1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs

Story by Sgt. Travis Zielinski

CAMP BEUHRING, Kuwait – At the core of any combat arms Soldier lays discipline, fighting instincts and the distinct ability to put lead on target.

The Advanced Close Quarters Marksmanship course lays a foundation to ingrain these attributes into their minds.

The combat arms Soldiers who comprise Company F's "Blues Platoon," 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, will spend multiple days learning advanced techniques from civilian contractors with Special Operations backgrounds.

The training encompasses multiple phases culminating with a final assault on a two story complex, said Rick Gordon, a civilian contractor working for Military Professional Research Incorporated.

"We start off with teaching these Soldiers the six basic fundamentals and continue to build their knowledge to successfully engage the enemy," Gordon said. "The Soldiers run through drills for proper use of barriers, minimum body exposure, muzzle exposure and team movement."

Soldiers who are in combat arms fields go through these fundamentals after basic training and at the unit level but honing in their skills makes it second nature.

"Going through training like this allows us to anticipate the actions of our teammates and focus on scenarios where instinctive fire and quick reactions are a key element," said 1st Lt. Austin Huckabee from San Angelo, Texas, an air assault platoon leader in the Blues Platoon.

The skills obtained here should not be taken lightly, Gordon said.

"The training the Soldiers gain over the next couple of days is very perishable knowledge," Gordon said. "If they do not continue to practice this two to three times a week, they will quickly lose the edge they gained here."

And there is no lack of enthusiasm when it comes down to training and doing their job.

"I am all about the combat arms world. Whether I have to jump out of a Black Hawk or jump into a tank, I would be all over it. It's win-win for me," said Pfc. Justin Birht, from Sumter, S.C., a tanker in Co. F, 3-227th.

Dedication and focus to the task at hand will equip these Soldiers with the discipline and fighting spirit to lead successful missions, Huckabee said.

"When we have completed this training, I have no doubt that these Soldiers will be ready for an air assault mission," Huckabee said. "It will become first nature for these Soldiers to react to enemies on contact."

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