16th Special Troops Battalion updates its arsenal

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Wyatt | Soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion and Alpha Company, 1-214th Aviation Regiment, work side by side on M2 .50-caliber machine gun and MK19 grenade machine gun weapons qualification. Soldiers from both units took advantage of the opportunity to qualify crew served teams for next year while learning the capabilities of each other’s unit during a range on July 18 and 20 and maintain their readiness. (U.S. Army courtesy photo)  

BAUMHOLDER, RP, GERMANY

07.24.2015

Story by Sgt. Daniel Wyatt 

16th Sustainment Brigade

BAUMHOLDER, Germany– Soldiers from 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, completed an extensive range week using their newly requisitioned weapon systems July 20-24. Troops fired MK-19 grenade launchers, M2 .50-caliber machine guns, and M4 rifles throughout the week to maintain the battalion’s mission readiness.

Opening the week with crew served weapons, teams engaged pop up and vehicle targets from a truck mounted platform using the MK93 weapons mount.

Staff Sgt. Skilling, the 16th STB range safety officer, provided a brief class highlighting the versatility of the mount in holding both the grenade launcher and .50-caliber machine gun.

Firers engaged targets from 500 to 1500 meters using both the grenade launcher and machine gun. To add to the excitement of the range, teams fired at a moving 1000-meter targets, providing an additional challenge to an already complex firing table.

Rounding out range week, firers qualified on their new M4 carbine rifles. This was the first opportunity for many to fire the new weapon.

Staff Sgt. Reyes found the adjustable stock on the new system more ergonomic for those who struggled in the past with the longer M16A-2 stock.

“Most Soldiers prefer the M4 over M16 because of the size and weight of the weapon,” said Reyes. “The M4 is lighter and shorter which makes it easier for the Soldiers to carry.”

This ready and modern unit conducted tough, realistic home station training using live capabilities to assure individual, leader and unit competencies.

• Date Taken: 07.24.2015
• Date Posted: 08.04.2015 04:51
• Story ID: 172042
• Location: BAUMHOLDER, RP, DE