Rachel Hoskins had never shot a gun before, real or simulated, until last week when she visited Fort Hood’s Engagement Skills Trainer along with several of her teammates.

“The Soldiers were great at explaining the weapons and preparing us for the simulations,” said Hoskins, a human resource program analyst with the U.S. Army Operational Test Command. “We learned how to lock and load the weapons, and we got to practice shooting at targets on a big screen.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Ken Graham, OTC’s senior enlisted advisor, arranged for the small-arms/crew served weapons training as part of the command’s professional development program for its civilian employees.

“Events like this build camaraderie and esprit de corps among our workforce,” Graham said, “as well as provide professional growth from a hands-on approach.”

According to Sheila Miller, personnel specialist, the OPD was not just a fun event to get away from the office.

“It was quite different from firing a .32 caliber pistol as a young girl at target practice with my dad,” she said. “That was some heavy machinery.

“I gained quality information about the weapons our Soldiers use in training and combat,” Miller said. “You definitely can’t be a weakling in body, character or mind, firing the caliber of weapons our warfighters fire.”

Human Resource Specialist Mike Ensor, who is an OTC military retiree, said, “It reenergized my lifelong kindred spirit to serve our great Soldiers while familiarizing myself with weapons that have been deployed since my retirement.”

For Elizabeth Fudge, a computer scientist in OTC’s Methodology and Analysis Directorate, the trip was her first time to a simulation center.

“I’ve never fired weapons before, and especially not a machine gun,” she said. “The experience was a lot of fun and made me more interested in learning about the different types of small-arms weapons the Army uses.”

Graham said everyone did exceptionally well with the M2 (.50 caliber) and M240B machine guns and the AT-4 anti-tank weapon.

“Considering they only received a 45-minute block of instruction, their ability to work as a team and effectively engage and destroy multiple simulated targets was impressive,” he said.

“The learning experience was a blast,” Hoskins said. “Elizabeth (Fudge) and I hit the most targets and were given commander’s coins as the top guns.

“I have a newly profound appreciation of what our Soldiers can do in battle and the skills they learn throughout their training,” Hoskins said. “I can’t wait until the next outing.”

That will be Jan. 15, 2015, according to Master Sgt. Patrick Burke, OTC operations noncommissioned officer-in-charge.

“It will be a trip to the Close Combat Tactical Trainer for a demonstration of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and M-1 Abrams tank simulators,” he said.

Other future events will include leadership reactionary course, obstacle course, rappelling and tactical training with field artillery, aviation, engineers and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN), provided by Fort Hood units, Graham said.

“We clearly have a tough group,” he said, “so I have to be creative and at the same time keep it fun.”

Hoskins’, Miller’s, Ensor’s and Fudge’s reactions were unanimous: “OTC’s OPDs are eye-openers.”