. How does Hollywood get away with it?)
I see NO good from the proposed legislation, and if you haven't called or
written, please do.
Won't know what's what till after the 17th Oct when he comes down (First
Class???) to look, but I made sure they understand I have things to do,
possibly places to go (overseas after BAD people, etc) and cannot guarantee
two hours from now, let alone the 15 days out.
OOPs, just been told I have a meeting on the 17th with all the Service
Components for planning, and on the 19th is the Yorktown Victory Parade (Our
English friends will remember this one) They use my '42 Command Car to
carry the VIP General's and French Officers up to the reviewing stage every
year. The TOW Jeep and the Deuce are scheduled to drive with the VFW riding
in them as well. Guess I'll have to work around it somehow, or tell our
Vets they have to walk, hobble, or push their own wheel chairs around
through the parade since all my vehicles may be cut up by then...... I
could use the "Imported" German Halftrack, but the tracks play hell with the
street, and it's just not the same.
Gee, wasn't it just last year that we were saying "Freedom is not Free!"
By the way, I'M STILL looking for any TOW system parts you may find lurking
out there. As these are such "dangerous" things to have, perhaps sending
them to me will be a GOOD thing, as I will be sanitized (and Insane) in the
near future by the DoD Gods themselves.
Adrian Winget
Hampton, Va.
Still the same old web page, but here's the link:
http://home.mindspring.com/~jhooah/index.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Dec 07 2001 - 00:36:23 PST