Lethality Battalion trains masters of heavy weapons, small arms

By Noelle WieheJune 23, 2015

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FORT BENNING, Ga., (June 24, 2015) -- The new setup of the 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, as the Lethality Battalion, allows for greater collaboration and communication between courses to focus on training Soldiers to be more lethal, said Lt. Col. Kenneth Reed, the battalion commander.

In line with this, the Lethality Battalion is creating weapons masters through the Heavy Weapons and Small Arms master gunner courses.

The courses have been aligned with the Infantry and Armor Advanced Leader courses or Maneuver Senior Leaders Course within the Noncommissioned Officer Education System on Fort Benning so sergeants through sergeants first class can immediately go through either the Heavy Weapons or Small Arms master gunner courses before heading back to their unit.

"By aligning our courses, we create value for our organization and help build the Army as we move toward developing more precise, lethal Soldiers," Reed said.

1st Lt. Dakota Smith in the Heavy Weapons Leader Course said the most beneficial aspect of the course, besides training with NCOs, is learning how to implement leadership in developing tactical plans for heavy weapons.

Through the courses, Soldiers are taught a better base of knowledge of the weapons system, detailed maintenance and how to train on it, said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Debaca, branch chief, Heavy Weapons Master Gunner Course.

HEAVY WEAPONS MASTER GUNNER

The Heavy Weapons Master Gunner Course has roots in the Anti-Armor Leaders Course and Heavy Weapons Leader Course. The pilots for the program will begin in October and each class will instruct approximately 16 students. The course is geared toward Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the light Infantry weapons squad, but also trains Infantrymen, Cavalry scout and Special Forces Soldiers.

As the feedback came in from the leaders courses, the 1st Bn., 29th Inf. Regt., found that students wanted more: more hands-on training and more live fire.

"That's what we took when we developed the Heavy Weapons Master Gunner - gave more time to the weapons systems, more ability out of the classroom and hands on the equipment," Debaca said.

The course teaches Soldiers on the M41 improved target acquisition system, the Javelin shoulder-mounted anti-tank missile system; the Carl Gustav anti-tank recoilless rifle; the tube-launched, optically tracked, wireless-guided weapon system, better known as the TOW; the .50-caliber machine gun and

MK19 automatic grenade launchers.

Debaca said all are part of the "Arms Room Concept" and it is important that each student knows all the weapons systems because when at their unit, they could be dealing with any one of them.

In the course, students learn about the weapons systems, the requirements for training, certification on those weapon systems, how to build the training plan and tactically use it.

With the weapons systems, Soldiers can see farther with more devastating firepower, Debaca said. An important system is Network Lethality, where Soldiers can pass off targets, take pictures of enemies on the battlefield at extended ranges, and send to anywhere there is a Force XXI Battle Command, Brigade-and-Below communication platform or Blue Force Tracking 2 satellite network.

Network Lethality allows Solders to use the ITAS as an intelligence gathering node, passing real-time battlefield intelligence back to the tactical operations center, said Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Lokke, an instructor and writer for the Heavy Weapons Master Gunner Course.

At the mastery level, students learn the characteristics of the missiles, the missile training apparatus the Army has and how to set up a range. Then, live fire the missile.

Reed said for a Soldier to claim the title of master gunner, he must see the weapon in action, which is why the Lethality Battalion is placing more emphasis on live fire in the upcoming course.

In the live-fire portion, students build their own range where they hold officer-in-charge roles, range safety officer roles, ammunition point and run the range while instructors stand by. They have the leadership roles and run a specific mission based off an operations order. Then, they develop a plan and conduct the mission.

Precision through confidence and experience is the take away, so the students are capable of training their Soldiers on the weapons systems, Debaca said.

Sgt. Stephen Tackett, 2nd Infantry Division, 2nd Stryker Brigade, and Heavy Weapons Leader Course student, who fired the Javelin, said he learned the real-time factors that go into firing the Javelin missile, like how to line up the target despite his knees pushing his Kevlar into his throat. He also learned the feeling of having the heavy weapons missile sit on his shoulder until ready to be fired.

Tackett said he applied the fundamentals to when he fired the Javelin and was able to successfully hit the target.

"Looking at future threats, this is a skill set we need to reacquire - the Javelins and the TOWs," said D Co., 1st Bn., 29th Inf. Regt. 1st Sgt. Nathan Stone. "For thirteen years, we've concentrated on the small insurgencies and there was a low target threat for Javelins and TOWs, but looking into the future, we've got to bring those skill sets back up."

SMALL ARMS MASTER GUNNER

The Small Arms Master Gunner Course is a new course that consolidates and expands upon courses previously taught at the unit and post level. Reed said where units previously conducted their own small arms training management and repair courses, the Lethality Battalion has consolidated training in weapons characteristics, weapons function and training management in one course open to any Soldier in the Army.

"No matter where you are in the Army, you can come here and get the standardized training," said Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Richards, branch chief, Small Arms Master Gunner Course.

The pilot for the program will begin in October and each class will instruct approximately 16 students. Reed said the course has been aligned with the completion of the Advanced Leader Course for fiscal year 2016.

The problem was that mechanized Infantry had master gunners but that asset didn't exist in a light Infantry unit - until now, said Staff Sgt. Christopher Walsh, instructor, writer, Small Arms Master Gunner Course.

The course was developed because there was a deficiency in the Army on how Soldiers conducted training, Walsh said.

The course teaches Soldiers how the weapons work, how to fix them or what paperwork needs to be done to get it fixed, and training management - how to forecast land resources, land recommendations along with ammunition, Walsh said.

The small arms the Soldiers learn about include the M240 machine gun, the M249 light machine gun, the M110 semi-automatic sniper system, the M4 carbine, the Beretta M9, the XM25 weapon system, the M320 grenade launcher, the M203 40mm grenade launcher and all optics, lasers and thermals that go along with the weapons.

The course created a standard to follow, no matter what unit Soldiers are coming from - the course caters to all military occupational specialties, Richards said.

For two weeks Soldiers learn about the equipment and maintenance and one week is spent on producing a unit training plan, training management and then live fire at ranges.

"There a lot of steps that lead up to the live fire of a (weapon), with all the gunner skills training, along with the (basic skills training), it all leads up to shooting a live (weapon), but we train them on what all these small steps are to get to that proficiency," Walsh said.

The combat effectiveness of the course will be first round on target, Walsh said.

"Actually getting the hands-on experience and seeing what those training programs are supposed to look like and how they evolve - this is going to be the first time it comes together for all of those weapons systems and they're actually going to go back with a much more practical, useable knowledge on these weapons systems," Walsh said.