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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Not everyone has the skills required to be a successful rifleman, but many have other skills valuable to maintaining a fighting force. There is no value judgement, just where do you fit in to the overall abilities of our forces. Now if you want to talk to me about the M16/M4 and the @$!*% shoulder burns I have from over 30 years of service after being born left handed, that is a whole 'nuther story! But each man and woman serves a purpose, and it can in fact be valuable without getting to carry a rifle.
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The only armed forces organization where everyone is trained as a “ Rifleman” is the the “United States Marine Corps. They specialize in the “Rifleman”. Nobody can equal that. 246 years of training people to kill with a rifle and bayonet cannot be equaled ANYWHERE.
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I was a cook and I had to qualify every base I went to and before I went to Korea. This was in the mid 80's. At Hill I even went through M60 training.
Did they stop requiring everyone to qualify since that time?
Did they stop requiring everyone to qualify since that time?
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Can't say that I understand much of this post. Enlisted, my primary job was ACW Radar tech, except for one tour at 25th NORAD, I was always an SP augmentee. Had to qualify on M-16 in basic and at every station. As an officer, I had to qualify with the .38 before every PCS - and since I needed a rifle during my first overseas tour as an officer, I insisted on qualifying with the M-16 prior to my second overseas tour as well. So what's this about folks not qualifying?
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AF veteran here. I thought I went through M-16 training in Basic and then again in Tech School and received a Marksmanship Ribbon, but I guess I could've hallucinated the experience.
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The amount of time the AF spends on training their techs to ensure the aircraft don’t fall out of the sky is more valuable than trying to lug a M-4 or M-9 around with you while working on the aircraft. Air Force has a different skill sets than the other branches and ground combat isn’t one of them. That’s why they have their special forces parts to ensure everyone else can do their job. Can’t spend millions on training one to send him off to his death on the front line.
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Why don't all members of the Air Force have to be fully qualified to be a rifleman in case of hostile events?
Have you looked at them?
USAF 65-70
USA 71-88
Have you looked at them?
USAF 65-70
USA 71-88
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Why don't all members of the Air Force have to be fully qualified to be a rifleman in case of hostile events?
Have you looked at them?
5 years USAF 65-70
18 years USA 71-88
Have you looked at them?
5 years USAF 65-70
18 years USA 71-88
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While it makes sense for members of USA, USN, USMC to be well trained to use small arms the USAF is a different sort of service. I served 8 years in the regular Air Force and never touched a weapon after basic training. However, I did spend three years in the nuclear war planning business and two years in the aerial reconnaissance business (actually space based reconnaissance). All of my time was spent on large bases or working out of the Pentagon. I never got farther from home (in CT) than Omaha. Only about one percent of Air Force personnel ever get in the same country with combat. Those people do get additional small arms training but rarely employ small arms since they are protected by Army or Marine personnel. Air crew members all carry small arms but their real experience in combat comes from their use of the much more powerful weapons they fly.
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