FORT KNOX, Ky. – 3rd Regiment Advanced Camp Cadets learned the fundamentals of Preliminary Marksmanship Instructions (PMI) June 8 during the annual Cadet Summer Training (CST) at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Cadets from Advance Camp 3rd Regiment C Company listen to Cadre members go over the funadmentals of how to hold and clear a rifle. June 8 at Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo by Amber Vincent)
Cadets learn the fundamentals of shooting the Army’s M4 Carbine Rifle. Three stations were set up for the Cadets to cycle through, teaching them basic rifle marksmanship skills.
“The three stations we have set up for the Cadets are the fundamentals and positions, ballistics and trajectory and minute of angle (MOA), and the last station is maintenance,” said, Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Baeza, 4th Squadron, 3rd Calvary Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas.
The first station, fundamentals and positions, is where the Cadet learn breathing techniques to steady their aim and shooting positions to help improve supported and unsupported firing. There are three positions that they learn, prone supported and unsupported, kneeling supported and standing supported.
The next station is ballistics, trajectory and MOA; the Cadets need to be able to find the right distance of the target and be able to evaluate what they need to do to hit the target. This station goes hand in hand with the fundamentals and positions, Cadets need to be able to accommodate their situation and apply the proper adjustments.
Cadets from Advance Camp 3rd Regiment C Company listen to Cadre members go over the fundamentals of how to properly shoot a rifle and aim at a target. June 8 at Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo by Amber Vincent)
The final station is maintenance; Cadets learn how to take apart their rifle and how to put it back together. They also learn the name, function and what not to do with each of the pieces; some of the names the Cadets learn are charging handle, buttstock and firing Pin, to name a few.
“It’s the fundamentals and the initial stages of marksmanship,” said Baeza. “The basic understanding is all they really need, when it comes to shooting whether it’s a competition or at a zero range.”
After today the Cadets will head to the rifle range and practice the techniques they learned, then next they will head to the qualification range to be tested and need to pass to graduate.
Cadet Summer Training will bring 8,200 Cadets through Basic and Advanced Camp this summer on Fort Knox. These camps are designed to help challenge, grow and improve various skills and leadership qualities within the Cadets. If you think you have what it takes to be a Cadet or if you are interested in a job after college, click the following link:
https://my.goarmy.com/info/rotc1/index.jsp?iom=IP08-AUTO-R1NA-BR-XXX-XX-XXX-MO-XX-X-BRCMAC:IP08
