Fort Jackson

Hooah!!  Welcome back for your Week Four update.  Your Trainee has successfully moved into Phase III of Army Basic Combat Training, the White Phase.  Week Four marks the start of the first stretch of Phase III, also known as the White Phase. This is the beginning of a highly stressful time for your Trainee.  Most new Trainees have never handled a weapon before.

WEEK FOUR EXPECTATIONS: WHITE PHASE

The focus is on strengthening individual task proficiency in shooting, moving, communicating, surviving, physical fitness, and discipline. Trainees must successfully qualify with their weapons to advance out of the White Phase and into the Blue Phase. 

This week, the Drill Sergeants (DS) have already started shifting the emphasis of training away from the individual and toward the team. Trainees have also been assigned a “Battle Buddy,” who must accompany them throughout the remainder of BCT.

ENGAGEMENT SKILLS TRAINER

This week, they will spend time in the Engagement Skills Trainer (EST 2000).  The EST 2000 is an indoor, multipurpose, multilane, small arms training simulator. It simulates weapon training events, which lead to live-fire individual/crew weapon qualification and training events.

After the EST 2000, they will move out to the Zeroing Range, where they will fire their first live rounds.  Zeroing a weapon is not a training exercise, nor is it a combat skills event. Zeroing is a maintenance procedure to place the gun in operation based on the Soldier’s skill, capabilities, tactical scenario, aiming device, and ammunition. It seeks to achieve the desired relationship between the line of sight and the round’s trajectory at a known distance. The zeroing process ensures that the soldier, weapon, aiming device, and ammunition perform as expected at a specific range to target with the least induced errors.

ZEROING RANGE

After the EST 2000, they will move out to the Zeroing Range to fire their first live rounds.  Zeroing a weapon is not a training exercise, nor is it a combat skills event. Zeroing is a maintenance procedure to place the gun in operation based on the Soldier’s skill, capabilities, tactical scenario, aiming device, and ammunition. It seeks to achieve the desired relationship between the line of sight and the round’s trajectory at a known distance. The zeroing process ensures that the soldier, weapon, aiming device, and ammunition perform as expected at a specific range to target with the least induced errors.

To achieve high accuracy and precision, Trainees must zero their aiming device to their weapon correctly. The Trainee must first accomplish a consistent grouping of a series of shots, at least three but ideally five. 

The M4 Carbine is the standard-issue weapon of the U.S. Army. Training Circular (TC) 3-22.9 is the Army’s guide to providing Soldiers with critical information on how to properly and effectively engage and destroy threats in a direct-fire engagement.

FULL BATTLE RATTLE

Trainees will be taught everything there is to know about the rifle (remember, it’s not a gun). Learning to shoot a rifle requires much more than pulling the trigger. The TC relies on the DS to teach the Trainees about how the weapon functions, its capabilities, the capabilities of the optics and ammunition, and how to properly employ those capabilities to achieve mastery by applying the functional elements of the shot process. Lastly, marksmanship courses will teach Trainees to hold a weapon, breathe, and shoot from various positions.

Anytime the Trainees conduct marksmanship training, they will march to the firing range, usually in full battle rattle. The full battle rattle is approximately 50 pounds of gear, including an improved outer tactical vest, Kevlar helmet, pro-mask, ammunition, weapons, and rucksack with other essential military equipment. The term was previously associated with a call to arms on warships dating back to the early 1800s. Full battle rattle saves lives, and it is essential to have all the necessary equipment to complete the mission.

LETTERS FROM HOME = MORALE

In your Letter this week, ask your trainee how their marksmanship training is going and if they are getting the hang of mastering their weapon. Next week, they will move on to qualifying with their gun. It will be a big week!

Are you including Reply Postage with your letters? This makes replying much easier for your busy trainee since their Sandboxx return envelope will include prepaid reply postage, and they won’t have to track down a stamp.

THE MAKING OF YOUR SOLDIER

Stay tuned for more insights into Week Four and beyond. Follow us on social media for the latest updates, letter ideas, and more.

That’s a brief look at the intense but rewarding journey your Trainee is on. Let’s keep supporting them every step of the way!

You can always find me via chat in the Sandboxx app or happiness@sandboxx.us. Ask for Kris and another teammate, or I will reply soon.

Hooah!

SGM Kris Broadus, U.S. Army (Ret)