Primary Rifle Instruction at Parks AFB

Parks AFB, California, was the home of the Air Base Defense School from 1953 to 1957. The course was 13 weeks in duration and combined Air Police technical training for Airmen, NCOs, Officers and Air Provost Marshals.

Training was divided between Parks AFB and Beale AFB at Marysville, California. At Beale all four classes worked together to plan and execute an Air Base Defense Plan. Rifle instruction, using the M=1 Garand rifle, began with sessions on the Primary Rifle Instruction (PRI) Circle. Here the offhand firing positions: prone, kneeling, sitting and standing  were taught. The mantra, “breath, hold, aim, squeeze and fire,” was drilled nto the student.