Sections
*Updated every Thursday |
|
|
|
Front Page
 |
Photo by Drew Hamilton
Soldiers
from the 2nd Engineer Battalion shoot at targets under the instruction
of members of the Appleseed Rifle Marksmanship Project. Members of the
Project instructed Soldiers on marksmanship fundamentals and long range
marksmanship. |
WSMR Soldiers improved their marksmanship skills and trained up on long
range accuracy with the help of the Revolutionary War Veterans
Association March 8-12 at the Dona Ana Range Camp.
2nd Engineer Battalion Soldiers reviewed their marksmanship
fundamentals and learned a little history as part of a training program
sponsored by the Appleseed Rifle Marksmanship Project. The Project is a
marksmanship program that instructs civilians and service members on
shooting fundamentals and teaches the history of the American
Revolution. “The way I like to describe us is as rifle toting history
buffs,” said Ron Vandiver, a master instructor with the Program.
Working with the civilian instructors, the Soldiers reviewed basic
marksmanship fundamentals like stance, breathing and sight pictures.
“It’s the kind of stuff we go over, but they are really drilling it
in,” said2nd Lt. Brad Lowry, a platoon leader with the 595th Sapper
Company. With the battalion preparing for deployment in the near
future, the Soldiers are taking every extra opportunity available to
better prepare for possible combat. “Normally, we don’t get a whole
week on a range like this, so we now have a chance to really go out and
refine our technique,” Lowry said.
Using history as their guidebook, the Appleseed trainers not only
instructed the Soldiers on their rifle skills, but also had them go
through a rifle qualification course. Taking a page out of history, the
Appleseed instructors didn’t’ require the Soldiers to use the current
Army qualification requirements; but instead had them qualify using a
set of World War II requirements. These older requirements are
important to the Soldiers and instructors in that they have a longer
range requirement; so the Soldiers had to learn to be accurate at
longer ranges. “The intent of the program is to consistently hit
targets at 400 meters plus,” Vandiver said.
While this extra training will allow the Soldiers to perform better
when shooting at targets at long range, the focus on the fundamentals
of marksmanship means that it can also help in other areas, such as
room clearing. “(They are) learning to hit targets farther out, but
they are also learning the fundamentals of close quarters battles too,”
Vandiver said.
In addition to providing marksmanship instruction, the instructors also
teach about the history of the American Revolution. “America was
founded on an important set of principals, and if we let that fall by
the wayside we lose who we are,” Vandiver said.
While the training session for the Soldiers was restricted to members
of the Battalion, the Appleseed Project will be running another session
at Butter Field Range outside of Las Cruces April 10 and 11 which will
be open to the public. For more information on the Project, go to
www.appleseedinfo.org.
Top of Page
Copyright © 2006 Missile Ranger
Use of this site signifies that you agree to our Terms of Service.
|
|
|
Front Page
Latest Headlines
|
|
