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April 1, 2016
Your Troopers
‘Fury’Troop conducts Bradley gunnery
A M2 Bradley fighting vehicle fires its main gun, March 7. gun and the 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. A round that is fired from a 25mm M242 Bushmaster.
“This is a significant step for the troop, for the squadron, for
Story and photos by Gustavo Bahena ing was an opportunity to learn new things and become more
the 11th ACR,” Piccione said. “It hasn’t been done in quite some proficient. His crew was serving together for the first time and
Public Affairs Office time, so all the hard work that went into it from August until now included Spc. Matthew Wells, driver, and Sgt. Va Sam, gunner.
shows that it’s a pretty significant jump for the entire regiment.”
This March, the National Training Center did not host a Smullen and his crew learned all the commands involved
brigade for a training rotation, allowing Troopers of the 11th Piccione stated the crews were doing a great job and showed with firing and became familiar with each other’s actions. After
Armored Cavalry Regiment some additional time to conduct a dramatic improvement during the few days they spent at the becoming comfortable with the process, firing down-range got
their own training. range. He was confident the crews would be qualified after table 6. “really exciting.”
Normally the regiment is fully engaged in their role as the op- Wortmann explained that each Bradley crew consists of a “They’re doing a great job,” Smullen said about his crewmem-
posing force, which “fights” the visiting unit. With a break from driver, gunner and commander – whose role can be filled by a bers. “The difference, from when we started, is night and day.”
the training mission, Soldiers of F Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th staff sergeant up to the troop commander. Crews fire live am-
ACR, conducted gunnery tables with their M2 Bradley Fighting munition in tables 4 to 6, which includes shooting the 25mm Sam stated the crew spent many hours in pre-training, which
Vehicles. They conducted tables 1-6 for the first time in several M242 Bushmaster at targets ranging from 900 to 1800 meters; included using simulators. Once at the range, the crew had to
years, according to Staff Sgt. Jeremy Wortmann, master gunner the 25mm ammunition can be armor piercing or high explosive step up and be thoroughly focused.
for 1st Squadron, 11th ACR. rounds. The crews will also fire the machine gun at targets in the
range of 300 to 800 meters. He had served as a driver in a previous duty station, but now
Capt. John Piccione, commander of F Troop, said really likes being the one firing the weapons.
eight of his Bradley crews and three from E Troop set out Second Lt. Richard Smullen, 3rd Platoon leader for F Troop
to complete the tables, which if completed successfully, and acting commander of Bradley vehicle 3-1, said the train- “I actually have to identify the target, engage the target
would qualify the crews to shoot a Bradley’s 25mm main and keep apprised the (Bradley commander),” Sam said about
his new role.
Sgt. Colten Forte (right), provides an after action review Second Lt. Richard Smullen, 3rd Platoon leader for F Troop Soldiers remove ammunition links from a M2 Bradley
to M2 Bradley crew members Spc. Matthew Wells (left), and acting commander of Bradley vehicle 3-1, leads his fighting vehicle after it fired at range 1 here.
2nd Lt. Richard Smullen (center) and Sgt. Va Sam. The Bradley to a position after firing at range 1 here, March 7.
crew commanded by Smullen had just fired at a Bradley
gunnery table 5.
For more information go to www.irwin.army.mil
