KUNAR PROVIENCE, Afghanistan – Tucked away in the mountains of Afghanistan, 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Task Force Patriot’s Security Forces Advise and Assist Team improved their marksmanship with the M9 pistol, Aug. 5.
Before starting their range training, team members were given a safety brief orienting them to the range as well as instructions on the advanced pistol techniques they would use during their training.
Once the range was opened for firing, each member was teamed up with a more experienced shooter for coaching and mentoring through the advanced techniques.
SFAAT team members meet with their counterparts in the Afghanistan National Army’s 2nd Brigade, 201st Corps multiple times a week. In an effort to foster trust, the team members meet with their counterparts in the comfort of the 2nd Brigade’s offices, often without body armor. To this end, the pistol range is focused on techniques designed to combat threats that may arise in such small and enclosed spaces.
"I think this training was important because it helped familiarize our team with some more advanced techniques that could potentially save a Soldiers life," said Leesville, La., native, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Joel Lopez, SFAAT team member.
The firers shot from seated firing positions. They fired while moving, and fired in close quarter contact.
Maintaining the U.S. Army’s “train as your fight” philosophy, each Soldier fired without their body armor, because they don’t wear body armor in the real world scenario of advising and assisting their 2nd Brigade counterparts.
“This training opportunity allowed each officer and noncommissioned officer the opportunity to further develop these lethal skills, although I would prefer that these skills were never put to the test,” said U.S. Army Capt. Richard Lovering, SFAAT team leader and New Albany, Ohio native.
The SFAAT team will continue to sharpen accuracy with their assigned weapons, as well as developing their language and culture sensitivity training skills needed to assist in their advising efforts.