5FSSU, ASCOM, PA MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING
The 5th Forward Service Support Unit, Army Support Command, Philippine Army conducted their Annual Marksmanship Training last 19-20 June 2019 at Doňa Pepita Golf Course, Barangay Padang, Legazpi City. For this year, the 5FSSU personnel utilized their issued Rifle, 5.56 mm, M16A1; and the Carbine, 5.56 mm, M4 (Airtronics), as well as the newly-issued pistols, Cal .45 and 9mm Glock for the marksmanship training.
The training aimed to have the personnel of the 5FSSU enhance their knowledge and skills in the use of their issued service firearms while also learning and exhibiting gun discipline. In addition, the training intended for the personnel to be familiar with the pistol marksmanship courses in order to earn their qualification badges for the rifle/ pistol use.
Most of the 5FSSU personnel are more equipped with the knowledge and skills in handling rifles, rather than the newly-issued pistols. In order to put the personnel on equal footing, an orientation briefing was provided as the first part of the Marksmanship Training. It was composed of a series of lectures on the following topics: 1) familiarization of pistols, 2) basic operation of pistols, and 3) gun safety. The personnel were taught the fundamentals of firearm safety handling and safety precautions to prevent the occurrence of accidents. The lectures on pistol were conducted by invited personnel from the Philippine National Police Region 5 in the persons of P/MSGT CARLITO T LUCES PNP and P/MSGT MAURO C RIŇON PNP. P/MSGT LUCES and P/MSGT RIŇON are subject matter experts in terms of pistol handling and safety while on rifle training were conducted by personnel from 9th Division Training School, 9ID, PA in the persons of SSg Requi M Amaro (Inf) PA, Sgt Jake V Cerillo (Inf) PA and Cpl Joey A Bernales (Inf) PA.
After the lectures, the personnel of 5FSSU conducted zeroing/ dry shooting of rifles at 25 meters distance so as to establish excellent shot groupings. After this, the final record firing was done to test the personnel’s application of the things that they have learned from the 2-day training. The personnel were allotted 50 rounds for the final record firing, with the following specifications:
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For Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1 |
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|
Practice/ Position |
Rds of Ammo/ Mag Used |
Distance in Meters |
Time |
Target Paper |
|
Standing Unsupported |
12 rds/1 mag |
50 |
12 sec/3x exposure |
Fig 12 |
|
Squatting/ Kneeling |
10 rds/1mag |
100 |
1 min 10 sec |
Fig 12 |
|
Squatting/ Kneeling |
12 rds/2mags |
150 |
2 minutes |
Fig 11 |
|
Prone Unsupported |
8 rds/2 mags |
200 |
2 min 30 sec |
Fig 11 |
|
Prone Unsupported |
8 rds/1 mag |
250 |
2 minutes |
Fig 11 |
|
TOTAL |
50 rds |
|
|
|
|
For Pistol, Cal .45 |
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|
Distance |
Target |
Ammo |
Time |
Position |
Remarks |
|
5m |
Fig 12 |
6 rds |
4 secs/ exposure |
Standing |
Standing alert to standing unsupported; 2 rounds per exposure |
|
10m |
Fig 12 |
8 rds |
6 secs/ exposure |
Standing |
Standing alert position; two (2) Fig 12 tgt; 2 rdsea target per exposure |
|
15m |
Fig 12 |
12 rds |
30 secs |
Kneeling |
Standing alert to kneeling; with change magazine. Both magazine must contain 6rds |
|
25m |
Fig 11 |
12 rds |
40 secs |
Standing w/o support |
Standing alert to standing unsupported with change magazine. Both magazine must contain 6rds |
|
50m |
Fig 11 |
12 rds |
50 secs |
Prone w/o support |
Standing alert to prone unsupported with change magazine; each magazine must contain 6 rounds |
|
Total |
50 rds |
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The Annual Marksmanship Training is done to continuously enhance the personnel’s confidence in gun handling and inculcate proper gun discipline. This year’s activity was a huge success as it effectively met its objectives and strengthened the partnership between the military and the police units in terms of responsible firearm ownership, firearm safety and discipline, and intelligent use of issued service firearms.
