Hooah!! Welcome back for your Week Five Training Update! Are you fired up? This is a BIG week for your Trainee! All the focus, discipline, and hard work they’ve poured into training so far is about to be put to the test as they take on the Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) qualification course! Hopefully, they’ve been locked in and paying attention, because now it’s time to show what they’ve learned. Confidence, precision, and control are the name of the game—and your Trainee is ready to rise to the challenge!

Week Five Expectations: White Phase

Fatigue is definitely setting in this week—your Trainee has been pushing hard, spending long hours on the range perfecting their marksmanship skills. They are now at the midway point of BRM training, and the progress is amazing. By now, they know their weapon inside and out: how it feels, how it fires, and how to hit their target with precision. Mastering the fundamentals like steady aim, breathing control, and trigger squeeze, they are building the warrior skills that will define them as Soldiers. It’s not just about qualifying—it’s about becoming confident, capable, and lethal with their weapon. This is a major step in their transformation, and they’re charging toward it with everything they’ve got!

Range Week

Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) is one of the most exciting and transformative parts of Army Basic Training—it’s where your Trainee becomes a marksman. This phase marks the beginning of their journey to mastering the Army’s standard weapon, the M4 carbine. From the moment they first pick up their rifle, Trainees are taught to treat it as an extension of themselves. They’ll learn essential safety rules, parts of the weapon, and how to maintain it in top condition. Early on, they’ll practice dry-firing and using training simulators to build muscle memory and understand the fundamentals before ever firing a live round.

Once Trainees hit the range, the energy ramps up. They’ll spend long, focused days learning how to zero their sights, maintain proper shooting positions, control breathing, and fire with precision at pop-up targets ranging from 50 to 300 meters. Each target represents a critical skill in marksmanship and combat readiness. As they progress, they’ll fire from various supported and unsupported positions, working to build consistency, accuracy, and confidence under pressure. The highlight of this phase is the official BRM qualification—where Trainees must hit a minimum number of targets to pass. It’s a challenging but exhilarating event that pushes them to apply everything they’ve learned. To earn their marksmanship badge, trainees will have to hit 23 to 29 out of the 40 targets. Trainees hitting 30 to 35 targets will qualify for the sharpshooter badge. An expert badge will be awarded to those trainees that hit 36 to 40 of the 40 targets.

While spending time at the range this week, your Trainee is also getting accustomed to Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) for lunch. Although some find discovering the treats inside an MRE and experiencing the flameless heater to be incredible experiences, field time can be pretty tiring, so the smell of food – even in MRE form – can be pretty euphoric. After being out in the field for even a couple of days, getting hot chow from the dining facility (DFAC), also known as the Warrior Restaurant, can be the only rest your trainee receives all day.

Letters From Home = Morale

Your words matter. Letters from home are fuel for the fight—they lift spirits, inspire grit, and remind your Trainee they are never alone. A few kind words from you can make all the difference. If you’re not sure what to say, start with encouragement, share some updates from home, or ask them about their BRM qualification course results. Ask them if they qualified as Experts, Sharp Shooters, or Marksmen. Plus, don’t forget you can include up to 4 photos in a Sandboxx Letter when you select the Multi Photo Add-on.  

Have you learned how to get photos of your trainee at Fort Jackson yet? Don’t miss out on once-in-a-lifetime photos of your trainee. Get started by visiting the Fort Jackson Photography page, then choose from pictures of your trainee in uniform or completing various training exercises.

The Making of Your Soldier

The journey is at the half-way point and the road ahead will still be challenging—but your Trainee is rising to the challenge. Stay tuned for more insights as we walk this journey together.Next week is a tough week as they tackle the Anvil Field Training Excercise. 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)