I read an interesting article in Army Times online that discusses the manner in which the Army is changing its decades old training practice of teaching new Soldiers to fire their assigned weapons. In short, more rounds will be fired, more realistic scenarios will be used, and the sort of problems that may crop up in combat (rapidly changing magazines, clearing jams, etc) will be practiced.
The old days of shooting a limited number of practice rounds at fixed targets, then shooting 40 qualification rounds at standard pop up targets from a prone and kneeling position will be augmented with Advanced Rifle Marksman (ARM) training to give them greater hands–on firing experience to get them better prepared for immediate assignment to a combat zone.
The article noted that all trainees will also go through a Combat Familiarization Course at the end of ARM. That will include a tactical "line" designed to look like a setting they might encounter in Afghanistan or Iraq. As participants move through the course they will use partially destroyed cars, rubble, and makeshift walls as cover while engaging random targets by live fire.
This is all good news as far as I'm concerned. And, better news for those who will benefit from this new type training.
