November 9th 2010 - Range Time

Everyday something happens that reminds me that I'm no longer back in the States.  Today we went to the firing range and it was definitely different than the ranges that I'm used to back home.

Early in the morning we loaded up in our MRAP's and headed to the firing range where we were reminded of how different things are here before we even exited our vehicles.  Blocking our path was a half dozen cows.  Finally the cow herder (or whatever the proper term is for a guy ushering cows around happens to be) moved the cows out of the way and we drove the final hundred meters or so the range.  We exited the vehicles to the sound of cows mooing and excited voices of Afghan children.

The children were excited because they pick up the brass from the range.  Normally back home, we take great care in collecting every single piece of brass (the casing remaining from firing a bullet) to turn back in for recycling.  I guess here by leaving the brass behind it's helping out the local economy since the costs to transport spent brass back to the States would be more than it costs to manufacture new brass.  We ushered the kids away from the range (for safety) and told them to come back when we were done.

Finally things got underway and we shot about six magazines through our pistols.  To be honest, it was a relief to shoot my pistol.  I carry my M9 Beretta with me everyday and have it either on my person or within arms reach 24 hours a day (with the exception of PT or showering).  After locking, loading, and pulling the trigger and feeling the pistol jump in my hand I broke out in a big smile.  Even though it was fired back home as well as in Bagram (when I first arrived in Afghanistan), it's a relief to know that if I needed to use it up to that point it would have worked properly.  It would have been extremely disheartening to have it malfunction and not work properly.

After firing the pistol, I waited around for everyone else to finish firing.  During this time helicopters and cargo planes were constantly taking off and landing.

A CH-47 Chinook takes off

After firing our pistols, we moved on to verification of the zero on our rifle.  Our weapons were previously zeroed as recently as Bagram, but due to a shift of about 2000 feet in altitude, our zero may be slightly off.

As I laid down in the prone position in the dirt of Afghanistan and attempted to get comfortable in my 40+ pound armored vest and started to slow my breathing I knew it was going to be a good day at the range.  After firing my first 6 rounds at the target and seeing that all 6 rounds impacted in a group about the size of dime I confirmed that it was going to be good day.  I fired a few more rounds to confirm my zero and waited as the rest of the group finished zeroing.

Zero targets are placed downrange

Finally we moved to the qualification stage.  I was in the second group to fire.  I was in a groove and my qualification score reflected that.  The only thing that threw me off slightly was when we shot from the kneeling position, we were on that little hill in the picture above and it was difficult to get a solid firing position.  After feeling that I blew my last 10 rounds that I fired kneeling, it turned out that I shot the high score for the day.

My day at the range was then over and I took a little break.  I sat down on a little rise of dirt and relaxed in the sun. 

Enjoying the sunny day

Yeah, it was dusty on the range, but it was a nice way to spend the morning.

Remember the little kids that came up to us when we first got there?  Well, they eventually came back towards the end. 

An Afghan boy waiting for us to finish so he can pick up our spent shell casings

Until next time...