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Combat Arms trains, qualifies Airmen

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Hailey Staker
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  A red flag blows in the wind, a symbol saying that Airmen assigned to the 18th Wing are firing weapons at the 18th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms firing range Feb. 28 here.

The Combat Arms team trains and qualifies security forces personnel, Air Force Office of Special Investigations personnel and service members tasked to deploy on weapons such as the M-4 carbine rifle and the M-9 pistol.

"Combat Arms is important because when people are deploying, they have to come to us first in order to be qualified on the weapon," said Senior Airman John Parsons, 18th SFS CA instructor. "We verify they know how to safely handle the weapon, and they can take it apart to figure out what is wrong with that weapon in case something breaks."

When Airmen deploy, it is important that they know how to safely handle a weapon and use it effectively if the time comes.

"A lot of people don't shoot every day," Parsons said. "(Instructors) shoot twice a month, if not a little more, just to keep fresh with the weapons, but some people haven't fired for three years. We give them the refresher course so that before they deploy, they have the confidence to be able to carry the weapon and use it the way it's supposed to be used."

In order to deploy, service members must qualify on two weapon systems: the M-4 or M-9.

During a weapons qualification class, Parsons and other instructors teach Airmen the components of the M-4 and M-9 weapons, and take them out to the range to fire the weapons and practice what they were taught in the classroom portion of the course. Once they've practiced and have refined their skills, Airmen then fire to qualify.

One thing service members should keep in mind is that the firing range is scheduled to close for renovation in July to ensure the building is up to standards. However, during the closure Airmen will still be able to qualify on their weapons at a separate facility at U.S. Marine Corps Camp Hansen.

"We're going to be teaching either Monday to Thursday, or Tuesday to Thursday," Parsons continued.
"We'll be teaching a class at the squadron and then Friday everyone who was taught that week in the class will go to fire."

Combat Arms instructors will run drills for the M-4 and M-9 and anything else that needs to be fired, except for night fire exercises for security forces personnel, who have been waived, Parsons said.

The renovation of the firing range will take approximately a year and a half to two years to complete, Parsons added.

For more information, contact the firing range at 634-3191.