Military Police Training Unlike Any Other

Photo By Sgt. Kimberly Browne | Fort Hunter-Liggett - U.S. Army Reserve military police Spc. Hector Gonzalez from the 341st MP Company, of Mountain View, California, fires an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon mounted on a High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle turret during a qualification table at Fort Hunter-Liggett, California, May 4. The 341st MP Co. is one of the first units in the Army Reserve conducting a complete 6-table crew-serve weapon qualification, which includes firing the M2, M249 and M240B machine guns both during the day and night. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kim Browne)  

FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

05.04.2016

Story by Sgt. Marco Gutierrez 

350th Public Affairs Detachment

The members of the Army Reserve unit based out of Mountain View, Calif., are staying in a tent on a firing range for five days while they conduct crew mounted, crew-served weapons qualification. During these qualifications, a team of three soldiers drive a Humvee, fire an M240B machine gun, an M249 light machine gun, and an M2 .50-caliber machine gun while they communicate proper firing commands on a live fire range.
Sgt. Joseph Jacques, an MP with the 341st, said, “One of the most basic things a Soldier needs to know is to be able move, shoot, and communicate and we are doing those three right here.” Jacques explained the training embodies the basic knowledge that all soldiers must know, adding, “It’s one thing to know how to shoot a weapon, but if you can drive or communicate [at the same time], it can make you or break you.”
The training is challenging for some members of the 341st, according to Pfc. Ryan Joe, because it is so new for them. “I have only done familiarity training where I fire 20 rounds or just spot targets, but this is the first time I had to qualify with a crew-serve weapon mounted onto a vehicle.” Joe also added, “I’m enjoying firing the weapon, but I also enjoy working together with my team, learning to communicate better.”
The training not only tests and challenges the Soldier’s basic skills, but also develops their leadership skills, explained Sgt. James Alt. “As an MP team, getting a chance to get new training that enhances my abilities to lead my truck is the best part of the training. As a leader I’m learning how to communicate better and be able to lead my team better.”
This belief was shared between noncommissioned officers and junior enlisted Soldiers alike. “The training is helping me develop my leadership skills,” said Spc. Bradley Schopf. “For example, it’s helped in my communication skills with the group. I can help other junior Soldiers in a task that I may be more experienced in and I’m more aware in general.”
While Soldiers of the 341st continue to work towards qualification on the crew mounted, crew-served weapons range, it will be a few days until they truly get to wake up and enjoy that smell of fresh air and the sight of the beautiful mountain landscape. For now, they will have to settle for the aroma of burning gun powder, the sight of bullets hitting the dirt and creating a cloud of dust, and the sight of targets popping up and going down… sights any Soldier can appreciate.

• Date Taken: 05.04.2016
• Date Posted: 05.10.2016 13:52
• Story ID: 197781
• Location: FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, CALIFORNIA, US