PA National Guard Stryker gunners test skills in Canada

Photo By Master Sgt. Matthew Keeler | With the sun setting, but more training to be done, Spc. Bradley Bell, vehicle commander for the Recon Platoon for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 112th infantry regiment, and a Lewistown, Pa. native, fires volleys of grenades from his MK19 during Stryker Gunnery qualification here, on August 15, 2012. With the assistance of a thermal scope and his driver, Bell engaged the pop-up targets even as darkness fell during his qualifications.  

ON, CANADA

08.15.2012

Story by Sgt. Matthew Keeler 

109th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

CANADIAN FORCES BASE PETAWAWA, Ontario – Strykers from the 2nd Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, tested their gunners with a Stryker Gunnery qualification on the Canadian ranges here, on August 15, 2012.

“I’ve got a target at 11 O’clock, 1400 meters, looks to be a tank. Vehicle up! On the way!” said Spc. Bradley Bell, vehicle commander for the Recon Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Bn., as he fired a volley of three 40 mm grenades from his MK19 grenade launcher at the pop-up target during the course.

The qualification course pits teams of drivers and vehicle gunner/commanders against pop up targets that appear across the field in varying distances and types. Different targets popped up for the Stryker crews and appeared as troop formations or tank-like vehicle types.

Bell, a Lewistown, Pa. native, deployed to Camp Liberty, Iraq, in 2008 to 2009, as a Stryker driver. Now a vehicle gunner, he enjoyed the chance to fire his crew mounted weapon, a MK19.

“It’s a 40mm grenade launcher that’s automatic, and it is a good weapon for an area target,” he said.

An area target refers to the five-meter kill and 15-meter casualty radius that the grenades inflict when fired, he said.

The qualifications course focused on the communication between the driver and commander and engaging the targets with their turret mounted weapon whether it was a 240-bravo machine gun, .50-caliber browning machine gun, or MK19.

Just like Bell, Spc. John Symanski, vehicle commander for the Recon Platoon, and a Danville, Pa. native, went through the gunnery qualification course for the first time as a vehicle commander and gunner.

“There is a lot more going on, and a lot more to deal with,” said Symanski, after his blank firing run. “A lot more to think about. You have to move it, acquire your target and shoot.”

For Symanski this Gunnery course would be the first time he had fired the weapon atop a Stryker, rather than mounted on a tripod, he said.

An evaluator, whom critiqued both the voice commands and awareness of the teams, accompanied each pair of gunner and driver. Sgt. Brian Wertz, a vehicle commander for Company B, 2nd Bn., and a Bellwood, Pa. native, evaluated Symanski’s run.

“They are learning,” Wertz said.. “The vehicle commander was new on the gun, so he is going to have some hiccups, but not bad, not bad.”

Symanski’s driver, Spc. Joseph Knepp, Stryker driver for the Recon Platoon, and a Lewsitown, Pa. native, has nearly two years worth of experience driving Strykers and has faith in Symanski’s development as a VC.

“He did alright,” said Knepp. “He needs to work on his voice control, and it’s a new spot for someone who has never done something like that before. But he did pretty good considering learning a new position.”

What assisted Symanski’s development as a VC is the communication and team effort between himself and Knepp, he said.


“I kept asking my driver, ‘do you see anything? Because I cannot see anything’, and a lot times he’ll see something that I cannot and vice-versa. So we try and help each other out,” said Symanski.

“I mean, if [a crew] are not talking, the driver does not know what is going on and he is driving blind. They are his eyes and ears and if they are not communicating properly then they could have all kinds of trouble,” Knepp said.

With live fire the next round for Bell, Symanski and Knepp, prepare their trucks and teams for the next stage of their training.

“Not many people can say they came up and trained in Canada,” said Knepp. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

But, for Symanski, he sees the next phase as a chance to improve with the experience of his driver.

“The .50- cal has been kicking my butt, but I’m going to work it out,” Symanski said.

• Date Taken: 08.15.2012
• Date Posted: 08.30.2012 14:58
• Story ID: 94053
• Location: ON, CA