Photo By Nathan Rivard | Pfc. Joshua Taylor, petroleum supply specialist, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th...... read more read more
JERICHO, Vt. - Two ranges. One day. The Soldiers of Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (Air Ambulance) locked, loaded and fired to make short work of their annual qualification requirements.
“We had a great 9 mil [9mm] qualification,” said Staff Sgt. Corey Kaigle, Black Hawk mechanic, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation Regiment (Air Ambulance). “Everyone went through and qualified and the weather was great, there were no issues with the range today. Everyone seemed to be on their game and hit the targets today.”
Weapons qualification for Charlie Company is based on their duty positions. For some Soldiers pistol qualification is needed for their duties while others require a rifle for their wartime mission.
“As an air crew, your primary weapon is a M9 pistol, so that is your primary means while we are at war for defense and for the ground, support personnel, our primary weapon is our long rifle, so that’s what we have to qualify on,” said Kaigle.
“The air crew primarily flies with 9mils [pistols] and the ground crews have the M4s, so in the event that we are overseas or in enemy territory and the aircraft goes down it’s our fall back, so we have to know how to use our weapon and protect ourselves and successfully egress enemy territory,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Daniel McEnerney, Black Hawk pilot, Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment. “So it’s good to maintain that proficiency.”
The Air Ambulance completed both of their ranges by 2 p.m. Experience played a large part in their quick range time.
“I think we have a good mix of experience here,” said McEnerney. “Our 1st Sgt. is from the infantry, I've got a pretty extensive background from working with Brigade and being artillery. I used to fire a lot, so having all those different types of skills coming together really makes it so people can flow in and flow out. A lot of people qualifying on the first time, so that’s really good.”
While their day on the range was quick, they enjoyed getting away from the hangar and having time with their unit.
“Its totally different than what we're used to as aviation,” said Kaigle. “We're not the infantry, we don't train out in the field everyday, its good to get away from the hangar, away from the wrenches and be able to come out here and shoot the weapons that we need to be familiar with. We're hanging out here too, so the camaraderie out here and being with your unit, opposed to when you're flying, you're only with a certain group of people and out here we're all intermingled, we're with the entire unit out here, so it’s an individual task yet we are all together in the unit at the same time.”
“My favorite part about coming out here is getting everyone together,” said McEnerney. “Getting everyone together, all of the warrant officers, Lts., the enlisted. Good camaraderie, a lot of the guys don't get to fire a lot since we are in the hangar a lot, so it’s a good time for people to get out and do those skills they normally don't get to do, so it’s good for that.”
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.02.2015 16:39 |
| Story ID: | 171881 |
| Location: | JERICHO, VT, US |
| Web Views: | 147 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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