FORT HOOD, Texas - Meridan, Miss. Native, Spc. Clifford Bielefeld, a petroleum supply specialist assigned to the 115th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, prepares to fire his shotgun at the Pilot Knob Rifle A Ra...

FORT HOOD, Texas - Williamsport, Penn. native, Sgt. Jeremy Lakes (left), a team leader, acts as a safety for Rockford, Ill. native, Pfc. Daniel Britton, a generator repair specialist, as he chambers a round into his shotgun at the Knob Rifle A Range,...

FORT HOOD, Texas - A Joint Service Combat Shotgun Program report on the effectiveness of shotguns in a combat environment states, "The probablility of hitting a man-sized target with a shotgun was superior to that of all other weapons."

Soldiers assigned to the 115th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division trained to increase the Muleskinner troopers effiency at the Pilot Knob Rifle Range, here, Oct. 27.

"The use of the shotgun is very convenient for a battalion like ours," said range officer in charge, 2nd Lt. Angela Buysman, from Lexington, S.C. "Especially for the [combat logistic patrols] we regularly do while deployed."

Since the shotgun is important to the Muleskinners mission and safety, the battalion organized a shotgun range where 12 Soldiers familiarized and qualified.

"The shotgun has been around for a long time," said range noncommissioned officer in charge, Coalmine Mesa, Ariz. Native, Sgt. Larrison Manygoats. "But, this is the first shotgun range to be administered since I have arrived at Fort Hood five years ago."

Since this is the first shotgun range known to Manygoats, it took extra planning and research to conduct.

"We are definitely learning as we go," stated Manygoats. "Since this is one of the first shotgun ranges that I know of, I had to learn where to start. There is no field or training manual determining how to run a [shotgun] range or qualifying requirements."

Manygoats continued that it took about a month to plan.

"It's been awhile since I have shot a shotgun," said Rockford, Ill. native, Pfc. Daniel Britton, a generator repair specialist. "But, like all weapons in the military, it's a little different from the civilian way."

The Soldiers fired from positions: standing, crouching and kneeling.

"This was definitly a learning experience," Manygoats said. "But, it was worth it, fun and educational."

The Muleskinner battalion will run ranges in the future to qualify more Soldiers.

"The more you train the less you bleed," joked Manygoats.