Press Release
☷116th IBCT hosts shooting qualifications for German Polish Soldiers
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Apr 29,2022
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CAMP BONDSTEEL , Kosovo – U . S . Army Soldiers assigned to Kosovo Force’s Regional Command East host German and Polish Soldiers during an M249 squad automatic weapon familiarization on Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo , April 28 , 2022 . The German and Polish contingents are two of twenty - seven NATO partners serving alongside U . S . troops in Kosovo working towards the same mission of securing a safe environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo . CAMP BONDSTEEL , Kosovo – U . S . Army Sgt . Jessey McDaniel , right , an infantryman assigned to one of Kosovo Force Regional Command East’s liaison monitoring teams , assists a German Soldier with zeroing an M4 rifle during a rifle qualification range on Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo , April 28 , 2022 . The German contingent , one of the NATO partners serving alongside U . S . troops in Kosovo , was invited to qualify with U . S . weapons after U . S . troops qualified on German weapons weeks prior . CAMP BONDSTEEL , Kosovo – U . S . Army Soldiers assigned to Kosovo Force’s Regional Command - East host German and Polish Soldiers during an M17 service pistol qualification on Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo , April 28 , 2022 . The German and Polish contingents are two of twenty - seven NATO partners serving alongside U . S . troops in Kosovo working towards the same mission of securing a safe environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo . CAMP BONDSTEEL , Kosovo – U . S . Army Soldiers assigned to Kosovo Force’s Regional Command East assist German and Polish Soldiers with zeroing M4 rifles during a rifle qualification range on Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo , April 28 , 2022 . The German and Polish contingents are two of twenty - seven NATO partners serving alongside U . S . troops in Kosovo , working towards the same mission of securing a safe environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo . CAMP BONDSTEEL , Kosovo –U . S . Army Soldiers assigned to Kosovo Force’s Regional Command East assist German and Polish Soldiers with zeroing M4 rifles during a rifle qualification range on Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo , April 28 , 2022 . The German and Polish contingents are two of twenty - seven NATO partners serving alongside U . S . troops in Kosovo , working towards the same mission of securing a safe environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo . CAMP BONDSTEEL , Kosovo – After hosting the German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency qualifications last month , the German contingent , accompanied by members of the Polish contingent , qualified with U . S . Army weapons on Camp Bondsteel , Kosovo , April 28 , 2022 . Regional Command - East Soldiers hosted the event where multinational partners fired and qualified with the Colt M4 Carbine service rifle and the Sig Sauer M17 service pistol . Before the event’s conclusion , participants also shot the M249 squad automatic weapon for familiarization . “We invited some of our German partners from the German contingent as well as some of the Polish partners who work with us every day to come participate in a U . S . qualification on our rifles and pistols , ” said U . S . Army Sgt . Maj . Latane Gilliam , the brigade operations sergeant major assigned to Kosovo Force ( KFOR ) RC - East . “It is a great opportunity for them to step away from their normal routine and earn a U . S . qualification badge for doing something they enjoy . ” The day before going to the range , participants received a preliminary marksmanship instruction class to familiarize them with the basics of each weapon . They also practiced on simulated weapons at an engagement skills trainer , or EST range to further their comfortability before firing the weapons on the live range . The EST is designed to replicate the live firing of individual and crew - served weapons . The Soldiers could qualify at three levels; marksman , sharpshooter and expert . Marksman being the lowest and expert being the highest . Qualification levels are the same for both weapons , but both require a different number of targets hit . When firing the rifle , the Soldiers had to shoot in the prone , standing and kneeling positions . For the pistol portion , it’s a bit different , they shot standing , kneeling and walking . The badge awarded is a silver crosshair for marksmen , while the sharpshooter badge has a bullseye in the crosshairs . For the Soldiers who qualified as experts , the badge is a crosshair with bullseyes surrounded by a wreath . “They know weapons safety and weapons handling , so getting them used to our platform was pretty simple , ” U . S . Army Sgt . Jessey Mcdaniel , an infantryman assigned to RC - East , said . “They all shot well and it has been as fun as when we shot with them . ” The event ended with the partner - nation Soldiers receiving their U . S . Army shooting badges and the U . S . Soldiers who qualified the month prior , receiving their German badges . Lt . Col Eddie Simpson , the deputy commanding officer for RC - East , awarded the badges to the German and Polish Soldiers . German Col . Stefan Bruendermann , the commanding officer for the KFOR German contingent , awarded the German badges . After the award ceremony , they shared laughs and food over a barbeque . “It has been an awesome experience working with our partners on the range as well as on a regular basis here in Kosovo , ” Gilliam said . The Soldiers of RC - East are currently in Kosovo to support a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all communities in Kosovo .
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