POTD: Small Arms Training Aboard USS Milius
Today’s Photo of the Day shows U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to the Seventh Fleet conducting a small arms live-fire exercise on the flight deck of the guided-missile destroyer USS Milius (DDG-69) while underway in the South China Sea. Live-fire training at sea is said to allow crews to maintain weapons proficiency in the same environment where they operate daily, reinforcing safety, discipline, and readiness under realistic conditions.
The 7th Fleet @US7thFleet posted: “Sun's out, guns out! U.S. Navy Sailors took to the flight deck of the USS Milius (DDG 69) for a small arms gun shoot while underway in the South China Sea, Dec. 8.”
USS Milius, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, routinely operates as part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed fleet. Seventh Fleet forces operate across the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, supporting regional security, freedom of navigation, and cooperation with allies and partners.
Small arms training remains a fundamental skill for surface combatant crews, particularly for force protection, boarding operations, and shipboard security. Conducting these drills while underway highlights the Navy’s emphasis on continuous training and maintaining combat effectiveness at sea, even during routine patrols in strategically significant waters.
Source: 7th Fleet @US7thFleet on X and Facebook.
Ex-Arctic Ranger. Competitive practical shooter and hunter with a European focus. Always ready to increase my collection of modern semi-automatics, optics, thermals and suppressors. TCCC Certified. Occasionaly seen in a 6x6 Bug Out Vehicle, always with a big smile.
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Someone please teach them proper grip and stance! 🤔
Look at their great technique and remember that these might be the hyper qualified people that'll tell you that they were in the military and know for sure that only the military can handle these dangerous guns.