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Machine Gun Academy sets standards for all units' soldiers
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Infantrymen with 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, change barrels on an M240 Bravo machine gun during a live-fire exercise on Fort Stewart on Jan. 20. The range was part of the battalions Machine Gun Academy training, which also consisted of classroom instruction. - photo by U.S. Army/Pvt. 1st Class Jordan Anderson

Machine gunners of 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, conducted Machine Gun Academy Training on Fort Stewart throughout January.

“We have a lot of new soldiers in our battalion, so we’re trying to develop one (standard operating procedure) so we can take one gun team from Bravo Company and pair it up with a gun team from Charlie Company, if need be, and they’re on the same sheet of music,” said Sgt. 1st Class Darryl D. Lewis Jr., an infantryman and noncommissioned officer in charge of the range.

“Everybody likes to skin the cat 100 different ways, but if we have that one SOP for the gun teams, we can interchange whatever we need to at any time,” Lewis said.

Lewis said this battalion standard was a key component of the academy because it allowed more operational fluidity.

“We have a really new weapons squad, and this gives us the ability and the time to really hone in on our skills,” said Staff Sgt. Jesse Wallace, a squad leader with Company B, 1-30th Infantry, 2nd IBCT. “Now, we’re able to make SOPs battalion-wide so all the gun teams are operating the same way.”

Wallace added that the time set aside specifically for all the gun teams of the battalion was of great benefit.

“The training improves the effectiveness of the battalion because we have more cohesiveness,” Lewis said.

The training consisted of classroom instruction as well as a range to familiarize crew served weapons operators with the real-world effects of their munitions against different kinds of cover and to ensure operator proficiency. The effects of machine-gun fire on cover, such as sandbags, cinder blocks and bricks, is crucial knowledge for gun teams.

Lewis went on to say the cohesion developed at the training not only solidified their team work, but also ensured readiness and made each team into a battalion asset that could be used in diverse ways because of the unified training.

“This training has been really effective,” Wallace said. “My favorite part of this training is getting my guys some trigger time, being able to put rounds down range and have them work on their marksmanship, their accuracy and get comfortable behind the machine gun.”

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Exchange Service salutes Vietnam vets with custom truck design
Army and Air Force Exchange Service redesigned logo 2011

To thank Vietnam veterans for their sacrifices, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is debuting a new truck design, part of the Department of Defense retailer’s efforts alongside the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration to honor veterans during the 50th anniversary of the war.

“The Exchange is privileged to have the opportunity to recognize Vietnam veterans through our fleet,” said Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era. “These trucks will serve as rolling billboards, expressing gratitude for all who served during this era.”

The truck design features the silhouette of a lone service member set against the background of a faded horizon with a call to “thank a Vietnam veteran for service to our nation.” The single military member represents the warfighters who served during this time.

Three trucks in the fleet feature the commemorative design and will deliver merchandise to Exchange stores from the organization’s distribution centers in the continental United States.

The West Coast Distribution Center at Sharpe Army Depot in California; Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va.; and the Waco Distribution Center in Texas will each have a truck in service on their standard delivery routes, serving the whole country.

Air Force veteran Pat Thompson served in Vietnam before coming to the Exchange as a truck driver and mechanic. In his 18 years with the Exchange, he has deployed four times to support the troops. The new design means a lot to him.

“They remember,” said Thompson, who is based at the Exchange’s Waco Distribution Center. “We want to be remembered.”

The trucks also highlight the veteran online shopping benefit, which launched in November. The lifelong online military exchange benefit authorizes all who served honorably to enjoy tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing at ShopMyExchange.com.

The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration is a program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The U.S. began commemoration of the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary in 2012 and will continue through Veterans Day 2025.

The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize Vietnam veterans and their families for service, valor and sacrifice in conjunction with the commemoration.

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