GRAFENWOEHR, Germany- The Joint Multinational Training Command (JMTC) is the only place in Europe to offer a two week Tank Master Gunner Prerequisite Course in Grafenwoehr, Germany, to selected active-duty Army non-commissioned officers (NCOs). The course, conducted from May 24 to June 4, 2010, familiarizes NCOs with the fundamentals found in the Bradley Master Gunner Course taken in the United States.
"The pre-course teaches the highest eight failure subjects for the stateside courses," said Master Sgt. Frank Pekarek, a tank master gunner instructor at Camp Aachen.
Pekarek said the pre-master gunner course was designed to ensure students had the right skills, knowledge and aptitude to go to 55-day course in the U.S. and pass.
There are two segments required to pass the prerequisite course. During the preface of the course, the 3-day maintenance section is offered at the Combine Arms Training Center in Vilseck, Germany. However, the classroom training is offered at Camp Aachen in the Grafenwoehr Training Area (GTA).
Pekarek explained that if Soldiers are sent initially to the Bradley Master Gunner Course without the prerequisite course, there's only a 50 to 60 percent passing rate.
"This ultimately saves tax dollars spent on Soldiers that attend and fail," said Pekarek. "We have a 90 percent graduation rate for attendees that passed the pre-course."
The prerequisite course isn't available to active-duty Soldiers in the U.S.
"There aren't courses like this stateside and I feel that they should have something like this stateside where it can prep people to go to the master gunner course," said Sgt. Ian Workman, a master gunner for the Alpha Company 1-2 Infantry stationed in Grafenwoehr, Germany and he is one of five NCOs currently in the prerequisite course, gaining hands on experience and guidance with tank maintenance.
Workman said the maintenance area in Vilseck gives hands on experience with troubleshooting the tank components, instead of only looking at a picture while in the classroom.
Pekarek said Soldiers qualified as a master gunner are great assets to their units.
"Being a master gunner, I will be able to advise the commander for downrange missions, training on ranges, shooting and troubleshooting the tank," said Workman.
Pekarek explained master gunners can act as a subject matter expert to their commander for operations downrange and developing gunnery programs and supervising tank and turret training.
Workman added that master gunners can assist the commanders for training needed in an upcoming deployment and shoot house missions.
A master gunner can influence their unit by emulating excellence and looked upon as a leading NCO in their unit according to Pekarek.
Workman said becoming a master gunner sets you apart from other soldiers in your unit while providing a chance for greater promotion.
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