161 ARW ADM Airmen – elite in the unit and elite in the ANG
Staff Sgt. Robert Ehle, 161st Security Forces Squadron Advanced Designated Marksmen, hones his newly acquired skills at the shooting range in Florence, Ariz., Jan. 9, 2015. ADM Airmen, or “snipers”, deliver long-range direct fire out to 600 meters and provide enhanced situational awareness through observation and reporting in peacetime and contingency operations. The 161st Security Forces Squadron is one of only eight units of the more than 100 Air National Guard units which currently have trained/qualified advanced designated marksmen. To become a certified Air Force advanced designated marksman, Airmen must attend the ADM course at Ft. Bliss, El Paso, Texas. The 11-day course familiarizes Airmen with the M24 weapon system and teaches target detection, along with distance and windage estimation. “The hardest part of the school is the really long days,” said Ehle. “It’s out in the desert, there’s no shade and it’s about 110 degrees and you are out there for more than eight hours.” (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Courtney Enos/Released)