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SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Tech. Sgt. Timothy Sands, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing flight safety NCO in charge, fires the M4 assault rifle during a weapons familiarization and refresher course at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, March 23, 2012. Wing Staff Agency members received weapons familiarization training on multiple weapons that the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron uses on a daily basis. Sands is deployed from Kirkland Air Force Base, N.M. and is a native of Albuquerque, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua J. Garcia)

KAFB Airman teams up with 332nd ESFS for weapons familiarization training

Published March 28, 2012
By Maj. Jillian Torango
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Do you know what you would do if you had to defend your base, your convoy, or even your workcenter from an attack? Seven members of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Staff Agencies got the opportunity to test their mettle when they teamed up with the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron for weapons familiarization training at a firing range here March 23.

Lined up at an outdoor range were the M-240 and the M-249 machine gun and two M-4 rifles. After a safety briefing from a Combat Arms instructor, each shooter was familiarized with the weapons in front of them and they began to fire.

One might ask why a lawyer, historian or photographer would need to become comfortable firing these types of weapons.

"I think it is very important for every Airman to be comfortable firing a weapon -- especially for the WSA who are the wing commander's personal staff," said Maj. Timothy McCarty, 332nd ESFS commander, who is deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

"For example, if there were an active shooter, we're conditioned to having Airmen take cover and report their status to the proper agencies," he said. "Every Airman is a sensor and eventually I'd like to see our culture change from having Airmen lock their doors to them grabbing a weapon if it came down to it."

One leader jumped at the chance to see what his Airmen would do with this type of familiarization training.

"Most Airmen don't ever really get a chance to train with anything other than an M9 pistol or an M4 rifle," said Lt. Col. Paul R. Carlton III, 332nd AEW director of staff, who is also deployed from Hill. "Therefore, training opportunities like this give us a chance to become more familiar with these additional weapons that we could potentially be required to use."

One Airman who participated in the training said it not only made him feel comfortable with the weapons, but more importantly, it made him more appreciative of the job security forces Airmen do every day.

"This training gave me some insight on what security forces Airmen do every day and what capabilities they have," said Tech. Sgt. Timothy Sands, 332nd AEW flight safety NCO, who is deployed from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. "I am a lot more comfortable in the tools they use to defend the base and protect us."