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New Range Targets Expeditionary Warfare Sailors

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061110-01
Release Date: 11/10/2006 7:33:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jennifer R. Hudson, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific

CHINA LAKE, Calif. (NNS) -- Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training and Evaluation Unit (EODTEU) 1 opened a new naval firing range course Nov. 10 at the Naval Air Weapons Station here geared toward deploying expeditionary warfare Sailors under the Naval Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC).

EODTEU 1 held its first two-week course Oct. 8-20 and is scheduled to hold another course in January 2007.

“The course is as realistic as they get. It fits both environment and combative conditions that they may see in Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Senior Chief Explosive Ordnance Technician (EWS/SW/AW) Michael G. Manning, one of seven instructors at the new facility attached to EODTEU 1.

The Advanced Combat Skills and Tactical Mobility Facility presents a new type of firing range that simulates desert-terrain combat conditions, giving Sailors basic to advanced small arms weapons training and tactical convoy mobility operations in life-like situations.

“We try to put the students in the most stressful situation as much as possible to test their strengths while they’re here training,” said Manning. “We implement competition and time, and we emphasize slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and not moving as fast as you can.”

The course is designed to test the strengths of the Sailors and allows them to compete against each other during timed evolutions. The 16 different live-fire ranges presents various shooting distances, the longest being 300 meters, using different sizes and shapes of targets to test a shooters ability, and to remind a shooter to remain focused on their environment and changes they may encounter.

During the course, students will also use laid out convoy mobility driving tracks and the Military Operation on Urban Terrain (MOUT) foundation, where they use simulated munitions and paintball guns, educating students on the different views and aspects they may come across during combative situations.

“It’s vital for Sailors because they are constantly transitioning from ocean to land,” said retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Art E. Campbell, who is now an instructor at the facility. “In order for them to function in a hostile environment such as Iraq and Afghanistan, they need to learn these basic skills of survival to include weapon manipulation, convoy operations and improvised explosive device disposal.”

The course consists of approximately 10 hours of classroom training covering safety, fundamentals and familiarization. After classroom time, students participate in hands-on training on the two-and-a-half-mile-long firing range both during the day and at night for about 70 to 75 hours.

“I think this course is important because we find that a lot of expeditionary warfare Sailors are going overseas more often in support of the global war on terrorism,” said Chief Gunner’s Mate (SW) Robert D. Vincent, an instructor at the facility, attached to EODTEU 1. “We want them to be prepared and have as much knowledge and advance training as we can give them before they get over there.”

In January, the NECC brought EOD, Naval Coastal Warfare, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support functions and Seabees together under one umbrella. NECC integrates all warfighting requirements for expeditionary combat and combat support elements. This transformation allows for standardized training, manning, and equipping of Sailors who will participate in the global war on terrorism as part of the joint force. It also results in more capable, responsive and effective expeditionary Sailors.