Re: [MV] TOW Missile Jeep Update (and the Demil Regs)

From: Jon Shoop (shoop19@brick.net)
Date: Wed Oct 03 2001 - 06:29:19 PDT


I smell a rat!


Jon

At 04:14 PM 10/2/2001 -0400, Winget, Adrian  JTFCS5G wrote:
>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
>
>
>
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