Photo By Staff Sgt. Oriana White | U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Moore, an infantryman assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion,...... read more read more
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Winter's grip is still firm here even in mid-March, and the temperatures feel glacial, but the bone-chilling cold doesn't seem to faze the 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment Soldiers gathered around the tower's base. The Soldiers crack jokes and talk amongst themselves as they wait to qualify on the M240L machine guns set up on the firing line nearby.
21-year-old U.S. Army Spc. Jacob Moore is right at home in the arctic weather conditions. Moore, a Pennsylvania native and avid outdoorsman, has been in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for three years.
"I joined the guard because my dad was in the military," Moore said. "I wanted to follow in his footsteps. He did nine years of active duty in the Marine Corps and several years in the 103rd Armor Regiment out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania."
Moore chuckled as he recalled his father telling him to join the National Guard instead of the Marines.
"My father had a great time in the National Guard," said Moore, raising his voice to be heard over the gusts of wind whipping around him.
Moore listened to his father's advice and enlisted as an Infantryman in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. It was a good fit for the outgoing young Soldier, allowing Moore to utilize many skills he'd learned while growing up in the dense woods of rural Western Pennsylvania.
Moore said his father introduced him to hunting at a very young age.
"I fell in love with the outdoors," said Moore. "I try to go on as many hunting trips with my dad as possible."
Moore's love of firearms and his dedication to training reflect in his marksmanship scores. He scored expert on the hulking M240L belt-fed machine gun, a qualification that requires dozens of accurate hits on 400-to-800-meter targets- roughly the length of over four football fields.
"This is my favorite thing about being in the National Guard right here." Moore gestures around him towards the range tower and cement gunner positions that overlook the sweeping valley below. "And this weapons system is the one I like the most."
"The M240 is more of an adrenaline rush than other weapons systems," said Moore. "It's a lot of fun to shoot. You don't get the same experience with some of the other weapon systems."
When he's not attending military training, Moore manages a team of construction workers. This role allows him to use valuable leadership and team-building skills learned from time spent in the military.
Firing an M240L must be a team effort to be truly effective, said Moore.
"One person acts as the "spotter" and calls out directions of fire to the person behind the weapon," said Moore. "This helps the gunner adjust his line of sight and get more accurate hits."
"It's a big deal to get your weapon zeroed in. You gotta trust the guy next to you," said Moore. "The assistant gunner is more important than the gunner. The gunner is just there to pull the trigger."
Moore said his experiences in the National Guard have been incredible; joining the Guard gave him fresh opportunities to meet new people.
"If you're looking to make new friends, it's perfect," said Moore.
In the future, Moore said he'd jump at the chance to participate in more competitive shooting matches offered by the Army, such as the Governor's Twenty.
"I've made a brotherhood out here with some of these guys," Moore said. "There will always be tough moments; everybody in the military knows that. But the experience is well worth it."
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2023 14:10 |
| Story ID: | 440466 |
| Location: | ANNVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: | 616 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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