(and I'm a bit hazy on this; for me it was 52+ years ago) we had an interesting drill on the Rifle Range. Live ammo/M-16A-1 semi-auto/20 round clips.

Anyway, it was a timed, singles drill (one Trainee at a time). Facing the range, "pop-up" targets with silhouettes would randomly appear in the field of vision.

At first, the targets appeared one at a time and were all "Chuck": black PJs and a straw conical hat (VC/"Charlie Cong"). You identified and fired. But, as it went along, the pop-ups sped up and were interspersed with likenesses of Asian women (Vietnamese civilians). And then, with ones reflecting American GIs. Then it again sped up with multiple targets at a time.

At the end you were graded on number of correct and missed. If you didn't pass you did it again (and, if required, again and again). If you kept "boloing" you were placed in "Tiger Platoon" (all the Training Brigades had one: it was where the "screw-ups" were sent). There the Trainee would receive extra "help, training and guidance"). If he didn't progress from there, he was rotated back to the Reception Station and the whole Basic Training process begin again from scratch.

I was never sent to Vietnam. The drawdown began that year. But every GI who didn't go has to ask himself "How would I have done?" The question never goes away. But those soldiers will always have my ultimate respect. That, also, will never go away.

I guess the intent (along with the "lesson") was: "Assure you know your target."










[Post edited by Casual Fan at 08/22/2023 9:58PM]