Fort Benning, GA Guard, Army Reserve, modernize range to support next-gen sniper weapon training, lethality

FORT BENNING, Ga. – Fort Benning, in collaboration with the Georgia Army National Guard and Army Reserve, completed a series of upgrades to Burroughs Range June 10, 2025. The improvements to Burroughs Range, a multipurpose sniper training range, began a series of modernization efforts scheduled over the next seven years.

“The requirements for changes to the training ranges came from new weapons systems being introduced,” said John Nolt, acting director, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization & Security at Fort Benning. Nolt explained how his office is responsible for looking at new systems and identifying changes needed to ensure installation ranges best support Soldiers’ readiness and warfighting capabilities.

As part of the modernization initiative, Burroughs Range was upgraded to extend a section of the range from 800 meters to 1,100 meters. A future upgrade includes some target areas being expanded to distances of up to 1,200 meters, offering improved training opportunities for Soldiers using the range.

Completed in 1976, Burroughs Range was initially designed as a heavy sniper training facility, with armored targets placed throughout the training area. Additionally, a 2-meter tall, 225-meter-long, 21-meter-deep berm, complete with a moving target rail system to its rear, is located on the west side of the range at 800 meters from the shooting positions.

“As the battlefield changes, our training ranges have to change too,” said Jason Olive, Fort Benning range officer. “As Burroughs Range transitions to the Army’s newest Multipurpose Sniper Range, the requirement for a moving armored target was eliminated, which required the removal of the berm and tracks behind it, allowing additional line of sight and an area to incorporate the Army’s newest trackless moving target technology.”

“The current sniper rifle system used by the Army has an effective range of about 1,000 meters,” said Shane Duncanson, Fort Benning range planner.

The deployment of the MK22 Precision Sniper Rifle and the Extreme Sniper Strike Operations Rifle – which Duncanson says are reaching out 1,500 to 1,800 meters -- makes it essential to upgrade Burroughs Range, thereby fulfilling the standards required for designation as a Multi-Purpose Sniper Range.

The upgraded weapons technology “requires a whole different range design,” Duncanson said.

The construction work at Burroughs Range involved leveling the berm, demolishing the obsolete rail system — which featured a 44-centimeter concrete base and a 20-centimeter rebar barrier extending along the entire 225-meter length — gradually leveling the land behind the berm, removing trees, and clearing debris throughout the range.

“Burroughs Range was built back in a day when 1,000 meters was the farthest someone could shoot, and typically a Solider would train at 600-800 meters,” said Duncanson. “We’re in the process of doing small incremental improvements so that we can use the new weapon systems and rounds at 1,200 meters.”

To accomplish these improvements, a joint effort was conducted between Fort Benning, the Georgia Army National Guard’s 177th Engineer Support Company of the 878th Engineer Battalion, Augusta, Georgia, and the Army Reserve’s 718th Engineer Company of the 926th Engineer Battalion, Birmingham, Alabama. The 718th Engineer Company is a tenant unit at Fort Benning.

“This type of training allows us to meet directly on the job site with our active duty and Reserve counterparts,” said Warrant Officer James Jarrett, a construction officer with 177th Engineer Support Company. “While we’re all part of the Army, we don’t always get to work together, and training like this allows us to cross pollinate our knowledge, taking the best ideas and methods from both groups and adding it our toolboxes to be better in the future.”

The joint effort on the Burroughs Range modernization project offered Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers and local Army Reservists the chance to apply their specialized training, improve their technical skills through hands-on experience, and work collaboratively as a team in the field. Leveraging the engineering capabilities of the total force helped Fort Benning realize a cost savings of approximately $400,000 on this project.

“Working together with Fort Benning and the National Guard gave us a better understanding of our overall capabilities and how we function as a team,” said Sgt. Gregori Sangregorio, 718th Engineer Company. “Training missions like this give us the opportunity to see what it takes to thoroughly and seamlessly support each other in the field, while also teaching us how to better work together during large scale operations.”

The ongoing modernization of training ranges across Fort Benning is focused on improving Soldiers’ training, readiness, and operational capabilities. Specifically, at Burroughs Range, these efforts have provided the Army, Army Reserve, and Georgia Army National Guard with an opportunity to collaborate closely, supporting the broader goal of maintaining a lethal, ready, and capable warfighting force.

“This modernization project really shows the power of our whole Army team – Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve – coming together as one,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Martin J. Arguello, Fort Benning garrison command sergeant major. “In working side by side to upgrade Burroughs Range, we’re boosting the readiness and effectiveness of our sniper forces, making sure they’re prepared for any fight, anytime, anywhere.”