New pistol selection

In 1911, the U.S. military adopted a new firearm for use in all branches. Put into use during the U.S. Philippine conflict, the firearm, as were so many other military weapons, was designed by John Browning and manufactured by Colt Firearms. The M1911 and later the M1911A1 .45 caliber automatic pistol, noted for its stopping power, would remain the standard issue U.S. military handgun from 1911 to 1986. The pistol was a veteran of every U.S. war of the 20th century. Its use was continued by select special operations forces.

The U.S. conducted trials in the early 1980s in its search for a replacement for the M1911. Specifically the search was for a pistol that would use the NATO standard 9mm Parabellum round. In 1985, the Beretta 92F was adopted as the standard U.S. military issue sidearm.

Ironically, as it was when the M1911 was selected, the military is looking for a pistol with greater stopping power. The selected weapon will need greater accuracy, lethality, reliability and durability.

Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley is disgusted with the current procedure for testing and selection of the new weapon. It is estimated that the selected pistol will undergo two years of testing while following a 367-page requirement document at a cost of $17 million. It has already been five years since the Army said it was beginning to look at replacement pistols. That is longer than the U.S. was in WW II.

General Milley was quoted in a March 10 article on military.com commenting on the entire weapons selection process. "We are not figuring out the next lunar landing," Milley said. "This is a pistol. ... There is a certain degree of common sense to this stuff and that is what I am talking about. ... Empower the service chiefs with the capability to go out and do certain things. Speed the process up."

Whether General Milley's suggestions about the process are adopted, millions of dollars could be saved with a faster system and lives could be saved if weapons can reach the troops faster.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.