Why did you "HAVE" to qualify
 

I'm curious if or why you've had to qualify, either through a written test or a live accuracy fire.

I opted to qualify in pistol as a young junior officer because I had no combat experience yet, thus no ribbons or medals. It was an easy way early in my career to get a medal.

Weirder still, as a fleet helicopter pilot, I had to qualify on the Colt .45 to be able to transport and/or deliver nuclear weapons. These were NDB's, Nuclear Depth Bombs. Sorta a last resort against Soviet world domination through Typhoons. You are of course armed during any transport or delivery, but seriously. A pistol will be insignificant against any group that desires a nuke. It's not like the helo is going to survive delivering a nuke, although there were procedures in place for that as well.

From the checklist:

Engines maximum
Ignore all airframe limitations
All windows and doors open to prevent overpressure
Deliver the weapon
Egress 90 degrees away from the prevailing wind.

Yah. That's not a suicide mission.

Well, think of it this way...after dropping a nuke, there shouldn't be anything left to shoot at! :eek:

Over the years I was required to live fire qualify with a variety of wepons for different job postings.

M16
M203 grenade launcher
M60 7.62 MG
MK249 SAW
MK19 grenade machinegun
M9 pistol
hand grenades
most people only qualify with handgrenades in basic training but the infantry unit I was with went every year