Photo By Sgt. Savannah Roy | The Soldiers of the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade...... read more read more
Fort Stewart, GA – Workhorse Soldiers of the 603rd Aviation Support Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division conducted convoy protection platform gunnery training at Fort Stewart, Georgia, March 7-11.
In 2010, the Army published Training Circular 4-11.46, Convoy Protection Platform Gunnery, due to the rising need for sustainment personnel to provide their own convoy protection in an operational environment.
A CPPG consists of a vehicle gunnery crew composed of a driver, vehicle commander, and a gunner, at minimum. The vehicle commander, normally the highest-ranking, is in charge and is responsible for radio communication with the tower.
Spc. Christopher Carlon, a water purification specialist assigned to the 603rd ASB, 3rd CAB, 3rd ID, monitored the progression from the tower as the teams maneuvered throughout the range. They honed their combat skills by engaging targets, while also protecting their positions and vehicles.
“The CPPG gives Soldiers the ability to be self-sustaining, without the need for additional security,” said Carlon. “It’s incredibly important for sustainment units to train vehicle gunnery crews, as it increases our level of survivability and functionality.”
Twenty-eight gunners and crew members spent the first day running through the training lane conducting a dry fire before moving into the live fire exercise.
According to Spc. Eric Kurgan, one of the gunners during the CPPG, each member of the truck keeps a sharp lookout and must call out the distance, direction, and description for the gunner to engage the targets at the vehicle commander’s order.
“Not only are we getting familiarization training with the M2 .50 caliber machine gun, but we’re also learning how to properly communicate under pressure,” Kurgan said. “It is important for us to be comfortable with all aspects of the gunnery due to the various missions we could be called to support."
The CPPG is an essential qualification and training opportunity for Soldiers. It trains them to safely and accurately engage their targets, certifying the Soldiers as lethal professionals.
“Being able to provide our own protection for supply convoys gives us the ability to accept any mission at a moment's notice, making us the most capable aviation support battalion in the U.S. Army,” said Carlon.
| Date Taken: | 03.09.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.14.2022 16:50 |
| Story ID: | 416457 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 458 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The 603rd Aviation Support Battalion conducts Convoy Protection Platform Gunnery, by SGT Savannah Roy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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