81st CA Soldiers get the lead out at M-240B range

Article and Photos by Staff Sgt. Gregory Sanders, 85^th Civil Affairs Brigade Public Affairs

FORT HOOD, Texas – The tranquil summer morning was interrupted by sporadic bursts of machine gun fire and the smell of carbon as members of the 81^st Civil Affairs Battalion took part in an M-240B Machine Gun zero and qualification range July 6.

“The intent of the range is to get gun crews qualified in preparation for a motorized gunnery and convoy live fire,” said Capt. Jeffrey Chase, a Delta Company team leader. “This range is especially important because many of our Soldiers have not fired this weapon system outside of basic training or advanced individual training.”

While all Soldiers within the battalion are expected to qualify with their assigned weapons, such as M-4 carbine rifles and M-9 pistols, limited crew serve weapon availability provide fewer opportunities for Soldiers to qualify on the machine gun. 

Each civil affairs team within each civil affairs battalion will have a vehicle crew that will contain a machine gun.  It is essential that each member of the vehicle crew is familiar with, and can use a crew served weapon, such as the M-240B machine gun. Increasing the skillset of Soldiers and strengthening the team utilizing this type of training benefits the unit’s capabilities as Soldiers deploys.

“This range is a great opportunity to learn and develop the team and these support skills,” said Chase.

“It’s important Soldiers learn how to use this weapon system,” said Col Leo J. Ruth II, commander, 85^th Civil Affairs Brigade. “Knowing this weapon system improves survivability when these Soldiers deploy in small teams.”

Understanding the importance of this weapon system, experienced Soldiers and NCOs took advantage of this opportunity to train the less experienced.  One of the lesser experienced Soldiers, Pvt. 1st Class Leah Truss, a medic assigned to Delta Company, 81^st Civil Affairs Battalion, took advantage of the training.

“I haven’t fired this weapon since basic,” Truss said. “Even then, it was just familiarization; kind of like just pulling the trigger just to feel the weapon fire.”

Eventually, Truss took her position on the firing line. Listening to her assistant gunner call out the necessary adjustments, Truss deftly placed the rounds up to and including 800 meters down range.  Truss was the first medic within the company to qualify, let alone at an expert level.

“I love it,” Truss said of the training.            

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Private 1^st Class Truss and her assistant gunner, Sgt. 1^st Class Galindo, police up round casings and links in and around the firing point following qualification.  Truss was the first medic within her company to qualify on the 240B machine gun. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Gregory Sanders, 85^th CA BDE Public Affairs)

An assistant gunner uses binoculars to see targets at the M-240B range July 6.  M-240B gunners are expected to hit targets as far away as 800 meters during qualification. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Gregory Sanders, 85^th CA BDE Public Affairs)

A Soldier assigned to 81^st Civil Affairs Battalion actively engages targets down range during qualification at the M-240B range 6 July.  The range was part of a series of training exercises preparing Soldiers for a motorized gunnery scheduled later this month. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Gregory Sanders, 85^th CA BDE Public Affairs)