Photo By Spc. Jayden Woods | Soldiers assigned to Alpha and Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment,...... read more read more
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MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, Romania – Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) conduct weapons density training on the M4, M249, M240B and M110A1 at Smardan Training Area, Romania, from Aug. 29-30, 2022.
Soldiers assigned to the 1-26th Infantry Regiment increase readiness through weapons density and weapons qualification in preparation for upcoming operations.
“We’re conducting the final portion of our range density before we move into any of our maneuver live fires,” said Staff Sgt. Anthony Kroncich, master marksmanship trainer and platoon sergeant assigned to Apache Company. “We've been conducting training and this week we’re actually putting rounds downrange, grouping and zeroing.”
For some Soldiers, they are new to various weapons systems and weapons squads. Getting hands on training with different weapons systems ensures basic knowledge and understanding of each system.
Everytime we get trigger time, it’s definitely beneficial, said Kroncich. We deliberately started with the basics and everybody has an understanding of how that progression takes place up to the point we’re at now.
It’s essential for Soldiers to train and familiarize themselves with their weapons systems so units can continue to increase the complexity of training. Building on top of the foundation we have laid is a key to success.
“Companies need to have experienced their weapons systems otherwise they won't be able to move on to larger training events,” remarked 1st Lt. Oren Dennedt, an assistant operations officer assigned to the 1-26th Infantry Regiment. “It's the initial step to get the individual qualification and ensure that Soldiers are trained on their weapons systems so that they can go on to participate in more complicated training.”
Many Soldiers also face new circumstances when it comes to training while in Europe. Training in a deployed environment provides many unique challenges at all levels, but it presents a greater opportunity to adapt and overcome.
“My biggest takeaway from planning this training is the level of detail that goes into a training event like this because it's not like Fort Campbell where you can schedule your ammo drop off, walk onto the range and shoot,” Dennedt said. “There's so much more that goes into it and when you don't have those systems and facilities in place, you have to build it all from scratch; It takes a great deal of work in order for a training event like a weapons density to happen.”
As training throughout the 1-26th Infantry Regiment continues, Soldiers prepare for Joint Interoperability with NATO partners and allies.
“Training with our NATO allies will give a lot of our younger soldiers who might not have ever worked with another country before see how they operate,” remarked Kroncich. There’s a lot we can benefit from by having our NATO Allies and partners to our left and right.
| Date Taken: | 08.30.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.02.2022 13:35 |
| Story ID: | 428604 |
| Location: | SMARDAN, RO |
| Hometown: | MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU, RO |
| Hometown: | SMARDAN, RO |
| Hometown: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Hometown: | FORT CAMPBELL, TENNESSEE, US |
| Web Views: | 372 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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