Providers conduct personally owned weapons training

Photo By Staff Sgt. Marquis Hopkins | Spc. Travis Pederson, a motor transport operator, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade, fires his personal owned weapon, Richmond Hill Police Department Firing range, Richmond Hill, Georgia, Dec. 4. The training, conducted with the Richmond Hill Police Department, focused on ensuring that Soldiers within the brigade understand how to safely handle and operate personal firearms and the local and federal laws for ownership.  

FORT STEWART, GA, UNITED STATES

12.02.2020

Story by Sgt. Marquis Hopkins 

3rd Division Sustainment Brigade

Soldiers with the 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade conducted Provider Personally Owned Weapons Safety training at Fort Stewart, Georgia.

The training consisted of a classroom portion on Dec. 2, instructed by the brigade safety and occupational health manager and the brigade provost marshal. The first portion focused on ensuring that Soldiers within the brigade understand how to safely handle and operate personal firearms and the local and federal laws for ownership.

The second portion of the training, conducted Dec. 4 with the Richmond Hill Police Department, took the Soldiers to the range for hands-on training in employing the skills learned in the classroom.

“I received a very positive response from all Soldiers and the new weapons owners” said Mark Johansen, the 3DSB safety and occupational health manger. “When you ignore an unsafe behavior, you are partially responsible for the next accident.”

The class is designed to reinforce weapons knowledge and to expand on the fundamentals of weapon safety that Soldiers receive in the military, but adapted for personally owned firearms.

“We wanted to give Soldiers an opportunity to learn and to put what they’ve learned to the test” said Johansen. “We want all of the Soldiers to be safe and to remain safe while operating a firearm.”

During the class, attendees were also given instruction on shooting techniques, weapons capabilities, ammunition types, and familiarization with local, military, state and federal firearms laws.

“I was hoping to learn a few more safety tips to put in my weapons toolbox,” said Spc. Travis Pederson, a motor transport operator with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 3rd DSB. “Now I know what to do and will be able to help others around me as well.”


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• Date Taken: 12.02.2020
• Date Posted: 12.09.2020 11:21
• Story ID: 384547
• Location: FORT STEWART, GA, US