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    Vehicle gunnery sharpens lethality

    Vehicle gunnery sharpens lethality

    Photo By Staff Sgt. Youtoy Martin | Sgt. Victor Mathow with 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, performs a functions...... read more read more

    CAMP BUEHRING, KUWAIT

    11.18.2015

    Story by Sgt. Youtoy Martin 

    U.S. Army Central   

    CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait - Vehicle crews from 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division practiced firing machine guns from moving Humvees during a vehicle gunnery exercise here, Nov. 14-22.

    The ‘Dagger’ brigade Soldiers mounted M240 Squad Automatic Weapons and M2 50-caliber machine guns to their Humvees and worked on marksmanship and maneuver during a series of day and night qualification scenarios to maintain readiness.

    “This gunnery allows us to have qualified crews that are trained and capable on their individual weapons platform,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Knutt, a master gunner with 1-18th Inf. Regt. and native of Cando, North Dakota. “This gets the crews familiar with the capabilities and ranges of the weapons system that they have.”

    The Soldiers have completed several iterations and scenarios that helped them improve their shooting confidence on an unstable platform.

    “The tables that we run will certify us a crew,” said 2nd Lt. Philip Dennis, of Indianapolis and the platoon leader of 1st Platoon, B Company. “There are additional tables that will be conducted to certify each section, platoon and company.”

    During the training, an evaluator sits-in and ensures that the crew is maintaining safety standards, effectively engaging targets and communicating properly, said Dennis.

    “This training helps us improve our proficiency in using our weapons as well as maneuvering our vehicles while employing the weapons at the same time,” said Dennis. “It focuses us on maintaining our lethality.”
    For Spc. Erick Peterson, a gunner with 1-18 Inf. Regt. and native of Cassville, Missouri, shooting from a Humvee was a new experience.

    “It’s nice being the gunner, I love it,” said Peterson. “It’s completely different trying to shoot from the Humvee as it goes over bumps. For some of us, it’s our first time shooting from a vehicle, so this is really good training. It was definitely a lot bumpier out there than I thought it would be.”

    Leaders from 1-18 Inf. Regt. developed the training to concentrate on readiness and Soldier skills.

    “The primary focus is really two-fold,” said Capt. Robert Deppa, commander of D Company, 1-18 Inf. Regt. “One is to get our gunners and vehicle commanders to gain confidence in using the weapons, both at day and night. Second it aids in (training) our mission essential task of moving to contact.”

    “We are qualifying crews so that they are trained and proficient to go out and maneuver anywhere in the area of operations when called upon,” said Deppa. “The ultimate result is a lethal company capable of going anywhere in the area of responsibility and effectively engaging the enemy.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 11.18.2015
    Date Posted: 11.23.2015 09:19
    Story ID: 182597
    Location: CAMP BUEHRING, KW
    Hometown: CANDO, ND, US
    Hometown: CASSVILLE, MO, US
    Hometown: INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US

    Web Views: 561
    Downloads: 1

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