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New firearm qualification course prepares reservists for urban combat

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes
  • 927th Air Refueling Wing
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The last time Senior Airman Robert Dougherty fired a rifle was in basic training. He was back on the firing range again, but this time he wasn't just shooting at targets, he was learning to survive.

Doughtery was learning the M-4 carbine as part of the new Air Force Rifle/Carbine Qualification Course. The aerospace ground equipment technician is among a growing number of Airmen adding a new qualification to their skill set. The Air Force is requiring every Airman to be a rifleman.

"The Air Force introduced this new training in August 2011," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Knepper, 927th Security Forces Squadron combat arms non-commissioned officer in charge. Knepper's job is to give reservists like Dougherty the skills they need to survive combat. It's a job he takes seriously. "Across the board, this new course is a huge leap forward for combat operations, which is why we were one of the first units in the Air Force Reserve Command to implement it."

The new course is an improvement to the M-16 Air Force Qualification Course, which focused on long-range accuracy and suffered a 25 percent failure rate among students here. The old course was in use in one form or another since 1962 when the M-16 was introduced into the United States military's arsenal.

"The majority of combat we see overseas is urban and closer than 300 meters, so we have to train for that," said Knepper. "This new course is about 8.5 hours long and we've doubled the amount of rounds we use for each student. Surprisingly, we only have about a three percent failure rate."

Knepper attributes the increased success rate to the focus required of students. It's a lot different than laying prone and taking shots at a single target. The new course requires mobility and alertness. Trainees have to search for multiple targets and learn how to recognize when a target is a threat. In modern urban combat, combatants try to blend in with civilians. Airmen need to quickly discern and eliminate the enemy.

The new course of fire focuses on communication while firing, movement, multiple target engagement, tactical use of cover and even includes transition drills to train Airmen to easily switch from firing with the rifle to the M-9 pistol holstered on their thighs.

"When military members are put in harms' way, this course drastically improves their ability to defend themselves," Knepper said.