Line Safety/PMI Instructor

1. Line Safety/PMI Instructor SGT Shahan NOTE: Make sure you read the notes on the bottom of each slide if applicable.

2. Line Safety

3. Duties • Ensure all shooters on firing line within your designated area are in strict adherence to commands from tower/RSO. • Act as line of communication between firing line and tower/NCOIC • Inform tower/NCOIC when line is clear or ready to go hot. • Report all issues to NCOIS/tower IE alibi shooters. • Determine if shooter meets criteria for alibi shots. • Immediate actions malfunctions and not shooting all rounds before time ran out is NOT a reason for alibi. • If multiple immediate action malfunctions are present such as all rounds fail to feed properly, that could be an alibi. • Remedial actions and critical weapons issue are alibis IE magazine fails to remain seated. • Check/score target. • Provide range feedback if properly trained. • Repeat commands from RSO/tower.

4. Range/Ammo/Target Detail

5. Duties • Target maintaince and ensure proper targets are posted IE M4/M-16 Zero target. • Watch targets and be on stand by to repair as needed. • Run ammo to Line Safeties as needed. • Ammo detail maintains record of ammo issued out. • It is NOT ammo detail’s responsibility to load magazines for shooter.

6. Basic Safety • No one for any reason will be ahead of firing line while shooters are handling firearms. • EX- If target detail needs to go down range, Tower/NCOIC must first pull ALL shooters away from weapons. • If new shooters need to come on firing line, pull ALL shooters back so new shooters do not muzzle flag shooters on firing line. • There’s nothing in safety protocol that says while one half of range is shooting, other half is being cleaned just as long as brass detail is behind firing line. This is NCOIC’s call.

7. Firing Line Commands (range commands MAY be altered as needed) I have yet to find an FM/AR for verbatim range commands like in drill and ceremony. As shooters get rodded on the line, have Line Safeties guide them all down to one end of the line and Line Safeties inform them to place weapons and gear down and step back. You can allow them to adjust sand bags or shooting blocks. Give commands by stating who you are telling commands to like a preparatory command. SHOOTERS step forward! SAFETIES give me a green paddle! SHOOTERS stand up! Etc. Bullhorns work well but sometimes you lose voice clarity with volume or some people just don’t know how to talk into one which is why some NCO’s prefer to yell commands and have RSO’s repeat them.

8. Firing Line Commands If you can’t remember specific commands, think of the common sense way to organize and make up commands. ORDER OF RANGE Find a firing point and set your gear down and identify target (Safeties should be all over this.) Load magazine with ammo but NOT in weapon (if needed) Adjust firing point and/or get into firing position/stage magazines if reloading. Lock, load, standby or holster/low ready if pistol range. FIRE! Call cease fire and make the firing line safe. Move forward and check/grade targets. Come back to line and have shooters take 2 steps back. Pull shooters off if they need to come off. Bring shooters on if they need to come on (do step 1) Make adjustments if needed. Start from step 2.

9. Firing Line Commands (range commands MAY be altered as needed) I have yet to find an FM/AR for verbatim range commands like in drill and ceremony. As shooters get rodded on the line, have Line Safeties guide them all down to one end of the line and Line Safeties inform them to place weapons and gear down and step back. You can allow them to adjust sand bags or shooting blocks. COMMANDS After all shooters are on a point and have their gear set down: SHOOTERS! Step forward and load magazine with 6 rounds and stand by. SHOOTERS! Assume a good prone position and adjust gear as necessary. SAFETIES! Give me a green/white/thumbs up when ready. SHOOTERS! You will be firing all 6 rounds center mass of the target in front of you. Lock, load and fire.

10. Firing Line Commands (range commands MAY be altered as needed) Scan line to wait for shooters to be finished shooting. SAFETIES! Give me a green/white paddle/thumbs up when we’re clear. SHOOTERS! Stand up. Walk down range and check targets. Wait about 5 mins If you have checked your target, face up range. Is anyone zero’d? NOTE: Line Safeties confirm zero and then confirm with NCOIC who has final say. SHOOTERS! If you are zero’d, remove your target and place your name and platoon on it. Everyone walk back up range.

11. Firing Line Commands (range commands MAY be altered as needed) Have shooters step away from weapons to clear a walking path. SHOOTERS! If you are zero’d, step forward, secure your weapons and gear, and get rodded off the range. NOTE: Have zero’d shooters get off range before putting new shooters on. After zero’d shooters are clear. NEW SHOOTERS COMING ON THE RANGE! Get rodded on and head all the way down to the end of the range (line safeties will guide new shooters to fire point. Always fill from one end to the other. After new shooters have set equipment down. SHOOTERS! Walk forward and make adjustments. Start over.

12. Shooting Fundamentals and other stuff that hurts/helps shots Trigger Squeeze Breathing Position/Natural point of aim/comfort/stance Grip Sight picture = Alignment of front sight, back sight, eyes Anticipation of recoil Gear Strategy Fatigue

13. ZEROing Purpose: Be able to pick up ANYONE’s rifle, flush the current ZERO adjustments through a mechanical zero, apply your personal ZERO adjustments/BZO and shoot it like it’s been your rifle since time began.

14. BZO Purpose: BattlesightZero. Your personal ZERO settings you get. AKA the sum of adjustments.

15. Mechanical Zero Purpose: Restores rifle sights back to “factory settings” by essentially erasing or “flushing” the current adjustments on it.

16. Mechanical Zero Front sight: Base of front sight post must be flush front sight assembly. Front sight POST Base of front sight post Front sight assembly Think of it like this: If a little Leprechaun were to walk across your front sight assembly, you don’t want him to fall in the front sight post pit and get hurt! He needs you to make a level bridge so he can walk across safely.

17. Mechanical Zero Front sight: Base of front sight post must be flush front sight assembly. Waaay too high. Base of front sight is ABOVE Base of assembly. It’s too high!! Front sight looks too low. Might be a click too high.

18. Mechanical Zero Purpose: Back sight: Turn all the way to one side. Now turn all the way to the other and count the clicks. Divide clicks in half (as much as possible) and that should perfectly center your back sight. Sometimes around 85 clicks total and centered on 43rd. If you have an M-16, set rear elevation to 8/3. M-4is 6/3.

19. Whenever you draw your rifle for live fire, you should ALWAYS mechanical zero your rifle and add your personal adjustments because you never know who’s been messing with your rifle. It could have been loaned to another unit, someone could have dropped it in transport, or someone may just feel like being evil and messing everyone’s sights up.

20. Ways to Zero Standard basic training center mass: Advantage: Point of aim IS point of impact at 25/300 meters. Disadvantage: Center of mass placement from first group/shot isn’t typically the same center of mass placement as following since placing the front sight on an EXACT center of mass EACH shot is almost impossible. F R ONT SIGHT Impacts

21. Ways to Zero High zero: Point of aim is HIGHER then point of impact. Advantage: Can be easier to get a consistent aiming point by aligning front sight post with top of shoulders as opposed to trying to find center of mass each shot. Disadvantage: You have to remember that your point of aim is NOT your point of impact when you shoot qual. When doing this, you aim high and adjust low so that shots are still center mass.

22. Ways to Zero Hard line zero: Point of aim is hard lines of zero target and not target silhouette. Advantage: Since perfect center of mass is almost impossible every time which throws you off slightly each shot, placing front sight on hard intersecting lines can give you a better point of reference for front sight placement. Disadvantage: -RSO may think you’re a horrible shot and look at you crazy. -Will take longer to zero because first you have to get your group ZERO’d then you have to place 5 center mass to get off range.

23. 5 Shot Standard

24. 5 Shot Standard? Find the good. Find the bad.

25. 5 Shot Standard? Find the good. Find the bad.

26. 5 Shot Standard? Find the good. Find the bad.

27. 5 Shot Standard? Find the good. Find the bad.

28. Shot Group Analysis • Purpose: Determine if we need to adjust the weapon or shooter. • Questions to ask a shooter: • Where were you aiming/Did you change aiming point? • How did the shots feel? • Did you flush your zero before you came out? • What is mechanical zero and how do we get it?

29. Shot Group Analysis Questions to ask a yourself when diagnosing groups: How do they usually group? Poorly? Expert? If you’re looking at second or more group, are they still consistent with prior shots? How extreme are the issues? Is it slight trigger squeeze or profound? Is it the weapon or the shooter? – Weapon is characterized by consistent tight groups that just aren’t on center mass yet. Shooter is characterized usually by shot group size inconsistency, or large groups or if it looks like you can specifically identify which fundamental they need to work on. You CAN have issues with both weapon and shooter. NOTE: When we’re talking about “weapon” we mean the ZERO of that weapon. Typically, you make adjustments based off the center of the group. Always give shooters positive feedback no matter what.

30. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

31. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

32. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

33. PVT Snuffy Group 1. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

34. PVT Snuffy Group 2. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

35. PVT Snuffy Group 3. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

36. PVT Snuffy Group 4. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

37. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice? Bro, do you even mech zero?

38. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

39. Find the good. Find the bad. Weapon or shooter? Advice?

40. Zero Math

41. Assuming proper BZO and fundamentals are applied. What is the ZERO for this shooter? First group Second group

42. Assuming a proper mech zero and fundamentals are applied…. First group Second group Third group IF 1st adjustment- up 3, left 7. 2nd adjustment- up 1, right 2. Why is final ZERO /BZO up 4 and left 5?

43. Think of it like positive and negative numbers. What is final ZERO for PVT Snuffy? Up 3, left 5 Up 2, right 1 Down 7, left 6 Up 8, right 1 Down 1, left 2 Down 4, right 5 Up 1, left 1 Down, 3 left 3 Up 3, right 1 Down 2, left 2 Up 1, right 1

44. Up 3 Up 2 Down 7 Up 8 Down 1 Down 4 Up 1 Down 3 Up 3 Down 2 Up 1 Up 5 Up 1 Down 5 Down 2 Up 1 Up 1 Up 6 Down 7 Up 1 Final Up/Down ZERO Adjustment is Up 1 Up 2

45. Left 5 Right 1 Left 6 Right 1 Left 2 Right 5 Left 1 Left 3 Right 1 Left 2 Right 1 4 Left 5 Left 3 Right Left 4 Left 1 Right 1 9 Left 1 Left 0 Final Left/Right ZERO Adjustment is 10 Left

46. First group Second group Third group Fourth group Fifth Group Assuming proper mech zero is applied... IF 1st adjustment- down 3, left 7. 2nd adjustment- reshoot. 3rd adjustment- down 1, right 2 4th adjustment- reshoot 5th adjustment- ZERO. What is final zero?

48. Grading. Count the hits. (see next slide)

49. Grading. Count the hits. 7 out of 10. Hit Hit Hit Hit Hit Hit Hit

50. Prone supported Count the hits. Issue? Weapon or shooter? Advice? Keep qualifying?