Cadre Evaluations of the Rifle Laser and Rimfire Adapter Rifle Marksmanship Training Devices.

摘要

This report presents results of questionnaires administered to cadre during the Rifle Laser/Rimfire Adapter Evaluation (RL/RFA) conducted by the TRADOC Combined Arms Test Activity (TCATA) at Fort Jackson, S.C., during the spring of 1977. The RF/RFA test was a comparative evaluation of the training effectiveness of two training devices under conditions involving the use of four different amounts of ammunition. Pretest and posttest questionnaires were given to 71 male and female officers and NCOs. Respondents represented both Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) committee group cadre and company cadre. The RFA was evaluated very positively and recommended for adoption in the Marksmanship Fundamentals phase of rifle marksmanship training. A notable problem with the RFA, however, was an unacceptable frequency of weapon malfunctions. The evaluation of the RL was decidedly more mixed, and its training effectiveness was not judged to be equivalent to that of live fire. There was considerable disagreement over the accuracy and sighting characteristics of the RL versus the M16 rifle. Characteristics that were frequently perceived to present training disadvantages were lack of recoil and noise, inability to determine the location of misses, and a trigger squeeze that differed from that of the M16 rifle. Cadre were also concerned about lesser safety-consciousness among trainees who train with the RL. (Author)