News

446th Security Forces get dirty and sweaty at Rodeo

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Denise Hauser
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
McChord Field, Wash. --  Four Reservists from the 446th Security Force Squadron competed in the Combat Weapons portion of Rodeo July 27at the firing ranges at Joint Base Lewis McChord-Lewis Main. 

Tech. Sgts. Jack Montez and Christopher Pierce, and Staff Sgts. David Buchanan and Damon Hahn represented the 446th Airlift Wing in the 2011 Air Mobility Rodeo July 24-29 here. 

Combat Weapons is a fast-paced marksmanship competition that challenges a four-person fire team on M-9 pistol and M-4 rifle courses of fire, self-aid/buddy care, and basic combat skills - all in a physically demanding environment meant to simulate the stress of combat.

"It's a fun game compared to other training that we do," said Hahn, a patrolman with the 446th SFS.  "I trained to treat this as a game versus real life. It was definitely a lot of fun and a great way to work as a team."

The Reservists started off with a sprint down-hill to the firing range.  There they had to do a combination of firing at moving and still targets with the M-16 and M-9 while standing, kneeling and laying down.  They had to run around cones on the course and low crawl back to their position. 

"It was an exciting and intense game," said Buchanan, safety manager for the 446th SFS.  " Even the low crawl was fun."

They even had to fire while wearing the gas mask.

" We've been training for a long time and we are all hurting, but ready for more," said Montez, training manager for the 446th SFS.  " I couldn't have asked for a greater group of guys to work with."

"It's been challenging and fun so far," said Pierce, a patrolman for the 446th SFS.  "Hopefully all of our hard work will pay off in the end."