Iowa State University NROTC Participates in EST Training

AMES, Iowa (NNS) -- The Iowa State University (ISU) Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) participated in Engagement Simulation Training (EST) aboard Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, March 9.

The EST is generally used for "shoot/don't shoot" simulations in controlled environments for United States Army personnel, but the midshipmen were able to try it out and experience firsthand what this type of training is about.

The midshipmen participated in firing multiple weapons including the M9 and M4 assault rifles as well as the M203 grenade launcher and AT-4 rocket launcher. They also got to experience crew-served weapons such as the M249 light machine gun, M240 medium machine gun, the M2 .50 caliber machine gun and the Mark 19 belt-fed grenade launcher.

The EST program is designed to help active duty personnel fight in a series of different scenarios including military operations, urban terrain, grasslands and mountainous terrain.

"My favorite part was at the end when we rounded up all the different guns that were available to use and we all just got to fire downrange," said Midshipman 3rd Class Spencer Roddy, a Navy option sophomore at ISU. "We had M16's, M9's and a shotgun. I got to shoot almost all of the different weapons; the AT-4 rocket launcher was pretty fun."

The operators of the simulation can control how many rounds and magazines a user gets, how many hostiles will show up on the screen and can jam a specific weapon at any given time to increase reality of the training. The operators were also generous enough to show many of the ISU NROTC instructors how to run the simulator.

"I attended EST instructor training last month at Camp Dodge, which qualified me to operate the EST for the unit," said Marine Corps Second Lieutenant Chad Hayes. "It involved a day long course of learning how the system works, how to navigate through the computer system and how to troubleshoot it as well. The day we went down for instruction, I, along with some Army personnel, actually shot the weapons."

This event brought in 20 volunteer midshipmen who wished to learn more about the safe handling of weapons and basic mechanics of common firing platforms in the Navy and Marine Corps. The experience brought good reviews from the students, as well as the instructors present that day.

"The unit really wanted to do this so midshipmen could get hands on training on simulated weapons," said Hayes. "It's good training for those midshipmen going out to the fleet or the Marine Corps Basic School soon."

The unit staff of ISU NROTC plans to make this part of the annual training plan based on the strong student feedback, positive advantages and realistic nature of the training at a reasonable cost and within close proximity to the university.

The NROTC program, overseen by Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) aboard Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill., was established to develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically and to imbue them with the highest ideals of duty, and loyalty, and with the core values of honor, courage and commitment in order to commission college graduates as Naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the Naval service, and have a potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

For more information about NROTC, visit https://www.nrotc.navy.mil, and for more information about NSTC, visit http://www1.netc.navy.mil/nstc/.

For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.