My first Lithgow and my first "DP" rifle

[Seaspriter]

after being warned by the Squad instructor that thereafter, neither he, nor the rest of the class nor will anyone else in the Army EVER overlook it if you point a rifle at anyone, even in jest.

I had a Marine Drill Sergeant in Corpus Christi Texas make the same threats at officer boot camp. He was the same "gentleman" who barked:

"Excuses!!!!! they're just like AxxHxxxx! Everyone's got 'em and they all STINK!"

His comments had a double meaning for me as I had just returned from liberty having spent the weekend in Mexico with a group of midshipmen. The gunny sergeant poignantly barreled his commentary at me as I was doubling over in pain being attacked by Montezuma's Revenge. I will not be graphic about the denouement of the story, but I do remember his admonitions quite vividly.

Perhaps we should remove the striker pins from our DP rifles, and stow them symbolically in the buttholes of our weapons for "safe keeping."