87th SFS conducts Total Force Weapons Qualification

Photo By Senior Airman Matt Porter | U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to McGuire Air Force Base complete weapons qualifications at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. on Dec. 12, 2022. Qualification as expert with the rifle (M-16/M-4) for the Air Force Qualification Course (AFQC) is most common for Air Force members and requires 35 to 40 hits out of 40 rounds (if qualifying without a gas mask), or 43 to 50 hits out of 50 rounds on various sized silhouettes, simulating targets at different ranges.  

MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES

01.04.2023

Story by Senior Airman Matt Porter 

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ — The 87th Security Forces Squadron hosted a weapons qualification course on Dec. 20, 2022, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

Airmen from across the Joint Base qualified on the M-16 rifle, a magazine-fed, gas operated, air-cooled shoulder weapon. The M-16 is capable of being fired either semi-automatically or automatic 3-round bursts and has a maximum effective range of 550 meters. The weapon weighs 8.5 pounds unloaded; loaded, it weighs 8.79 pounds. Accessories that can be used with the weapon include the bipod, bayonet, M203 40mm grenade launcher, and night vision devices.

All Airmen initially qualify in order to graduate Basic Military Training, but staying current is necessary in order to deploy and or PCS to certain locations. Being able land a majority of the 80 rounds fired at targets 25 to 75 meters away is paramount to maintaining readiness across the Total Force.

“Breath control and anticipating the shot are key to a successful qualification,” said Tech. Sgt. Kyle Rodgers, 87th Security Forces Squadron military police. “As a Defender, this is second nature to us given how often we qualify and on different weapons compared to other AFSCs; but it’s important for everyone to be able to defend themselves and others effectively in combat.”

Divided into three phases, sighting, practice, and qualification, Airmen must land at least 20 of their 40 shots fired on target to pass, with those landing at least 35 qualifying for the Small Arms Expert Ribbon.

“We’re trying to teach people the fundamentals, this isn’t a competition, there’s a real mission-oriented purpose behind these kinds of qualifications,” said Rodgers. “ Airmen will PCS and deploy to environments where they might engage the enemy, our role here is to ensure that they’re combat effective.”

While still an essential check on any pre-deployment list, Mobility Airmen are fostering a greater sense of Warrior Culture among themselves, making these kinds of weapons qualifications more vital than necessary.

• Date Taken: 01.04.2023
• Date Posted: 01.04.2023 14:36
• Story ID: 436256
• Location: MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, NEW JERSEY, US