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MIXED GROUP OF ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE AND MARINES ALL SERVE AS PART OF A FORCE PROTECTION TEAM
WHICH PROVIDES ONE OF THE FIRST LINES OF DEFENSE FOR THIER BASE.
THE SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE TEAM ARE SHARING THEIR SKILLS WITH JUNIOR MEMBERS TO HELP EVERYONE
BECOME MORE EFFECT IN CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT.
"EACH ONE OF US THROUGHOUT FORCE PROTECTION BRAVO BRINGS A DIFFERENT SKILL SET TO THE
TEAM AND ALL I WAS DOING WAS LENDING MY PART IN IT TOO, WHAT I'VE GAINED OVER THE YEARS."
EVEN WITH THEIR SHARED BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES, IT SEEMS NEW MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WERE ABLE
TO PICK UP TECHNIQUES WHILE SOLIDIFYING SHOOTING FUNDAMENTALS.
"THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS GETTING USED TO THAT SAFETY. I MEAN, WHEN WE'RE AT
THE RANGE BACK HOME, I MEAN IT'S VERY SAFE, VERY RISK AVERSE. BUT HERE YOU'RE GOING FROM
TARGET TO TARGET AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO PRACTICE IS BEING ABLE TO SWITCH
BETWEEN SAFETY AND FIRE."
"THE MOVEMENT UNDER FIRE WAS ENJOYABLE, BECAUSE IT'S RELAXING. I JUST DON'T REALLY GET TO
DO THAT ON A NORMAL RANGE. I MEAN, IT'S NICE TO, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY GET HANDS-ON OF WHAT
YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE DOING."
"THE MOST DIFFICULT TECHNIQUE IS HONESTLY RIPPING YOUR SAFETY. A LOT OF TIMES HONESTLY
SOLDIERS JUST WANT TO GO TO FIRE AND LEAVE IT THERE, AND THEY'LL CONTINUE WALKING DOWN
THE STREET AND START MANUVERING DOWN HIGHWAYS OR HALLWAYS AND NOT ACTUALLY GO BACK TO SAFE,
AND THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE NEGLIGENT DISCHARGES THAT INJURE SOMEBODY AND THAT'S JUST ONE THING
THAT WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE AT ALL."
ONE SAFETY TOPIC THAT SEEMED TO BE ON EVERYBODY'S MIND...
"MUZZLE AWARENESS"
"MUZZLE AWARENESS. IT'S BEING AWARE OF AT ALL TIMES WHERE YOUR MUZZLE IS FACING. BEING
ABLE TO MOVE YOUR BODY WITH YOUR MUZZLE TO BOTH ENGAGED TARGETS AND REMAIN SAFE AT THE
SAME TIME."
WITH SAFETY IN MIND, THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO TRY A FEW NEW DRILLS WHILE LEARNING NEW TECHNIQUES
FROM SENIOR MEMBERS.
"WHICHEVER AREA YOU MAY BE ASSIGNED TO AS A MILITARY MEMBER, IF YOUR PARTICULAR FOB
HAS A FORCE PROTECTION TEAM OR YOU WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE IT."
NOT A BAD WAY TO SPEND THE FIRST SEVEN HOURS OF THE DAY. MARINE STAFF SERGEANT JASON PRYCE,
KABUL, AFGHANISTAN.