Reminds me of the time in the mid-90s when I was chatting with some of the WOs in my Regt in a classroom where the Basic Javelin Operator's Course was being taught, but was on a break. My eye travelled to a Blowpipe Missile in a display stand- typical training aid that I had seen almost daily for 4-5 years and which had been kicking around the various Air Defence Batteries in Canada since at least the mid-80s. A question suddenly jumped into my mouth:
"Hey Warrant- you are an Ack IG (assistant Instructor In Gunnery), how come that particular display missile doesn't have dummy markings?"
The room got real quiet as two experienced Warrant Officers suddenly focused their attention on a training aid that they had been around since they were MBdrs. We moved closer for a better look. Got a real good look at the burn marks on the rocket nozzles. Got an even better look at the scratches on missile body that I had never noticed before! Ah crap! Called the Ammo Tech WO in Petawawa (whom I new fairly well) and explained the situation- he was there in 20 minutes with the bomb truck. Turns out, years before, some "brain surgeon" had picked up a missile off of the range that had just experienced a second stage misfire (the first stage ejects the missile from it's tube, the second stage takes it downrange to the target), somehow removed the warhead without killing himself and made a display stand for it. Too bad he forgot the second stage rocket motor.
We never did get out our "trg aid" back, but we did carefully inspect all of the Regt holdings of display items to make sure that they were all safe. I also learned a huge lesson about just assuming a trg aid was safe, because everyone else did...