Week 5 (May 4-May 11): Weapons

Weapons, weapons, weapons… This was the theme of the week. After the three-day weekend, this was a great way to get back into training. On Tuesday, we loaded into our HMMWVs drove to the armory and picked up our crew-served weapons to include our 50-caliber machine gun, M240 machine gun, and M249 machine gun. Later during the day we received primary military instruction on the weapons. This was in a clamshell tent located a couple blocks away from where we were staying. The instruction also included familiarization with foreign weapons.

This is picture is of me sitting in the HMMWV truck commander position. The person in this position is responsible for the radios and communicating with the overall convoy commander. They are responsible for the truck.

HM1 Gann is sitting in the right rear dismount position. Both rear positions are the dismounted positions. They are responsible for exiting the vehicle when required. Travis Gann is a pharmacy technologist going to Mazar-i-Sharif. He is carrying the M249 machine gun.

HM1 Cantorna is our driver. He is a MRI technologist from National Naval Medical Center (NNMC). Jerry is also carrying a M249 machine gun, which fires the 7.62mm round.

LCDR Becker is a anesthesiologist from Naval Medical Center San Diego. He is sitting in the left rear dismount position. He also doubled as our medic for our entire convoy.

The mandatory ‘Soldier of Fortune’ photo op. From left to right, HM1 Webber, HM1 Wolfe, and HM1 Cantorna. These were some of the sharpest HM1s I’ve had an opportunity to work with. All three of them are up for HMC this year and I would not be surprised to see them all get picked up. HM1 Webb was actually the sailor of the year at Jacksonville Naval Hospital this year.

The team picture of our HMMWV. Left to right: myself, HM1 Travis Gann, HM1 Jerry Cantorna, and LT DJ Becker. We actually didn’t have an uparmored HMMWV to drive. The uparmored M1151s were limited and each team only have one available to them.

This is a picture of the M249 machine gun. It shoots the 7.62mm NATO round. It’s larger than the 5.56mm US M4/M16 round. We had to learn how to disassemble, assemble, and perform a function check on this weapon.

The were multiple AK47s that we became familiar with during our familiarization to foreign weapons course.

These are examples of 7.62mm sniper rifles.

This is the 50 caliber machine gun used by NATO forces. Large machine gun. Had to learn how to assemble, disassemble, time and space, and perform function checks on this weapon.

The next day we received PMI (primary military instruction) on our personal weapons: the M9 handgun and the M4 rifle. This was the electronic range were we used laser to practice basic marksmanship skills.

This is me attempting to demonstrating basic marksman ship skills.

Later that afternoon, we went to the electronic simulator range to practice shooting the 50 caliber machine gun and the M240 machine gun.

I put in the above screen shot from my iPhone to show where the range was located. You can see the wedge shape that the range carves out in the Kansas countryside.

DJ and me looking tough as we carry our ammo from the depot to the 50 caliber machine guns. We ended up loading this ammo into a metal case where it is fed into the machine gun.

VIDEO OF THE 50 CALIBER SHOOTING.

Because there were over 100 people trying to qualify on the M240, M249, and 50-cal for both day and night. We were shooting from 0800 through 0400 the next morning. Over 20 hours of shooting in one day. However, a lot of it was spent waiting for our turn on the range. ‘Hurry up and wait’ is the army term for this. See the above photo and you’ll understand.

After spending all day on Thursday shooting the machine guns, we spend all day on Friday cleaning the weapons. It was a tedious process, which included using everything from brushes, cloths, and dental appliances to remove every last speck of carbon on the weapons. Above CDR Beth Harbison demonstrates how how to clean the 50 cal. Beth is actually an ED doctor from Jacksonville, Florida.

One of the benefits of flying my Cessna 182 out to Ft. Riley was the ability to visit my cousin Schenley in St. Louis, Missouri. I was also able to spend some time with my cute nephew Nathan and Schenley’s beautiful wife Susan. We played hockey and baseball. Nathan by the end of my stay became quite good at swinging the bat. I see a future in him…

Schenley and me in historic downtown St Charles.

Our carriage ride in St. Charles. Schenley’s parents came down to celebrate Mother’s Day with Susan.

Schenly, Susan, Nathan and me right before I took off to go back to Ft. Riley. Unfortunately, the weekend had to end.

This is LCDR Tim Thompson who is our pharmacist from Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton. Tim is heading to Afghanistan with us as the pharmacy mentor. His grandmother and girlfriend both live in St. Louis, so it was a perfect opportunity for us to get some flying in. Tim was a quick learner and a natural at the stick.