Staff Sgt. James Shields, 2nd Maintenance Squadron, dons a gas mask at the firing range on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug 18. Students at the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance range fired the M-16A2 rifle while wearing a gas mask to acclimate them with aiming the weapon in a contaminated environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
Senior Airman Daniel Chabot, 2nd Operations Support Squadron, looks down the site of an M-16A2 rifle during the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance course on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 18. The M-16A2 rifle is an air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, assault rifle with a muzzle velocity of 3,110 feet per second. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
Airmen at the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance range await firing instructions on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 18. The M-16A2 rifle is an air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, assault rifle with a muzzle velocity of 3,110 feet per second. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
Senior Airman James Robinette, Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor, gives firing advice to an Airman in the CATM course on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 18. The Airmen in the course fired the M-16A2 rifle which is an air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, assault rifle with a muzzle velocity of 3,110 feet per second. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
Airmen in the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance course check their targets in the firing range on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 18. Students in the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance course fired the M-16A2 rifle, while wearing a gas mask to acclimate them with aiming the weapon in a contaminated environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
Ammunition and magazines for an M-16A2 lay on a bench at the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance range on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug 18. In 1970, NATO attempted to standardize a common rifle and secondary rifle caliber to allow member nations to share rifle ammunition and magazines during military operations. As of 2009, there are five NATO nominated weapons that use the 5.56 ammunition design; the M-16A2 is one of the five. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
Senior Airman Nicholas Niles, Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor, gives Airmen instructions at the firing range on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug 18. The Airmen donned interceptor ballistics armor and helmets to acclimate them with aiming and firing the M-16A2 rifle in full battle rattle.(U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
An M-16A2 rifle rests against a post while Airmen listen to instructions from a Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor at the firing range on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 18. The M-16A2 rifle has a maximum affective range of 3,600 meters, which is equivalent to 39 football fields. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
An Airman at the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance range fires an M-16A2 rifle on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 18. The M-16A2 rifle's maximum affective range for an area target is slightly less than half of a mile or 800 meters. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)
Senior Airman Nicholas Niles, Combat Arms Training and Maintenance instructor, tells Airmen to aim at a target during the CATM course on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 18. The Airmen qualified with the M-16A2 rifle while wearing a helmet and interceptor ballistics armor. Airmen in the course also donned gas masks to help them get use to aiming the weapon in a contaminated environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Micaiah Anthony)(RELEASED)