More than 18 Taskmasters assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 426th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), qualified on the M17 pistol during a training event Feb. 25 at Range 2.
During the event, Soldiers conducted preliminary marksmanship instruction and qualification, and revisited the fundamentals of basic marksmanship on their assigned weapon.
Sergeant Jeremy Dublin, HHC, 426th BSB, played a vital role in the training. Dublin is the unit’s marksmanship expert. He has increased the proficiency of different weapon systems within the company and across the battalion.
First Lieutenant Davonte Whitted, executive officer, HHC, 1st BCT, was the officer in charge of the range for the training and spoke highly of Dublin’s contribution to the company and the battalion.
“He’s just excellent,” Whitted said. “He’s very knowledgeable and proficient. He enjoys instructing everyone on marksmanship so it makes it very easy. He does all of our preliminary marksmanship instruction sessions and assists other companies. He’s dedicated to improving everyone’s marksmanship capabilities. He’s improved everyone’s score here.”
Dublin’s love for marksmanship began at a young age. His father taught him the fundamentals of shooting.
“I started around 4-years old,” he said. “My father started teaching me on a CZ Scout .22 caliber rifle. I grew up learning how to fire a weapon at a very early age. So I fall back on what he taught me quite a bit.”
Dublin’s father was not the only aspect in his life that taught and motivated him to become the marksmanship expert that he is, but it was another friendly and rival branch of service that he holds dear to his heart for his technical expertise.
Dublin served in the United States Marine Corps 2013-2017. He left the Marines at the rank of corporal and as a combat marksmanship coach.
“I learned the fundamentals of shooting almost entirely from the Marine Corps,” Dublin said. “I help and teach others the same fundamentals I learned there to assist them with their shooting. It’s a personal rush for me to take somebody brand new or struggling with their shooting, and help them improve their techniques and their overall score. I love to get them to the place where they can exercise lethal force on their target and be put in a position to dominate the battle and win.”
All 18 Taskmasters increased their score. As the Soldiers trained, Dublin paced up and down the firing line offering advice and words of encouragement as the targets fell at the accuracy of the shooters.
Though Dublin was pleased with the Soldiers and his instruction, he has bigger goals on the horizon for himself as well.
“I wouldn’t mind going out for the President’s 100,” he said. “Yet, my long-range goals are to attend Ranger School and Special Forces Assessment and Selection.”
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