How to Run a Range

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It seems so simple, which is likely why we mess it up so often. Running a small arms range is a basic task for any new lieutenant or platoon leader. And yet, leaders often fail to maximize these training events. I recently had a former soldier of mine, turned green-to-gold lieutenant, reach out to ask for advice as he prepared to plan and execute his first small arms range. Below is a version of the thoughts I sent back to him.

U.S. Army photo retrieved from the 82nd Airborne Division Facebook Page, December 14, 2020.

This is a set of thoughts meant to focus and ground. It was written as an email to a junior officer looking for some advice. Put simply, go to doctrine and use the 8-Step Training Model. Plan, prepare (PMI, rehearse, etc.), execute, assess, and retrain. The Center for Junior Officers published a good piece that goes more in-depth found HERE.

It’s a classic scene…a simple range, hand-waived as something we conduct hundreds of times, and haphazardly thrown together then gets a surprise visit from a senior leader. That lieutenant is going to have a bad day. But, at least that lieutenant is going to realize the error and learn. Worse than that, is the leader who doesn’t get caught. This leader walks away after a day of wasted time, land, and ammo where soldiers spent more time unsupervised on their cellphones than they did putting rounds down range and getting better.

Go to the Source

You’re never too good to refer back to doctrine. I’ve planned or participated in hundreds of ranges in my 12 years in the Army. But, when my former soldier reached out for advice I immediately went back to doctrine.

The Army updated FM 7-0 in June 2021. Find it HERE. And HERE is a great rundown (TL:DR) from @CavRTK on Twitter.

However, before I pull a muscle patting myself on the back, I have to admit: the fact that I haven’t ran a range in almost 3 years was likely why I referred to doctrine. As a young company commander or lieutenant, I might have replied to this leader’s email with a set of thoughts off the top of my head like a private conducting vehicle maintenance without a technical manual (TM) in hand because, “I’ve done this a hundred times Sarge.”

Thoughts on Running a Range

  • Use the 8 Step Training Model. It is THE guide for planning and running a training event. You can find it in FM 7-0.
  • Refer to the doctrine for the weapon system on which you are training (technical manual, etc.). Have all references with you on-site. (If you don’t have hard copies, bring your iPad or Kindle with these on it).
  • Read your post and/or unit Range SOP and other relevant policies/regulations.
  • Follow the principles of training in FM 7-0. All of the (newly updated) principles are relevant and equal in importance. However, I want to emphasize a few points as they apply to something we call a familiarization range or fam-fire.
    • Train as you fight: Too many people take familiarization to mean “loose” or “anything goes.” Fam-fire ranges require more attention to detail and planning than qualification ranges. Fight against the pull of complacency. Deliberately plan for every minute and every round. Which leads me to…
    • Train to standard using all appropriate doctrine: Sure, this is a fam fire not a qual range – but there needs to be a standard. Develop the standard, get NCO buy-in on that standard, communicate the standard, inspect the standard, and hold people to the standard. What is the standard for success on your range? It should build toward qualification and competency in combat (which is why you need to look at the Qualification Appendix of the relevant doctrine training circular and/or technical manual). The standard should connect to how you will fight (Train as you fight is another principle of training). Will you fight with patrol caps? Maybe. Will you fight slick (i.e., without body armor)? Maybe.
    • I could go on and on for every one of the principles of training. Instead, I will just say – follow them…ALL of them. Then I will add one more principle: train to freakin’ win! Winning is a habit. It’s a mindset. You don’t show up to a qual range to win if you didn’t train winning in familiarization. Similarly, you don’t show up to an LFX to win if you didn’t train to win in the qual. You don’t show up to combat to win if you didn’t train to win in LFX and STX. No matter the event, there needs to be SOMETHING to win, a way to win, and a competitive spirit to win. Freakin’ win. Determine what the competition is, determine the rules/standards, communicate it, incentivize it, hype it, and reward the winner. (Note: This is now codified into the new 7-0 with the CSA Gen. McConville’s foreword, “Winning matters! There is no second place or honorable mention in combat. We win by developing cohesive teams that are highly trained, disciplined, and fit. We win by doing the right things the right way.”)
    • Lean heavily on your NCOs and Range Control (this is kind of like Principle #2 – NCOs train individuals, crews, and small teams is one of  the Principles of Training, but it is worth mentioning).
  • Planning the range is a training event in and of itself. Use it as an opportunity to train your NCOs on building range fans, a range box, and all of the other battlefield arithmetic (not quite calculus at this level) involved. Take them out to the recon. Bust out the engineer tape, a compass, map, map-protractor, etc. Invite your sister PLs and their NCOs to come out and participate in planning the training event. The more reps the better, why not let all the PLs benefit from your rep?!
  • If planning is a training event, so is preparing for the range. Deliberately conduct preliminary marksmanship instruction (PMI). Train the muscle movements you will need during the range to build muscle memory (myelin) and a firm foundation.
  • Work hand-in-hand with your XO to build out the resources (especially ammunition) required. Learn from him/her how to forecast ammo requirements, and then USE THE AMMO. Returned ammo is a wasted training opportunity. Never return time or ammo. Training opportunities and lead are too sparse to return. (Caveat: That doesn’t mean waste the ammo. No SPENDEXs).

Don’t do this:

  • Determine your Training Objectives. Which collective tasks are your training and how do they build to an essential task. Communicate how this will build to a larger task (e.g., qualification, gunnery, live-fire, winning wars!).
  • Deliberately and intentionally plan your concurrent training. Weapons disassembly and assembly, and other EIB/Warrior Tasks and Drills are good concurrent training. Assign an NCO to these different concurrent training lanes, make them develop a plan, then have them brief you the plan and demonstrate a dry-run of their lane. EVERYTHING should be rehearsed.
  • Related to the above, make sure you are training the trainer on all things: Safety NCO, Lane Safeties, movement to the training site, movement back, chow, ammunition distribution, medevac, comms. Think through as many eventualities as you can.
  • As you are thinking through your eventualities, build out your risk management plan. Follow the five steps of army risk management – Doctrine below.
  • Plan out a detailed timeline. Keep soldiers engaged. Provide them hard training and a clear way to win. And enforce the standard for the purpose of training and safety, not for the purpose of just doing it to do it.
  • Finally, MAKE IT FUN! The army is fun dammit! Have fun!

I will leave you with this: if you treat the most basic range (a familiarization range is close to it) as if it were the most high-stakes live fire, in the level of detail and care you put into it, you will succeed.

Doctrine:

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Categories: Leadership, Training, Warfighting