Marines, Army Get Ready to Wield Stun Guns

The Marine Corps has been buying Tasers for years. But the military has only used the stun guns sparingly in the field. Now, all that is set to change, thanks to new training guidelines for the electroshock weapons. What's Arabic for "Don't Tase me, bro"?

“We would expect the use of [devices such as the Taser] to grow over time, now that we have this long-term policy in place,” Maj. David Nevers, a tells Marine Corps Times.

In the new policy, outlined in Marine administrative message 560/08, officials approve use of the X26E Taser, the most popular law enforcement device sold by Taser International Inc. The weapon fires two probes attached to electrical wires, providing the ability to “tase” someone.

There are already lots of "amusing" videos out there of Marine Corps Taser training –- the part where trainees get Tasered themselves. But there are doubts over whether existing training is adequate:

Marine officials said the Corps began discussing using the Taser in 2003, and sent its first 122 units to Iraq’s Multi-National Force-West in spring 2004.

But its use was scuttled after concerns were raised over whether the training in place was sufficient and whether its use would hurt efforts to gain the trust of Iraqis.

Adding the police-style X26 Taser to the Marines' arsenal might be useful in some situations. But the Marines are not police. In the long term, the Taser they are likely to fond most useful is the wireless
XREP Taser projectile, which is fired from a standard 12-Gauge shotgun.
As we reported last year, this projectile was developed by Taser Inc under an Office of Naval Research (ONR) contract specifically to meet the Marines requirements:

The Marine Corps Systems Command conveyed an interest in this type of technology to ONR. The requirement was to 'clear facilities,' basically what our Marines are doing today in Iraq and elsewhere, going building to building and room to room." stated Mr.
John Beadling, an ONR support contractor.

Meanwhile, the Army is starting to field Tasers. The 3rd Infantry's 1st Brigade Combat Team has already been issued with Army's first ever package of "nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them," including Tasers and bean-bag rounds. And although the 1st BCT is now stationed in the U.S. for
"on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks," the Army Times makes it clear that they won't be using non-lethals to control civil distrubances at home. "The package is for use only in war-zone operations, not for any domestic purpose."

[Photo: USMC]

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