Photo By Lewis Hilburn | Soldiers of Arrow Troop 3rd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment hone their skills on the...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – Three soldiers move in unison. Their movements were calculated and subtle. Wielding their shotguns with precision they pulled up and acquired their targets. With a barrage of fire the soldiers hit their targets with confidence and accuracy.
Soldiers from Arrow Troop, 3rd Squadron, 38th Cavalry Regiment, practiced to quickly react, identify and hit their targets using the M4 carbine, M240 machine gun, and the combat shotgun.
Soldiers must be able to shoot, move, and communicate effectively, said 2nd Lt. John Mock, platoon leader. “We can’t do those three things if we don’t have the shoot portion down. So we really want to focus on the soldiers being experts on the different weapon systems we have in our unit.”
He expressed that the training they conducted familiarized soldiers’ with the weapons and showed their leadership they could accurately hit a target. He stated this training helps as they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan.
“We will be able to employ the weapon systems that we have with confidence that the soldiers know how to match fires on enemy positions with minimal risk to our personnel or any kind of collateral damage,” Mock explained.
The unit relies on experienced soldiers to help the new troops.
“Having served in combat on a built up terrain I think close quarters marksmanship is very important. Because when you are in a built up area a target can pop up out of nowhere,” said Spc. Ryan Morris, cavalry scout. He believes soldiers need to be able to pull their rifle up, fire at their target, and move forward.
The M4 carbine short-range marksmanship qualification required the soldiers to fire from a distance of 25, 15, 10 and 5 meters.
Soldiers fired at paper targets with colored geometric shapes. Sgt. 1st Class Eric Orrill, platoon sergeant, called out a specific shape and color and soldiers had to locate the target, fire, and wait for the next command.
Orrill pointed out that most of his soldiers have never fired these particular weapon systems before and it is important that they know how to use them.
“Probably about 80 percent of the soldiers we currently have now are brand new to the Army,” he said.
According to Mock teaching soldiers to shoot, especially long range, gives them confidence that they can take in any part of their lives, whether they are in or out of the Army.
“Hitting a target at 300 meters is no easy task. Showing the soldiers they can learn how to do it, able to do it, and then accomplish what they set out to do makes them a better, well rounded citizen and a more confident soldier,” he said.
| Date Taken: | 12.09.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2011 19:51 |
| Story ID: | 81155 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 120 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, ‘Shoot Move Communicate’ soldiers of 3-38 Cavalry Regiment train to shoot, by Lewis Hilburn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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