Soldiers from 3rd Brigade Support Battalion shot their machine gun Gunnery Table III Nov. 30, 2016 at Fort Stewart, Georgia as part of their train-up in preparation for the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California this spring.
Firing crew use one of two weapon systems to engage targets, a M249 light machine gun and the .50 caliber machine gun with blank ammunition. Gunnery Table III is when the repetition and muscle memory of a five-man firing crew comes into play.
Staff Sgt. James Simmons, the master gunner for the 10th Engineer Battalion, help certify the 3BSB on their crew firing team weapon systems.
"Gunnery Table III is a crew proficiency course, which is one of the gateways for a unit to fire live rounds from an unstabilized platform," said Simmons.
An example of an unstabilized platform is a Humvee with a weapon system mount attached to the turret of the vehicle.
"This training helps the crew to engage and destroy a target in a timely manner," said Simmons. "Gunnery Table III also helps improve their weapon proficiency on the weapon system they're firing."
For the Soldiers, Gunnery Table III is just one of many steps that will be taken to certify their firing crews. The crews will soon conduct gunnery tables at night for effective combat readiness on the journey to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California this spring.
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