to destroy the operation of machinery, that information
might lead searchers to look in that area of machinery.
The Basic Military Requirements (BMR),
NAVEDTRA 14277, also covers security matters and
extensively covers bomb threats. Review this
information and use it to train your personnel on the
issues of terrorism and bomb threats.
Small Arms and Ammunition
Weapons in the hands of inexperienced or
careless persons are largely responsible for the
saying, “It’s always the unloaded gun that kills.” A
number of duty assignments in the Navy may require
you to be armed with a rifle or pistol. Examples of
shipboard duty assignments where you may be armed
include the forecastle, fantail, and pier security
watches; examples of ashore assignments are base
security forces and the duties of Seabee personnel.
Although none of these assignments may be included
in your normal watch standing duties, you may be
required to support these or other security forces at
any time. That is why you must be familiar with the
proper use of small arms and their safety precautions
as discussed in the Basic Military Requirements,
NAVEDTRA 14277.
WATCH STANDING WEAPON SAFETY.—
The following safety rules should never be forgotten
when you are standing any kind of watch with a pistol:
1. Keep the pistol in its holster except when the
watch is relieved or circumstances require you to use the
pistol. NEVER engage in horseplay with any weapon—it
can be deadly and always must be treated as such.
2.
Never surrender your pistol to any
unauthorized person.
3. The pistol normally is carried unloaded aboard
ship with one or more loaded clips (magazines) in
pouches attached to the pistol belt. Leave the clips in
their pouches. If the practice aboard your ship is to carry
the pistol loaded, NEVER have a round in the chamber.
4. When being relieved, always unload the pistol
and inspect it for a clear chamber. With the pistol pointed
in a safe direction, release the slide and snap the trigger.
The use of a firearm comes under the term deadly
force. Deadly force is that force which a person uses
with the purpose of causing—or which they know, or
should know, would create a substantial risk of
causing—death or serious bodily harm. Its use is
justified only under conditions of extreme necessity as
a last resort, when all lesser means have failed or
cannot reasonably be employed, and only under one or
more of the following circumstances:
Self-defense
Defense of property involving national security
Defense of property not involving national
security but inherently dangerous to others, such as the
theft of operable weapons or ammunition
Prevention of the commission of a serious
offense involving violence and threatening death or
serious bodily harm
Authorized detention, apprehension, and escape
prevention of a person likely to cause death or serious
bodily harm to another
Direction by lawful order of a superior authority
Details of the above circumstances can be found in
OPNAVINST 3120.32.
WATCH-TO-WATCH
WEAPONS
TURNOVER.—Having stood your watch, it is now
time to be relieved as POOW. Besides passing along all
the necessary information to your relief, you now have
to turn over your weapon to your relief as well. In the
quarterdeck area or nearby, you should find a logbook
that is used to record passing of the custody of your
weapon and the ammunition provided for it to your
relief. Usually there are three magazines with your
pistol. Two of the magazines, each containing five
rounds, are in pouches attached to the pistol belt. The
third magazine is empty and is in the pistol to protect
internal parts of the pistol from the weather, dirt, and
dust. Remember, a dirty weapon can jam when firing
and cause serious injury to you.
If the pistol has a lanyard attached to it, keep the
lanyard around your neck until your relief has positive
control of the pistol. Then remove the lanyard from
around your neck and place it around the neck of your
relief. This effort prevents the pistol from being
dropped and damaged. Verify the serial number of the
pistol with your relief. Also count the ammunition by
looking at the side of the magazine where there are
small openings to make sure that all the rounds are
there. If there are five rounds in a magazine, you will
see the brass casing of the bullet in the third opening
from the bottom of the magazine.
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