thedrifter
02-26-09, 06:47 AM
MWSS-371 setting sights high
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February 25, 2009 - 11:48 AM
BY LANCE CPL. GRAHAM J. BENSON, SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Marines and sailors from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 participated in the combat marksmanship program earlier this month at Yuma Proving Ground’s Graze Range in preparation for their deployment later this year.
MWSS-371 has been working with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing CMP instructors since November 2008 to sharpen their marksmanship skills.
The combat marksmanship program takes the principles learned at the rifle range and builds on them by incorporating forward and lateral movement while firing.
“We’ve put about 30 training days into getting them ready for this deployment,” said CWO 2 Philip Q. Ross, 3rd MAW CMP officer. “I’ve had several Marines come back from deployment and tell me that this training saved their life.”
Although the rifle portion of the CMP is mandatory before deploying, the pistol training is optional. All MWSS-371’s available officers and staff noncommissioned officers participated in the pistol training.
“I wanted to increase their familiarity with the weapons they will use in combat situations,” said Lt. Col. David E. Jones, MWSS-371 commanding officer. “This is important because it’s a different training mindset than Marines ... on the rifle range. Also, the instructors are excellent at not only explaining how a technique is properly executed, but why that technique is the best way to do it. That’s invaluable.”
The instructors, mostly from the 3rd MAW in Miramar, Calif., go through a training course that teaches them advanced elements of combat marksmanship and how to instruct other Marines. It is a six-month auxiliary duty.
“I have a great team of coaches with me,” said Ross. “We work extremely hard, and they are all very good shooters themselves, but more importantly, they’re effective teachers.”
Marines were not the only ones to develop their combat marksmanship skills throughout the week; MWSS-371 corpsmen also got some firing time.
“They’re getting the same training that the Marines get,” said Sgt. Nathan J. DeWeerd, a MWSS-371 military policeman, who is also a CMP instructor. “The goal by the end of the day is for them to leave much more comfortable with the weapons since they don’t get much time to train with them. It is important that they are proficient with their weapon, because you never know what can happen in combat.”
The Marines and sailors rotated between firing at targets’ head and chest, while standing still, and firing on the move. They fired these drills with a mixture of rapid rates and well-aimed shots.
“I haven’t fired a weapon since my last deployment, which was four years ago. So this definitely has me excited to deploy. I qualified with a pretty good score, so I’d say it was a good day of training.” said Navy Lt. Tracy D. Weiler, a physician’s assistant recently augmented to MWSS-371 for the upcoming deployment.
The story was previously printed in The Desert Warrior, the newspaper of the Marine Corps Air Station.
Ellie
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February 25, 2009 - 11:48 AM
BY LANCE CPL. GRAHAM J. BENSON, SPECIAL TO THE SUN
Marines and sailors from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 participated in the combat marksmanship program earlier this month at Yuma Proving Ground’s Graze Range in preparation for their deployment later this year.
MWSS-371 has been working with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing CMP instructors since November 2008 to sharpen their marksmanship skills.
The combat marksmanship program takes the principles learned at the rifle range and builds on them by incorporating forward and lateral movement while firing.
“We’ve put about 30 training days into getting them ready for this deployment,” said CWO 2 Philip Q. Ross, 3rd MAW CMP officer. “I’ve had several Marines come back from deployment and tell me that this training saved their life.”
Although the rifle portion of the CMP is mandatory before deploying, the pistol training is optional. All MWSS-371’s available officers and staff noncommissioned officers participated in the pistol training.
“I wanted to increase their familiarity with the weapons they will use in combat situations,” said Lt. Col. David E. Jones, MWSS-371 commanding officer. “This is important because it’s a different training mindset than Marines ... on the rifle range. Also, the instructors are excellent at not only explaining how a technique is properly executed, but why that technique is the best way to do it. That’s invaluable.”
The instructors, mostly from the 3rd MAW in Miramar, Calif., go through a training course that teaches them advanced elements of combat marksmanship and how to instruct other Marines. It is a six-month auxiliary duty.
“I have a great team of coaches with me,” said Ross. “We work extremely hard, and they are all very good shooters themselves, but more importantly, they’re effective teachers.”
Marines were not the only ones to develop their combat marksmanship skills throughout the week; MWSS-371 corpsmen also got some firing time.
“They’re getting the same training that the Marines get,” said Sgt. Nathan J. DeWeerd, a MWSS-371 military policeman, who is also a CMP instructor. “The goal by the end of the day is for them to leave much more comfortable with the weapons since they don’t get much time to train with them. It is important that they are proficient with their weapon, because you never know what can happen in combat.”
The Marines and sailors rotated between firing at targets’ head and chest, while standing still, and firing on the move. They fired these drills with a mixture of rapid rates and well-aimed shots.
“I haven’t fired a weapon since my last deployment, which was four years ago. So this definitely has me excited to deploy. I qualified with a pretty good score, so I’d say it was a good day of training.” said Navy Lt. Tracy D. Weiler, a physician’s assistant recently augmented to MWSS-371 for the upcoming deployment.
The story was previously printed in The Desert Warrior, the newspaper of the Marine Corps Air Station.
Ellie