01 JANUARY 2007 Camp Ripley, MN
A-14 Live Fire Facility SOP
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01 JANUARY 2007 Camp Ripley, MN
A-14 Live Fire Facility SOP
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction to the Live Fire Facility / Para. / PageReferences / 1-1 / 1
Safety Statement / 1-2 / 1
Range Capabilities / 1-3 / 1
Range Planning / 1-4 / 2
Range Reservations / 1-5 / 2
Points of Contact / 1-6 / 4
Chapter 2
General Information / Para. / PageMOUT Training / 2-1 / 5
Live Fire Facility Range Operations / 2-2 / 5
Communications Requirements / 2-3 / 5
Additional Range Operations Information / 2-4 / 6
RSO’s Checklist / 2-5 / 6
Range Equipment Checklist / 2-6 / 7
Range Cleanup Instructions / 2-7 / 8
Chapter 3
Range Description / Para. / PageLive Fire Facility Layout / 3-1 / 9
Targets and Placement / 3-2 / 9
Authorized Weapons / Authorized Ammunition / 3-3 / 10
Blanks, Simulations and Simunitions / 3-4 / 11
Minimum and Maximum Ranges / 3-5 / 11
Impact Areas and Target Blocks / 3-6 / 11
Known Ricochet Hazards and Areas of Concern / 3-7 / 12
Chapter 4
Range Prerequisites / Para. / PageOfficer in Charge (OIC) Requirements / 4-1 / 13
Range Safety Officer (RSO) Requirements / 4-2 / 13
Medical Personnel / 4-3 / 14
Training Plans / 4-4 / 14
Risk Management / 4-5 / 15
Weapons Qualification / 4-6 / 15
Mandatory Individual Protective Equipment / 4-7 / 15
Reflexive Fire / 4-8 / 15
Medical Requirements / 4-9 / 16
Walk Through & Dry Fire / 4-10 / 16
Live Fire / 4-11 / 16
Appendix A
Range Safety Briefing / A-1Appendix B
Opening and Closing Check List / B-1Appendix C
Terms and Definitions / C-1Appendix D
Live Fire Facility Diagram / D-1Appendix E
Risk Management Worksheet / E-1Appendix F
Training Plan / F-1Appendix G
Range Control Forms / G-101 JANUARY 2007 Camp Ripley, MN
A-14 Live Fire Facility SOP
Chapter 1
Introduction to the Live Fire Facility
1-1. References
Department of the Army Pamphlet 350-38, Standards in Weapons Training, Headquarters Department of the Army, Washington, DC, October 2006
FM 3-22.9 Change 4 Rifle Marksmanship, Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC, 13 September 2006
TC 7-9 Infantry Live-Fire Training, Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC, 30 September 1993
TC 90-1 Training for Urban Operations, Chapter 3 Shoot House, Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC, 1 April 2002
FM 3-06 Urban Operations, Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, DC, October 2006
FM 3-06-11 Combined Arms Operations in Urban Terrain, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, DC, 28 February 2002
FM 100-14 Risk Management, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, DC, 23 April 1998
United States Marine Corps SOP for Range 130 Complex, Camp Pendleton, CA, 92055.
H&K Shoot House Instructor Development Lesson Plan, August 2002, Heckler & Koch, Inc. 21480 Pacific Boulevard, Sterling, Virginia 20166.
1-2. Safety Statement
a. Camp Ripley promotes safety driven realistic training. Safety is first and should not be compromised in the interest of realism. No one’s life is worth the best training environment. Ensure everyone training in the Live Fire Facility understands the information listed in this SOP is for their safety and the safety of others.
b. Commanders are ultimately responsible for the unit’s safety. It’s the OIC’s responsibility to ensure soldiers have planned for and are continually thinking about necessary safety requirements on the range. Risk management should be the most important part of your planning process. To help you in planning for and mitigating risks found during planning is a risk assessment card and detail instructions on risk management. Risk Management can be found in 4-4 and the Risk Assessment Card in Appendix F.
c. This SOP does not replace regulations, doctrine, or guidance contained in the Camp Ripley Range Regulations or Department of the Army administrative and doctrinal publications.
1-3. Range Capabilities
a. The facility is one part of a live fire village. The live fire village includes a trailer home, hotel, police station and California home. The California home was the model developed here at Camp Ripley. Of the four buildings this one contained the most diversity for training and was large enough to be divided into three separate training areas. Once the ballistic doors have been closed and locked, three separate units can train in the facility simultaneously. This allows units to make better use of training time and dollars.
b. Training can be video taped and replayed in the classroom as a teaching tool. Audio and video equipment is placed throughout the facility and monitored from the control room located in the classroom. From the control room commanders can observe their units and even zoom in on training. Laser Shot also has internal playback capabilities.
c. The classroom is setup with multiple tools to facilitate the learning process.
1) White board for classroom instruction
2) Scale model of the facility for rehearsals
d. Audio / visual equipment that can replay events during training
e. If an unsafe act is observed from the control room an alarm can be activated in the facility to stop training. With two-way communications the unsafe act can be corrected and training resumed without leaving the control room.
f. Ammunition and Pyrotechnic restrictions are limited to what has been tested and proven to be safe to use in the facility.
1) The walls are rated for 7.62mm or .308 cal. ammunition and below. The rubber wall panels are rated for 10,000 rounds. At no time will magnum, hollow point, or semi-wad cutter ammunition be used inside the facility. Ammunition of this type destroys the walls inside the facilities. For this reason you should plan and budget for appropriate ammunitions that are authorized.
2) Pyrotechnics are not authorized, due to the possibility of camera breakage and over-pressurization.
g. There are four breakaway doors in the facility. All three initial entry doors and one interior door are set up with a dowel rod breakaway system. Other doors in the facility can be used for breaching at cost of replacement. All breaching methods must be planned for and approved by the Range Control officer. (See page D-1).
h. Lead levels are controlled by air handlers that are set to run a complete exchange of fresh air 1 ½ times per minute. This can be adjusted up to 2 times per minute during times of heavy usage.
j. A central vacuum system is located next to each entry point to help keep the facility free from lead contaminates. It’s important you pick up all brass and large debris after use. The vacuum system should only be used to remove lead contaminates and small traces of debris.
k. The entire facility is temperature controlled for winter climates and can be used all year round. It does not have air conditioning, so you should consider this for summer use planning.
l. The Live Fire Facility is not setup with a drainage system. Therefore the use of simunitions is limited and paintballs are not authorized. The Live Fire Facility should not be used for large-scale force on force exercises using simunitions. There is no feasible way to clean the facility after use; so all large-scale simunitions and paint ball training will remain at the A-5 MOUT Site or the Crack House. It’s the using unit’s responsibility to clean the facility of all marks made during training, so it’s to the unit’s benefit to use clear ammunition.
1-4. Range Planning
a. Range planning should start by gathering information about the range requirements or any changes that may have taken place. Thoroughly read through this SOP and comply with its contents.
b. A site visit is recommended prior to planning, in order to become familiar with the facility and address target placement. Site visits can be coordinated through Camp Ripley operations listed in Points of Contact 1-5.
c. Getting your people Camp Ripley certified to run the Live Fire Facility will be a priority. Only Camp Ripley certified people can act as OICs or RSOs on the range. Certification is a 1- or 2-day course held by Range Control, at Camp Ripley, to ensure that the OICs and RSOs are knowledgeable in safely conducting range operations.
1) Military units: 2-day Course will be held once per quarter with a maximum class size of 18.
2) Law Enforcement Agencies: 1-day Course will be held once per quarter with a maximum class size of 12.
3) Certification lasts a lifetime. OICs and RSOs must contact Range Control when they transfer to a new unit, so the Certification Roster can be updated appropriately. Check with Range Control for class dates, cost, and times. Key to your planning is getting the right number of RSOs certified. Remember, the facility can be divided into 3 separate training sections. If you plan on running multiple scenarios, you must have an RSO present at each one. If the unit will be firing M249 SAW, a separate RSO must be with the shooter at all times. Requirements can be found in Officer in Charge (OIC) Requirements 4-1.
1-5. Range Reservations
a. Military units: ATS Form 23 must be submitted to the Operations Office Military Scheduler NLT 90 days prior to range usage.
b. Non-Military units: Range Request must be submitted to the Operations Office Civilian Scheduler NLT 90 days prior to range usage.
c. Unit Training Plan, Target Scenario, and Risk Management Worksheet must be submitted to Range Control NLT 90 days prior. An example can be found in Appendix G. It is important for Range Control to be given enough time to review and react to your training request. For this reason, the suspense dates listed above must be adhered to. The Training Plan should be a written account of your operation intent, using the Floor Plan diagram to show your course of action and target placement. Target Placement is found in 3-2 and a diagram of the facility is located in Appendix D.
e. Risk Management instructions are found in Risk Management 4-4, and a sample Risk Assessment Card can be found in Appendix G. A Risk Assessment Card must be submitted with your Training Plan.
f. Be prepared to meet or exceed the mandatory Individual Protective Equipment requirements listed in 4-6. Military personnel will wear their IBA with SAPI Plates at all times. Civilian personnel will wear protective vests and plates per the appropriate ammunition requirements. 20 sets of IBA, plates, and ballistic goggles are available on the range.
g. Look at the Authorized Weapons / Authorized Ammunition listed in 3-4. This will tell you if the weapons and ammunition you plan on using are authorized in the facility. If your weapon system, ammunition, nomenclature or DODIC are not listed, please call Range Control for updates or permission to use your equipment.
h. Make sure your people are qualified on their individual weapon within and have completed a reflexive fire within the last year. Weapons qualification requirements can be found in Weapons Qualification 4-5. Reflexive fire instructions can be found in Reflexive Fire 4-7. If needed, reserve the appropriate ranges to get this accomplished before entering the facility. Keep in mind the qualification and reflexive fire must be completed in light levels you plan on using in the facility. See paragraph 2-2 for details.
i. Ensure the OIC and RSOs are on appropriate safety orders and are scheduled for a Range Safety Briefing with Range Control.
j. Medical requirements are listed in 4-8. This is important because you will not be able to open the range without the proper medical support and equipment present on the range.
k. Range Control operates the following means of communications:
Primary:
1) SINCGARS Primary-36100
2) SINCGARS Secondary-36900
3) Motorola/Bendix King-Channel 3
4) Commercial VOIP: 320-616-3137/3134
5) Commercial analog: 320-632-7298
Secondary:
1) Nextel Radio (walkie-talkie mode): listed in the Phonebook as Range Control
2) Nextel Radio (telephone mode): 320-412-6075
Additional Information:
1) All ranges must have two operating means of communication with Range Control at all times.
2) Nextel radios and personal cell phones can only be used as a secondary form of communication, due to cell phone tower locations being outside the installation boundaries and dead space within the installation.
3) Nextel radios and cell phones must be turned on at all times. A communication check must be performed with Range Control prior to down range movement and authorizing usage as a secondary form of communication.
4) Communications with Range Control will be made in the clear. Do not use unit SOI call signs.
5) SINCGARS and Bendix King/Motorola radios are to be used for radio traffic to and from Range Control only. They are not to be used for administrative purposes, except for emergency notification situations.
Live Fire Ranges:
1) Contact Range Control via the unit’s primary form of communication, upon occupation of, and departure from, the ranges.
2) Request permission from Range Control to open, close, or change the firing status of the range on the primary form of communication only.