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 Six 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.
The Trainees have now become more comfortable on the range and accustomed to the range procedures. They also have been issued an M68 Close Combat Optic (CCO) which is a red dot sight with 1x magnification used to engage targets out to 300 meters. The CCO will be their primary aiming device in daylight conditions and the iron sights they zeroed in week 5 become the backup.
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.
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. Next week will be a monumental week and they qualify with their weapon and earn their Marksmanship Badge. Be sure to wish them luck!
Although Sandboxx letters arrive the next day with return stationery, a pre-addressed envelope, the return postage paid, photos, an.d a gift card feature, don’t feel like you have to use Sandboxx to send letters. We encourage handwritten letters and cards – these are super important.
The Making of Your Soldier
The journey is past the halfway point, and the road ahead will be tough—but your Trainee is rising to the challenge. Next week they will finish up BRM and take on the second FTX called the Anvil.
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 — just ask for Kris, and myself or another teammate will get back to you as soon as we can.
Hooah!
SGM Kris Broadus, U.S. Army (Ret)