Posted on May 28, 2015
Why don't all members of the Air Force have to be fully qualified to be a rifleman in case of hostile events?
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I have noticed through the years of being in the Air Force (Security Forces member here) that most people in the Air Force are clueless when it comes to M-4/M-16/M-9. This is outrageous! What are they supposed to do if the enemy comes knocking on our door step and everyone needs to fight. I have taught classes on the M-4 with communication airmen and have seen them completely mess up clearing out the weapon, loading it (magazine upside down or rounds the wrong way), and just completely incapable of achieving a zero on target after four rounds of firing. I am a big fan of how the Army and Marines teach that your are always a rifleman first. It almost seems like some of the Airmen don't expect to carry a weapon (ummmm why did you join the military in the first place)? I wish the Air Force would pick up on this to make us a more combat ready force. But, enough of me what are your thoughts?
Rifleman
3P: Security Forces
Air Force
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 907
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I feel that basic proficiency with a rifle or carbine should be mandatory for all service members. However, training AF or shipboard sailors to "fully qualified riflemen" would take too much time away from other training and duties and ultimately reduce the lethality of the entire armed forces. it is hard enough to train real riflemen with the limited availability of ammunition range time.
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Of course I’m old school but when I went through Lackland we qualified with both rifle and pistol. The Air Force doesn’t award a medal for marksmanship but I received a ribbon for small arms expert. Of course times may have changed since 1963.
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All personnel of any branch should be familiar with the small arms at minimum that are in the armory of that facility, I was an AFSC 81152 and ABGD, we knew our stuff..
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I think every person in the military should be taught basic rifle or pistol skills.
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Everyone belonging to an aerial port squadron is required to be qualified with a rifle ! I used to schedule the training for my squadron
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I spent 22 years in the Air Force. I had 3 combat tours. I crossed from Air Intelligence to Medic. I used both skills down range. As a medic, I did not fly patients with a rifle. Very impractical. However, when not air evacing, I carried a rifle in the zone. At all times, I carried a side arm. I qualified with both and although I'm a bit rusty, I believe I can still shhot the ass off a gnat with my 45.
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I was in the Ground Launched Cruise Missile, GLCM. Mobile nukes. I was qualified in: CAR 10, M92, M 60, All munitions ..slap flair s etc. M 203, and yes, a small hydrogen device. Major Jim
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I went basic training at Ft Benning. We had an Air Force SF guy who was transitioning to the Army and he was not a great shooter. Having said that some of the best pistol shooters I know are Air Force. It's a different mentality. The Air Force exists to fly they seem to forget they were originally Army Air Forces.
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I was in SAC (Strategic Air Command) and all Air Force officers and enlisted members were qualified in small arms. Offficers had qualification in 9mm and/or 38 cal side arms. Enlisted were qualified in M16 rifles. This was outside of those that were in security forces or law enforcement. Depending on what your AFSC (MOS) was, you may not have a war time critical function, and so you were trained as a rifleman. Many of these jobs are now civilian contract jobs, however, we were all trained in firearms. Aircraft maintenance components would be guarded against being overrun by augmented clercks, gym managers and accountants all carrying rifles.
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