311th Brigade Support Battalion completes qualification on three weapons

By: Silas Allen
Missouri National Guard Public Affairs


CAMP GRUBER, Okla. - Members of the Missouri National Guard's 311th Brigade Support Battalion took to the firing ranges at Camp Gruber, Okla., during their monthly drill.

The Soldiers completed their weapons qualifications on the M-2 machine gun, the M-249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the MK-19, a fully-automatic, crew-served grenade launcher.

Spc. Rudolph Ho Chee, of Independence, and his firing partner were the first off the firing line during the M2 qualifications. The qualification went well: Ho Chee hit every target. Ho Chee, of the 548th Transportation Company, said the unit takes time during monthly drill weekends to familiarize themselves with weapons. This level of preparedness contributed to his success, Ho Chee said.

Ho Chee said the range was similar to the Missouri Guard's firing range at Camp Crowder, outside Neosho, Mo.

"It's an excellent range," he said.

Spc. James Alford, of the 311th's Company A, said the MK-19 firing range was also better than average.

"I like this range," he said. "It's nice and open. You can tell what targets you've hit."

Alford, of Carl Junction, compared it to a range in New Jersey he used when he was preparing for deployment to Iraq with the 735th Force Provider Company. At that range, targets were sometimes obscured by trees or brush, meaning targets were often difficult to see.

Alford said he felt especially prepared for the qualification: he gained a year's worth of experience on the Mark 19 during his deployment, and he also serves as the unit's gunner. Like the 548th, Alford said his unit also works with the weapons before each qualification to make sure every Soldier is familiar with the weapon.

"We break out the weapons and go through the classes," he said.

The 311th Brigade Support Battalion includes the Lexington-based headquarters company, the Nevada- and Lamar-based Company A, the Centertown-based Company B and the 548th Transportation Company, which is based in Centertown and Trenton.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please call 1-800-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.