EWU ROTC Cadets Conduct Weapons Familiarization Range in Medical Lake

Cadets from the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program ended the month with a bang by executing a weapons familiarization live fire at the Medical Lake Department of Corrections Range.  On September 27, 2018; 73 Cadets from the EWU ROTC “Fighting Eagles” battalion conducted familiarization on the M9, M4, 240B, and 249 weapon systems.  For many of the MSI Cadets it was their first time firing a weapon; thus making it a great opportunity for them to get some experience on all four weapon systems.

Cadets at a firing range

Learning marksmanship with various weapon systems is a key Soldier skill that Cadets learn during their time in the ROTC program.  The training prepares Cadets for Advanced Camp held at Ft. Knox, Kentucky each summer.  Cadets usually between their junior and senior years in college attend Advanced Camp and basic rifle marksmanship is one of the skills they must pass to graduate.  Graduating from Advanced Camp is one of the key milestones to becoming an Army officer after graduating from college.  The EWU ROTC program provides Cadets plenty of opportunity to learn and train on basic rifle marksmanship.  This was demonstrated this past summer when every EWU ROTC Cadet that attended Advanced Camp passed the rifle marksmanship testing.

Below are a few pictures from this week training provided by EWU ROTC Cadre member Mr. Rob Riedel:

A cadet firing a machine gun
Cadet Matthew Jeffs from Vancouver Washington engages targets with the M249 machine gun.
A cadet being trained on a machine gun
EWU ROTC Cadre member, Sergeant First Class Jason Hennig instructs Cadets on basic marksmanship.
Cadets laying prone shooting targets
MS IV Cadet Megan Anderson instructs Cadet Arlette Jacobo of Spokane Valley, WA on marksmanship.
A cadet laying prone firing a machine gun
Cadet Nicholas Null engages targets with the M249 Machine Gun.
A cadet firing a rifle at a target
Cadet Cheyenne Sweet of Puyallup, WA engages targets with the M4 rifle.
A cadet firing a machine gun at a target
Cadet Christian Goldbach of Valleyford, WA engages targets under the supervision of Cadet James Tallakson.

Additional pictures from the rifle range can be viewed on the EWU ROTC Facebook site.  The below pictures were provided courtesy of EWU ROTC alumni, Mr. Jerry Mellick:

A group of cadets firing together

Cadets laying prone shooting

A cadet firing a pistol

A cadet holding ammo, smiling

Finally EWU ROTC would like to thank the Medical Lake Department of Corrections for access to their range.  Providing outstanding training opportunities to the EWU ROTC Cadets would not be possible without the great support our program receives from the surrounding community.

Start Something Big!  Go Fighting Eagles!