but the Americans are still impressed :thumb:

Story

RP rifles malfunction at US-RP war games

Updated 08:29pm (Mla time) July 29, 2004
By Julie Alipala, Jeffrey Tupas
Inquirer News Service

CARMEN, North Cotabato, Philippines -- “Everybody ready? Grab your rifle . . . Everytime I whistle you take your shot. OK?”

This was Filipino-American soldier and trainer Sgt. Dante Garcia talking to his Filipino soldier students during the marksmanship training here Tuesday.

But in some instances, after Garcia whistled, there were no shots.

The military exercises shared by Philippine and US soldiers here uncovered a “loophole” that perhaps could only show the current strength or weakness of the country’s Armed Forces.

Several rifles used by the participating Filipino soldiers malfunctioned during the marksmanship training, something that Garcia considered as a glitch in the shooting exercises.

Garcia of the US Army's First Special Forces said that while some of the M16 rifles used in the exercise failed to work, they have to continue with the training and work with what the soldiers have.

"Some of the rifles malfunctioned. That's our problem. But we have to continue training them no matter what.

I think they will benefit something good from what we have been teaching them," Garcia said.

But despite the blunder, the Filipino soldiers involved in the marksmanship training, all of them 6th Marine Landing Team under the 2nd Marine Brigade, showed that nothing could beat war as far as honing their shooting skills are concerned.

The Filipino soldiers impressed their American trainers, including the Fil-Am Garcia, by their efficiency and accuracy in firing their rifles.

"Majority of them are good. They had a good grasp of the fundamentals of the marksmanship training . . . for those who did not do well, there's always room for improvement," said another US trainer Sergeant Melrose (Melrose refused to give his first name). Garcia, a native of Iloilo, calls the Filipino soldiers "accurate shooters."

The exercises, Garcia said, will allow them to assess the level of shooting skills of the Filipino soldiers.

"We took them back to basics. There is a need for more and constant exercise," Garcia noted.

Melrose said he was particularly impressed by Marine soldier Pfc. Aldin Lumabe who perforated his firing sheet with so much consistency and accuracy.

Lumabe, who has already experienced three wars in Sulu, Basilan, and Pikit in 2003, said it was like they was nothing new in the training that they are getting now from the Americans.

Safety and security measures were tightened within the perimeters of the firing range.

our Marines are supposed to be the cutting edge of our armed forces, as such, they should be equipped with reliable and functional assault rifles.

those rifles really defective or the soldiers are just lax in cleaning and maintaning the guns?

but marines are supposed to be meticulous whwn it comes to rifle maintenance :blink:

Marines ARE very meticulous with their M16s, but sadly, the M16A1s are naturally crappy and malfunction every other magazine. :rifle:

related news>>>

Filipino soldier: Zamboanga Balikatan just like a refresher course

By ROMER S. SARMIENTO
TODAY Correspondent

KORONADAL CITY - A Filipino soldier taking part in the ongoing joint RP-U.S. military exercises in Zamboanga City said on Wednesday that the training they are getting from their foreign counterparts is just “like a refresher course.”

2nd Lt. Eric Demaala, commanding officer of Bravo Company under the 27th Infantry Battalion, said over cellular phone that the training they are getting from US soldiers are “similar to the ones taught in the country’s basic military course.”

“The only difference so far is that the training we got from them is more of live [gun] firings,” said Demaala, referring to the marksmanship skills shared by the US soldiers.

In turn, Demaala said they are teaching American troops combat techniques, such as jungle survival, quipping that “Filipino troops are good at this.”

Demaala has long been exposed to military orientation. He is the son of Brig. Gen. Agustin Demaala, present commander of the 604th Infantry Division based in Tacurong City.

The team of the young Demaala, which is based in Surallah, South Cotabato, and composed of some 100 members, was the first batch of soldiers in South Cotabato participating in the war games in Zamboanga City.

He said they arrived there on July 20 and would be back by the first week of September to be replaced by another team.

Three teams under the 27th IB has been chosen to participate for a six-week training each to the ongoing Balikatan exercises in Zamboanga City.

The joint military exercises in Zamboanga City, being held at the Armed Forces Training Facility in Malagutay, would be until the third week of December. The exercise involves 800 personnel from both the Philippines and U.S. Armed Forces.

Lt. Col. Fidel Pumihic, 27th IB commander, said the Alpha Company would take the place of Demaala’s team.

After the Alpha Company, Pumihic said the Charlie Company would be the last to participate from his command.

“Definitely this [training] would boost the fighting chances of my troops against threat groups to the government,” Pumihic said.

While South Cotabato has a relatively peaceful atmosphere, communist and secessionist rebels are known to operate in the hinterland towns of the province. The communist rebels were included on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations.Another joint military exercises is taking place in Carmen, North Cotabato.

Dubbed “Balance Piston,” the Carmen training started on last week of July and would reportedly end on the fourth week of August.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?...ncial&OID=56662

i can imagine the filipino soldiers tolerating this so called training...the onlt thing new as described is more live fire exercises , just provide our troops with ample practice rounds and theyll be ok

that's the problem.. wala tayong pera na pambili ng mga bala.

Practice makes perfect, but practice rounds are getting scarcer and scarcer.
I hear even the elite specwar units are being limited with their practice ammo.
:armyhuh:

dont worry, my friend.. scout ranger snipers and PMC snipers have enough ammo to sustain their training... and they still beat the US snipers in friendly competition.. with just the plain iron sight of their rifles..

Ack, man shadow - do you really believe in this myth? :armyskeptic:
Iron sights are totally unrealistic in combat sniping, but in general 200metre distance encounters, they're OK.

to clarify my point, ranger snipers used for training the iron sight of their rifles but in combat sniping they uses scope but in some instances the spotter uses a rangefinder while the sniper uses the iron sight of the rifle. in balikatan exercises in Fort Magsaysay there is a friendly competition between our snipers and the US snipers using just the iron sight of the rifle and always talo palagi ang US snipers. while i was in Camp Tecson, i've seen the sniper class in training and they're consuming hours of practice just to perfect their sniping ability using the iron sight of their M14 rifles.. to be a member of sniper class you must be first a Scout Ranger or Special Forces regular and passed all the rigid screening test from the PA HQ. in order to graduate sniper class conduct a test mission with the regular class of Scout Rangers and must have a hit in their first shot from a concealed position.. many of their mission are classified but i do believe na may sniper team sa naganap na hostage rescue sa Zamboanga.. kasi that was a test mission of a regular class of SR.
:asniper: :crawling: :sniper:

Just how far the SR snipers can shoot accurately their M14s with iron sight only?

Typical MOA at that distance?

i know of one who grouped 1.5 inch at 100m using stock sights :thumb:

The M16 hardly in service now now. Its a good weapon, but the magazines must be really dirt free and the spring taunt. When soldiers disassemble the magazine thats where problems start when they reassemble improperly or stretch the coil spring.