Round by round 6th SFS enhances firing proficiency

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rito Smith
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

“The line is ready, shooters standby and threat.” On the word of threat, security forces members engage their target and begin unleashing all of their training, round by round into a target dummy.

Members of the 6th Security Forces Squadron participated in a proficiency fire training exercise, Aug. 16, 2017, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

The Training Section implemented a new type of training focused on how to engage a threat from a sitting position when conducting interviews.


“This training places Security Forces members in several situations in which they would have to engage a target, including an active-shooter scenario,” said Staff Sgt. Jose Chamorro, a Security Forces training instructor assigned to the 6th SFS. “One of the goals was to place the members in a stressful situation; making them do pushups and sprints in order to simulate a high pace situation, and then forcing them to immediately engage the target.” 

This training was part of an annual requirement to do proficiency fire training. The training exercises does mandate what must be done.

One of the training situations is the desk firing exercise in which they focused on muscle memory, target acquisition and quick reaction aiming by using the “key hole” exercise.

 “We did this because we wanted to place them in an environment which they would most likely encounter a threat while at work,” said Chamorro.

During another training situation they did the “key hole” exercise in which two Airmen stood side by side and took turns shooting at a target while trying to hit the exact same hole as the previous shooter.

Before getting live ammunition, the instructors led the defenders through all of these exercises in a dry run, which gave them a better understanding of the exercise before performing it.

The whole goal of the training was to refresh and familiarize the Security Forces members with how to properly engage a threat when forced to use deadly force.

“This training is important because it ensures the Security Forces members don’t become complacent in thinking that when they engage a threat it will be similar to qualification firing, because it won’t,” said Staff Sgt. Sharlisse Evans, a Security Forces instructor assigned to the 6th SFS. “Our training is essential in helping our team remain dexterous with their weapons, and prepared for anything that may come their way.”