Base Defense and Short Range Marksmanship

On Sunday we had our first all day exercise. We left for the training area at 0645 - after rising at 05oo, getting breakfast, preparing the humvees and convoy info. There was training in the morning on the different skills and teams used in base defense and an exercise in the afternoon. The weather was sunny and 82, that gets hot after 9 hours or so. I was tasked with leading the group at the ECP - Entry Control Point. We had to address activity in front of the gate, check id's and choose to admit or send away "actors" hired by the Army to impersonate middle eastern nationals who did not speak english. It was challenging because of lack of experience. The most interesting event was a mob coming toward the gate - we were to use escalation of force: First yell, second loud noise (air horn), show weapon pointed at them and then shoot if they kept coming. Warning shots have been eliminated due to unintended injuries in theater. We let the mob get too close and we shot a guy (with blanks of course) just as he detonated a bomb. We were told that we should have shot him sooner. Gives a real perspective on what our guards in theater have to deal with. We were in our gear for most of an 11 hr period. This became very tiring and, needless to say, I was soaked in sweat.

Today we had Short Range Marksmanship. Another training that had been instituted recently due to feedback from theater. We were trained how to use our M-4 rifles in close range. We were taught a good aggressive firing position and then had to engage popup targets at short range (10, 15, 20 meters ) while standing, walking (straight ahead, left and right) and kneeling. The other part of it was that there were two targets - one hostile and one not. You were to make a positive id and fire two shots within three seconds. We also reviewed small tactical squad tactics. Though I will most likely not have to use this in theater, it was an interesting familiarization.

We have less than a week left. Four more training days. Most of these training days will include tactical exercises, so continue to pray for temperate weather. The team is still in good spirits but ready to move on. Graduation is Sunday the 12th.

Until next time......