TC-3-09-8 Fire Support and Field Artillery Certification Download
Page 14 of 34
Chapter 1 1-6 TC 3-09.8 30 March 2020 RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE MASTER GUNNER 1-8. The Master Gunner is the primary advisor and manager of the commander's certification and qualification program. FA Master Gunners are the commander's key resource and the unit focal point for administering the training and qualification programs in this TC. Master Gunners are selected for their education and technical skills in their military occupational specialty, training management, and individual instructor proficiency, as well as for breadth of proficiency in various artillery skills. A Master Gunner is an operations staff asset, having specified training management responsibilities for certification, qualification, technical standardization, and safety oversight. The Master Gunner is responsible for the selection, training, and certification of evaluators for implementing the tables in this TC. He will assist in the execution of the commander's safety certification program. The Master Gunner will also assist the commander in developing programs and training future Master Gunners in the organization. For a more detailed description of all Master Gunner duties and responsibilities see ATP 3-09.23 (Field Artillery Cannon Battalion). 1-9. The Master Gunner duties include- Assist the integration of newly assigned Soldiers. Sets up or conducts initial skills training for new personnel. Assists in training new section members. Trains and certifies section/team evaluators. Assists all elements in the unit concerning certification and qualification. Forecasts and manages ammunition for qualification and evaluations. Manages certification and qualification records for individuals, teams, crews, sections, platoons, batteries, and the battalion. Coordinates and controls training device use. Plans and manages section/team simulations training. Provides quality control supervision of all certification and qualification events. Supervises live fire ranges to make sure all standards are followed and required safety measures implemented and adhered to. Advises the commander on the turnover of key personnel and manning shortfalls at all echelons of the FA Delivery System. Additional responsibilities are identified in Chapter 3 and 6. CERTIFICATION 1-10. Certification is a safety focused assessment by the commanders at echelon that individuals and formations are proficient at the technical skills required to fire safely and accurately. Certification is conducted for all echelons prior to live fire qualification. Individual Certification (Artillery Tables I) is an event completed at battery level and is valid for 6 months. Artillery Tables I includes a position specific written test and a hands-on Artillery Skills Proficiency Test administered under the supervision of the Battalion Master Gunner/Digital Master Gunner/Fire Support Master Gunner and resourced by the Battery Commander. Artillery tables I artillery skills proficiency test tasks are identified and performed based on assigned position and not the individual's rank/grade. For example, a Specialist assigned in a Sergeant's position is required to train and certify on the artillery skills proficiency test tasks assigned to the Sergeant's position. Artillery tables V, XI, XIV and XVII (Dry Missions) are evaluated and used to validate the commander's recommendation of safety certification and should be completed prior to each echelon live fire qualification or requalification procedures. Certification is the commander’s primary means to execute disciplined initiative in the management of his sections/teams/cells. Maintaining a robust certification program enables the commander to quickly certify new crews and have them in position for the next qualification training event. QUALIFICATION 1-11. In addition to the skills listed in each chapter, field artillerymen at battalion and above echelons must maintain digital crews qualified in accordance with TC 6-0.1 and/or TC 6-0.2. A qualified digital crew can greatly assist the staff in the integration of the Warfighting Functions and the development of shared