By Staff Sgt. Jacob A. McDonald
PAO, 18th Fires Brigade (Airborne)
FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Soldiers from the 188th Brigade Support Battalion, 18th Fires Brigade (Airborne), practiced defending their vehicles by firing M2 .50-caliber machine guns mounted on up-armored Humvees on Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 10.
The training allowed the soldiers to get up in the gunner's position and get a feel for firing from the top of a vehicle.
"Fifty cal training is important as it is. An [up-armored Humvee] with a .50-cal mounted on it is what we would have down range," said 1st Lt. Anne Fields, 188th BSB. "This is realistic training."
The training familiarized the newer soldiers to the unit on the weapon system and allowed the veteran Soldiers to get reacquainted with the vehicle mounted gun.
"It was fun, getting to use a bigger weapon," said Pvt. Coty Buckmaster. "This helps us learn more about the weapon and get a feel for it. I joined the Army on Feb. 10 and this is my second time shooting the .50-cal. This training helps us understand how the .50-cal works (and how to clear malfunctions). It's important when we have to be a gunner.
According to Fields the training also allowed the soldiers to test their equipment for the first time since it returned from refurbishing. She added that the training went well and each Soldier was able to fire their assigned weapon.