On 16 March 2016 at 21:01, Richard Aiken <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:

On Wed, Mar 16, 2016 at 11:25 AM, Grimmund <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:
Part of it, too, is that the junior enlisted folks can be used for stupid/risky things that more experienced characters (being run by wary PCs) would not do.

I saw this in real life once.

As the result of a high-altitude, mid-air collision during training, a fighter crashed into a farmer's field just outside the little base I was assigned to in Germany (back in the late 80s). It mostly came down in one piece, but since the tilled ground was so soft the wreckage ended up buried several feet deep. Various low-ranking enlisted personnel were detailed to use picks and shovels to dig it up . . . while the base Explosive Ordinance Technicians stood back at a safe distance . . . because use of powered excavating equipment would have made it more likely than otherwise that the live munitions would have gone off.

I happened to know one of airmen detailed to do the digging . . . and based on that sample, I suspect that the various departments dinged to provide personnel supplied the very dumbest of their dumb rocks in response.

Just a note to say thank you to everyone who's contributed thoughts (and ideas!) on the subject. It's much appreciated.

The nearest I can recall to be a 'dumb rock' was when I was in the cadets at school. We had an RAF section (as well as two army sections) that you could join after after a year and amongst other things gave you the opportunity to go Chipmunk flying at a nearby airfield. (The pilot would either let you fly for your half hour - with him handling take off and landing - or you could have him fly aerobatic maneuvers. Brilliant experience).

But we also had a primary glider we used to take out on the playing fields. (Between rugby games obviously.) It's one of these for those who don't know them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_glider

And I'd be part of the gang sent out on one of two branches of a giant Y shaped elastic band to launch the thing. (Or on a really bad day, selected to 'fly' the thing.). We had a Lt commanding (member of staff) (think Capt Mainwaring on Dad's Army) and would dutifully march, with the elastic out to the point were were ordered to stop. But it was a bit irresistible for us to all move out further, stretching the elastic further, as soon as the Lt was dealing with something else. (Of course that wasn't so fun when you were sitting in the pilot seat...)

I've kind of always assumed that he knew that would be the case and took it into account but I never found out if that was the case or not. The glider's days came to an end one speech day when it was demonstrated in front of a whole bunch of visiting parents. The joystick was supposed to be locked forward so it would only be sliding across the grass which was often done for beginner pilots. And in this case the headmaster's son had (been?) volunteered for the experience. Somehow the thing took off but with the stick jammed forward quite quickly hit the ground again rather hard. Fortunately the lad was ok IIRC - but he was rather jarred and it was all a big worry at the time.