Editor’s note: As the world watches the best of professional golf in The Master’s this weekend, it is not ironic that we have the opportunity to run this piece. For the Army, the Master Gunner is the foremost professional on how to make our organizations lethal. Their expertise, knowledge, and drive are the same as the individual who will wear the “Green Jacket” on Sunday. If you want to win when you arrive on the next battlefield, find the NCO wearing the “Master Gunner Identification Badge” on your staff, it is imperative to make them a centerpiece of your staff and all training to ensure we do.
Of all the NCOs in the Operations Cell (S3), none is more valuable than a Master Gunner (MG). On any particular morning, you’re most likely to encounter the “Mike Golf” whittling away at one of several projects that seem to require attention. During the humdrum of the morning routine, the MG has to answer emails, re-route correspondence, and oversee both the land manager and the ammunition manager. On a typical day, this takes the first hour to complete before they are free to travel, moving down to the Company’s to catch up on maintenance and crew training. Moving rapidly from place to place, the MG can be difficult to pinpoint unless they are tethered to a computer somewhere, working diligently to generate a product that is as close to complete for the next big brief.
The Master Gunner is never without responsibilities, whether it happens within the cubicle or down on the Company lines. This is the result of a laundry list of duties that are required of the unit Master Gunner. By definition, A master gunner is an institution-trained and certified Soldier on direct-fire weapons, weapon platforms, ammunition, maintenance of weapon systems, and unit training programs. It is their mission and their charge- and with it comes a drive to preserve the integrity of the unit’s direct-fire training program, no matter the complexity.
Maintenance: The MG is institutionally trained to support weapons maintenance, and they will be aware of issues that may affect the operation of systems. By spending time with the Forward Support Company (FSC) representatives, the MG is well-informed in matters regarding armament maintenance and deficiencies, which he can then report to XOs for attention. The MG also ensures that weapon record data for 105/120mm cannon tubes and mortars are accurate and up-to-date to prevent overuse or condemnation.
Training: The pinnacle of the MG’s job is training. The MG establishes the development of an effective live-fire evaluation cohort by training vehicle crew evaluators and certifying live-fire evaluators in the use of Training and Evaluation Outlines (T&EO’s) to ensure that grading criteria are effective and fair. The MG ensures that battlefield conditions are replicated by overseeing the use of Training Aids, Devices, Simulators, and Simulations (TADSS) to supplement force-on-force exercises and adjudication of friendly and enemy weapons. The MG also trains Gunnery NCOs on the proper use of Simulator systems to support gate-to-live-fire (GTLF) proficiency among Squads and Crews.
Safety: When developing complex training events under live-fire conditions, the MG creates exercises that have been validated as safe through the use of restrictive fire lines, limitations of maneuver elements, and establishment of surface danger zones (SDZs). As a Deliberate Risk Assessment Worksheet (DRAW) is being generated, the MG identifies the controls that will best mitigate risk during operations, giving Commanders the maximum latitude to accept residual risks. During operations, the MG confers with the Ammunition NCO to verify that all lots of ammunition drawn are safe for use and are being utilized in conjunction with the approved firing system and platform.
Resourcing: The unit Master Gunner is not directly responsible for requesting training land, but they are the best resource for determining the appropriate range or training area to conduct specific events. As the land manager, they can ensure that the area meets the needs of the exercise provided they understand the Commander’s concept well enough to make a determination. The MG also coordinates with the installation’s Training Support Center (TSC) for the issuance of TADSS to make sure that units do not prevent the effective circulation of resources to facilitate realistic training, such as vehicle MILES or simulator systems.
Reporting: Following any training event, the Master Gunner is poring over volumes of data to help the unit improve its capabilities. The information includes the consumption rate of ammunition, the accuracy of individual platform weapon systems, the efficacy of Squad compositions, and proficiency of enablers (UAS, Higher HQ support, Artillery, and Mortar Fires). The information serves the Unit as a touchpoint for future training exercises and also supports the development of the curriculum that is taught at institutional training for MOS proficiency and ASI producing schools.
Staff Synchronization: The Master Gunner operating in support of Field Training Exercises (FTX) has an additional opportunity to elevate training that is often overlooked, and that is the utilization of the Unit supply chain as an ammunition supplier. During ranges, Units tend to lean on the FSC to draw deliver ammunition for training events. As Units evolve toward Collective training, the emphasis should be placed on the Platoon leadership to send ammunition consumption reports and coordinate for resupply, as they would in a combat environment. The Master Gunner can assist Company level planners in effectively managing this resource, providing learning opportunities during the preparation cycle for large-scale training events.
Implementation: So what do you do with your Master Gunner when there are no ranges? What if all of the planning is done? The responsibility of the MG is to collaborate with the battalion intelligence staff officer, advise the commander of the tactical capabilities and limitations of all weapons, systems, and platforms against anticipated or expected threats. This includes validating Platoon fire plans, identifying gaps in defensive plans, and providing crew-proficiency scores to the Commander’s direct-fire plan (blue-banding).
The Master Gunner is an irreplaceable resource to increase the quality of any training event. They are advisors, analysts, architects, and ambassadors to ensure that the unit achieves the highest caliber of training. What the Commander should expect from their MG is the ability to deliver detail-oriented and complete products for implementation at all Echelons of training in accordance with the Integrated Weapons Training Strategy.
SFC Zack Eckert is the Senior Instructor, Stryker Master Gunner Course, assigned to Maverick Troop, 3rd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade, Fort Benning, GA. His previous assignments include Brigade Master Gunner, 1st Brigade (Stryker), 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, TX; Squadron Master Gunner, 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss; Senior Instructor, 2-16 Cav, 316th Cav Brigade, Fort Benning; and Reconnaissance Instructor, 2-16 Cav, 316th Cav Brigade, Fort Benning. SFC Eckert’s military schools include the Stryker Master Gunner Course, Master Gunner Common Core, Cavalry Leader’s Course, Scout Leader Course, Maneuver Senior Leader’s Course, and Advanced Leader Course. He is working on an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice at Troy University.SFC Eckert’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with second oak-leaf cluster, the Master Gunner Identification Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.