 |
Main Menu
Home
News
Events
Bulletin Board
Admin Corner
Chapter Officers
Chapter History
LTC Buckley
Taps
Deceased
Members
Deceased
Friends
Reminiscences
Scholarships
Chapter Coin
Quartermaster
Store
Teamhouse
Links
Contact Info
Foreign Weapons
Familiarization Course
2018
The 4th Annual Foreign Weapons Familiarization Course hosted by Chapter 54 took place September 15-16, 2018 in Fryeburg, Maine. This two-day course was offered by Vinny Pestilli and Associates, Inc. of Brownfield, Maine. The event held this year follows the successful foreign weapons training event held in June 2017 by Chapter 54. Saturday was an informational session in a classroom environment and Sunday was live firing on the Fryeburg Fish & Game Range (to include automatic weapons).
A Chapter 54 member firing a SMG at the range. Each firing
point had
an instructor provided by Vinny Pestlli and Associates, Inc.
There were 75 different weapons on display. Many different weapons were fired on the range. The cost per person was $135.00. The fee included ammunition, use of weapons, instruction, food, and other expenses. Some of the weapons fired on the range included the Russian SVD sniper rifle, AK47, AK74, AK100, PKM, PPSH41 SMG, H&K MP5, and many other rifles and pistols.
Schedule:
Saturday:
Fryeburg Fire Department Garage
520 Main Street
Fryeburg, Maine 04037
0700 - 0800 Registration and light
breakfast
0830 - 1200 Class
1200 - 1300 Lunch. Pizza, sub sandwiches, chips, soda, water,
ice tea
1300 - 1600 Class
1700 - TBD Cookout at Pestilli's Guest House Beach
Sunday:
Fryeburg Fish & Game Range
Route 5 & 113
Fryeburg, Maine 04037
0830 - 0900 Light breakfast and safety
brief.
0900 - 1200 Range firing
1200 - 1300 Lunch
1300 - 1600 Range firing
Classroom Instruction - Saturday
On Saturday the presentations took place in the Fryeburg, Maine
fire department.
Vinnie and his very capable instructors provided a detailed overview of the many types of weapons on display. The class took place at Fryeburg Fire Department with seating at tables to accommodate everyone. There was plenty of time for hands-on with the weapons to include dissembly and assembly.
Over 75 weapons were on display during the classroom
instruction.
Numerous displays were on hand to view during breaks
between the classroom instructional periods.
Charts providing info on the various weapons were on hand.
Tommy Gun with carrying case.
A model UH-1 Bell Huey
Helicopter was raffled off on Sat and the winner was
Steve Nilan. Presenting the chopper is Chapter 54 President Ken
Gingras.
Cookout - Saturday Evening
Vinnie hosted a cookout on his grounds in Brownfield, Maine (next town over from Fryeburg). The site of the picnic was on the shores of his private pond. Excellent food and beverages were on hand at the cookout. The evening meal included hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, potato & pasta salad, chips, pickles, cookies, brownies, Bud & Bud Light, Coke, and water.
Almost all participants stayed overnight in the area. Some took accomodations at local hotels in nearby North Conway, New Hampshire. Others stayed at Vinnie's guesthouse or camped on the grounds.
The cooks that prepared the food for the cookout. Bob Perchard
pretended to be
in charge. One of the culinary delights was some 'bear chili'
that Bob cooked up,
a result of an encounter Bob and Vinnie had with a bear just a
few weeks prior.
As always . . . whenever retired Green Berets get together with
a few beers . . .
there are the "Remember when we . . ." stories that bubble to
the surface.
Range Firing - Sunday
Chapter 54 member firing AK
The range firing took place at the Fryeburg Fish & Game Range on Sunday. Over 30 weapons were on hand to shoot to include pistols, shotguns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns.
Firing one of the sniper rifles at a target downrange.
A former SF weapons man becomes re-familiar with the AKM.
The Russian PKM machinegun was a favorite at the range.
A retired SF colonel loads up the belt for PKM machinegun. As
he prepares to fire
the PKM next his thinks to himself . . . "I really
shouldn't have accepted my commission,
my days on a Combat Dive team as a commo man were the highlight
of my career".
Chapter 54 member firing PKM
|
Serving Green Berets 
 |