In today’s Photo of the Day, Spc. Isaac Buxton of the 1st Armored Division, Task Force Iron, is seen firing a German Army HK G36 service rifle during the Schützenschnur qualification at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania. The event took place in August 2025 and offered U.S. Soldiers a hands-on opportunity to work with foreign weapons systems under the guidance of German counterparts.
The Schützenschnur (Germany’s marksmanship award) requires participants to engage targets with both rifle and pistol. In addition to the G36, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Everado Araujo is shown completing the pistol portion of the qualification with the HK P8, the standard German service sidearm. Experiences like this broaden Soldiers’ familiarity with allied equipment while building cooperation and mutual trust.
According to the Army, the training strengthened camaraderie between the units and supported ongoing interoperability efforts within NATO. Events of this kind continue to be a valuable part of multinational operations throughout Europe.
Did you ever fire a P8 or an HK G36? Both of these firearms are about to get modernized. The G36 by another H&K, the HK416. The next step after the HK P8 hasn’t been announced yet.
Source: U.S. Army, photos taken by Spc. Braeden Olson.