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Lincoln Nebraska Army Reserve
Steve Baines
"The LMTS is a great piece of technology that really makes a difference in the way we train," says Sgt. E5 Christl Awen Kroeten of Detachment 2 of the Army Reserve's 295th Ordinance Company out of Lincoln, Nebraska. "The only problem we're having here is a lack of trainers. Many of our veteran trainers have been deployed overseas, but the LMTS has really helped us in preparing units for mobilization, even with a lack of manpower."
Sgt. Kroeten says she's run over 1,000 soldiers through training in the last nine months with her limited number of LMTS units, although the LMTS's portability allows her to combine her units with units from other reserve centers.
"Our company has decided to use only this system to train. I currently have only one 900 target, two 700's, and one Alt-C, so I basically use it for remedial training, although everyone that is getting ready to qualify will do preliminary training on the LMTS. What's great about the LMTS is that I can take it to other sites and use it with other LMTS equipment from other reserve sites. I often take it to Camp Dodge in Iowa and to other reserve centers like Omaha and Hastings and use it in conjunction with their equipment. This really increases our training capabilities."
"With a limited number of NCO's there's always the expectation that all you need to do is rely on technology, but we really need to stress the four fundamentals before we even set up the LMTS. Although the LMTS is a great training tool, we still need more soldier reinforcement."
Kroeten's novel approach to training stresses marksmanship training in full battle gear.
"Although it can often be a battle to get everyone supplied, I try and make everyone I train run through preliminary marksmanship training in full battle gear. There's significant difference training in full battle gear and that's what all soldiers will be wearing when they mobilize, and get out in the field. I want everyone I train to be as proficient as possible. It could mean all the difference."
"I've seen dramatic improvement in live-fire qualification after doing preliminary marksmanship training on the LMTS system. Only a few people took more then 18 rounds to zero their weapon, so these soldiers were sent back through remedial training on the LMTS. Because we don't have a mini-RETS system, one of the problems I've encountered (and one of the causes of no-Go's) is target acquisition. During LMTS training, most of my soldiers did excellent on the Alt-C because barrel movement is fairly limited and target acquisition is easy. On the live-fire range, however, it's s different story. I really need a mini-RETS to address this problem. All in all, though, I just love LMTS."
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LMTS
Real Situations
