Fort Bragg loses 14,000 rounds of 5.56mm NATO

September 10, 2011

CNN is reporting that the 1st BCT (Brigade Combat Team) at Fort Bragg has, um, “misplaced” 14,000 rounds of 5.56mm NATO ammunition. The ammo has been missing since at least Wednesday, when the leadership was informed of the incident. They’ve searched the base but so far haven’t been able to find a single round. So where did all of that ammo go? I dunno, but I have some ideas. By the way, 14,000 rounds of ammo weighs about 366 pounds.

13 COMMENTS

Greg in Allston September 10, 2011 At 13:24

That’s just about the cutest picture that I’ve ever seen. I love bunny rabbits.
Margaret September 10, 2011 At 13:26

Bunnies!!
- Greg in Allston September 10, 2011 At 15:43
  
  Baby bunnies!!
- ankle September 10, 2011 At 23:09
  
  I’m guessing chinchillas. But I’m no expert…
  - Greg in Allston September 11, 2011 At 07:36
    
    Definitely not chinchillas. They look a lot like eastern cottontails in the picture, but they are probably a domesticated cousin, like the San Juan rabbit.
TL671 September 10, 2011 At 18:01

Looks like snake food to me. For a medium size snake anyway, would have to let them grow a little for a larger snake.
- Greg in Allston September 10, 2011 At 18:48
  
  Nice :>(
  - TL671 September 11, 2011 At 02:08
    
    Snakes gotta eat too.
    - Greg in Allston September 11, 2011 At 07:11
      
      But not little bunnies. Anything but little bunnies. And maybe pikas too. ;>)
savaze September 10, 2011 At 19:18

You wouldn’t believe how often stuff like that happens… When I was active-duty Army I found two conex’s in a field, full of M-16A1’s, that had been missing for over 30 years. Luckily they were still on a military installation!
AK September 10, 2011 At 19:50

Last week wasn’t there a post about explaining away a missing 15,000+ guns from a manufacturer as an accounting error?
Walrusleather September 10, 2011 At 20:47

PSSSSttt hey man yeah you… come over here in the alley

Wanna buy some ammo???

How about a nice watch??

some french rifles, never been fired, only dropped once.
martin albright September 13, 2011 At 11:42

I know 14,000 rounds sounds like a lot but seeing as how military 5.56mm is packed in crates of 1,680 rounds (in 2 .50 cal size ammo cans per crate), that represents just over 8 crates or 16 ammo cans.

Put more simply, you could fit that much ammo into the trunk of a mid-sized car (which may, in fact, be what happened to this ammo.)

It’s also possible that this was more of a paperwork error, i.e. the ammo was transferred (legally) to another user but the paper trail wasn’t established so the ammo is only “lost” on paper.

Not trivial, but not, by far, the biggest, most expensive or most dangerous thing the military has ever lost.