Event Update - January 20, 2012

 

A “State Safety Briefing” was held today at the Base, hosted by the Command Sergeant Major. In attendance were members of the Federation Staff, including the Overall Allied and Axis Commanders. The Command Sergeant Major is supportive and understanding representative of Fort Indiantown Gap Training Center and could not have been more gracious. Among the issues addressed were items that will add to the increasing military posture of the Event.

 

Military Compliant – Ammunition

 

As anyone with military background will attest, the decades-long ammunition practices at the Battle of the Bulge Event have not been “Military Compliant”. The Command Sergeant Major was keenly aware of the exemplary safety record of the WWII events held at Fort Indiantown Gap and praised the Federation for its years of low accident occurrences. However, it's now the order of the Base Commander himself that the event adhere to certain weapons related rules that apply to all other entities. Therefore, the following rules must be adhered to by Event participants:

 

  1. Blank ammunition of all types must be checked, tagged and labeled by designated Federation personnel.

  2. Participants must present the blank ammunition in a manner that allows the checkers to verify the nature of the rounds by clearly being able to see the tip of each round.

  3. Loose or boxed ammunition as well as belted ammunition will be checked and bagged in a similar fashion.

  4. Ammunition to be loaded into magazines must be checked before it is so loaded and the magazines will be bagged in whatever number the participant wishes (2 per bag, 3 per bag and so on).

  5. The participant will be provided with implements to mark the bag with

    1. NAME

    2. BARRACKS NUMBER

    3. UNIT DESIGNATION

  6. All checked ammunition will be retained by Federation Personnel and stored in a specially designation ASP (Ammunition Storage Point) which will be an Army inspected building in Area 13.

  7. The ASP will be secured and guarded by Federation security personnel (Axis FG’s or Allied MP’s) until units prepare for deployment to the Training Areas.

  8. On the Tactical days (Friday and Saturday), units deploying to the Training Areas will muster in the parking lots South of the Area 13 Barracks area for ammunition issue and loading of the buses/period vehicles.

    1. A reenactor senior NCO or Officer from each barracks floor should report to his barracks’ assigned area in the parking lot to assist in the efficient issuing of the ammunition.

  9. Placards with Barracks Numbers will be placed in the parking lots, indicating where the deploying participants can be issued their ammunition.

  10. Participants will be required to show their Event Registration Card to retrieve their ammunition.

 

Participants deploying to the Training Areas for the Battles may only remove the ammunition from the issued bags once they are in the Training Area and have been given the order to do so. IMPORTANT: Participants should retain the bags for use later when they return from the Field Exercises.

 

Once the Field Exercises are concluded, Participants must replace unexpended ammunition in their original bags for resealing once they return to Area 13.

 

Participants returning from the field must return to Registration with any unexpended ammunition where their bags will be resealed and returned to the ASP.

 

Ammunition Discipline

 

Now more than ever, it is important for units who wish to deploy to the Training Areas to use the Chain of Command to determine the estimation of their engagement in the Field. Units with weapons that use large amounts of ammunition (sub-machineguns, etc.) should consider that when checking out their ammunition for the day’s engagements.

 

Army Base = Army Rules

 

Remember that we are and have been using a military installation. Contrary to popular lore, the rules employed are MILITARY rules, not Federation guidelines. This is a military living history event. To effectively perform the Living History role, participants must be prepared to adhere to military rules in a manner correct for military living history. If you look at it that way, it makes the event more immersive for those of us who desire a more authentic atmosphere.