corrected some of my forms, especially trigger squeeze,” Juhasz said. “A lot of times I get into a bad habit of trying to pull the trigger with my whole finger instead of just the tip of my finger. So having someone correct me on that even here at camp is a good way to learn and a good way to adapt to the environment.”

As 1st Regiment Basic Camp Cadets exited their required 10-day COVID-19 monitoring period, they entered Handiboe Gun Range, firing live rounds with their M4’s while learning how to properly group and zero their weapons. For many Basic Camp Cadets, like Cadet Colby Lane, University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Cadet Deja Whitt, University of Guam, Group & Zero served as their first time firing a weapon. “It’s about weapon safety, getting more comfortable with weapons in general, and gaining confidence on the range,” said Whitt. Prior to Group & Zero, Cadets attended Primary Marksmanship Instruction (PMI) where they received in-depth training [...]

First there was the silence of aiming. Next the first couple gunshots of the eager. Eventually, the shots cascaded from the lined-up Cadets so fast that it sounded reminiscent of the opening drum solo of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher.” Although it sounds like fun, 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp’s Weapons Group Zero training was a serious event that demanded intense concentration. Each Platoon took a prone-supported position on a shooting range at Fort Knox, KY, and fired volleys of five rounds from their M4 rifles at a target approximately twenty-five meters away. The goal: grouping their shots together, and adjusting their [...]

“This is a calm, steady environment for them to be able to shoot calmly, get their weapons zeroed and be able to confirm their zeros so that whenever they are in a war fighting situation they don’t have to worry about shooting and missing the target,” said Tucker.