Even in Combat, Task Force Corsair Soldiers Continue to Train

Courtesy Photo | Troopers in Task Force Corsair, spend the day qualifying on their M4 carbine rifles at Forward Operating Base Shank. (Photo by U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jerry Smith, 2-82nd Assault Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade)  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, AFGHANISTAN

04.26.2012

Courtesy Story

82nd Combat Aviation Brigade

By U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jerry Smith
2-82nd Assault Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan – In a combat aviation unit soldiers do not go on patrols or get into fire fights with the enemy.

However, due to the unexpected nature of combat, aviation soldiers never know when they will be called upon to go outside the confines of the forward operating base. So it is still critically important that soldiers stay proficient in marksmanship and weapons handling.

“Troopers in every unit in the Army should know how to use their individually assigned weapon. We are not in the Army to solely perform the duties within our assigned military occupational specialties; we are first and foremost soldiers. This means being tactically proficient and knowing how to shoot. You never know when you will have to use your weapon and being properly trained is critically important because it becomes second nature to you even when under fire and being engaged by the enemy,” stated U.S. Army Capt. Yoon Dunham a native of Los Angeles, company commander with Task Force Corsair.

Combat service support operation troopers with 2-82nd Assault Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, recently conducted weapons marksmanship training at Forward Operating Base Shank. The purpose and objective of the training was to enable troopers in the entire task force to zero and or qualify on their assigned weapons. The firing range also acted as an enabler, allowing troopers to use it as an opportunity to hone their shooting and weapon handling skills while forward deployed. For some, looking to grow professionally, the range came at a perfect time.

“This range was a huge success for the task force as a whole. Keeping troops combat ready and proficient on small arms weapons was the goal today. Not only was that goal accomplished, but we also gave promotable troopers the opportunity to raise their promotion points,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Patrick Oshea from Boston, company training non-commissioned officer in charge with Task Force Corsair.

The training event also allowed the maintenance platoon tasked with putting together the training and operation of the range to take a break from ground maintenance to help troopers with their marksmanship. The forward support company troopers who operated the range said they enjoyed the training and welcomed the chance to take a break from their day to day operations.

“I definitely enjoyed the experience of operating the radio. Maintaining communications with range control is imperative to not only safety, but ensuring everything is executed as planned,” said U.S. Army Pfc. Jonathan Maldonado from Lake Havasu, Ariz., a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist with Task Force Corsair.

Of the 134 troopers who attended the range, more than 120 troopers were able to shoot and qualify on their assigned weapon.

• Date Taken: 04.26.2012
• Date Posted: 04.29.2012 06:39
• Story ID: 87551
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHANK, AF