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Combat Arms - Increasing Lethality, Reducing Mishaps
by U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Hailey Bivens
June 30, 2019
Well trained Airmen reduce the rise of safety mishaps in the
field and increases accuracy and lethality when firing a weapon is
necessary.
To ensure Gunfighters are ready to deploy at any
moment, Mountain Home Air Force Base conducts Combat Arms Training
and Maintenance (CATM) classes throughout the year.
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April 25, 2019 - An Airman
loads ammunition into his clip before receiving instructions
at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Airmen receive
Combat Arms Training to ensure they are confident using
their issued weapons. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st
Class Hailey Bivens)
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Most Airmen are trained on two main weapons at CATM: the M4
carbine and M9 pistol.
“Whether it’s because they’re deploying or making a permanent
change of station, they come to CATM for their small arms training,”
said Staff Sgt. Corey Martin, 366th Security Forces Squadron Combat
Arms instructor.
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April 25, 2019 -
Staff Sgt. Corey Martin, 366th Security Forces Squadron
combat arms instructor gives instructions on the firing line
at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Combat arms
instructors guide Airmen through the process of safely
loading and firing weapons. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st
Class Hailey Bivens)
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Gunfighter CATM instructors train Airmen on
a multitude of topics that pertain to their safety in a deployed
environment.
They start off in the classroom to learn basic
firearm safety, how the weapon works, and how to preform immediate
actions in the event their weapon is not firing correctly.
After the classroom portion of the course, Airmen are taken to the
firing range to put the techniques they learned to the test.
Tech Sgt. Joshua Armstrong, 366th Operations Support Squadron air
traffic controller says the training reminds him of the techniques
he’s learned in the past when attending other CATM classes.
“Different careers in the Air Force have different objectives so
it’s always good to have a refresher on how to properly operate
these weapons.” Said Armstrong.
The instructors intently
watch their students as they fire weapons during qualification to
ensure they maintain safety standards.
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April 25, 2019 - Staff Sgt. Justin Colmer,
366th Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor,
observes his students as they fire their weapons at Mountain
Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Airmen learn how to safely
operate issued weapons in the Combat Arms Training and
Maintenance class. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class
Hailey Bivens)
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“It’s very important for Airmen to retain information and remain
safe when firing their weapons,” Martin said. “A negligent discharge
could end someone’s life.”
When firing is done the shooters return to the classroom to
disassemble and clean their weapons before putting the weapon back
together with guidance from instructors.
“We go over operator
level maintenance so they can identify problems inside the weapon
itself,” Martin said. “If a bolt breaks it shouldn’t take a Combat
Arms Airman to inspect it for cracks and imperfections. If the
person is qualified they should be able to grab a new bolt and put
it back together.”
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