EST (Engagement Skills Trainer)

Today we did EST training before work. On the negative side we had to get up and hour early and do this stupid thing before our normal shift and got stuck waiting around for a couple hours waiting our turn. On the positve side, the thing is actually pretty cool. This was the only pic I could find, but we were shootin M-4 rifles, not 50Cals. You go in and have to group (get three shots real close together) then the computer zeros the sights for you. (normally with a regular rifle you have to manually adjust your sights a little at a time until you are hitting center mass. Each weopon is different, and each person is defferent, so you have to adjust it each time you qualify. It can get knocked off of it's zero by everyday jostling.)

So then you look at the far wall which serves as a giant screen and the targets pop up, looking like when they do on an actual range. Today we were doing NBC (Nuclear,Biological, Chemical) fire qualifications, meaning we had to fire with our gas masks on. It's not easy, but you get used to it after a while. The CCOs (Close Combat Optics) that we have mounted on the weapons help. Anyway, the computer can tell with lazers where you hit, and the targets actually go down when you hit them. We did one at basic where there were actually people at some wearhouse thing shooting at us and we had to engage the moving targets.

It's like a really cool interactive video game. Expensive too I'm sure. :-) Your tax dollars at work. It does make it easier when going to a range would be impossible, and does save on ammo costs. Anyway, that's what I did this am. I'm done with my classes now and have 5 days off...don't really know what to do with myself. Anyway...hope you have a great day!