The 18B Mortars Skills Practice Exam is a critical assessment tool for U.S. Army Special Forces candidates pursuing the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 18B, the Special Forces Weapons Sergeant.
This exam is designed for Green Beret candidates currently progressing through the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) who are specializing in heavy weapons and indirect fire systems.
It evaluates a candidate's mastery of the technical specifications, tactical deployment, and advanced gunnery mathematics required to operate varied mortar systems under high-stress, conventional, and unconventional warfare scenarios.
This comprehensive practice exam mirrors the rigorous curriculum taught during the 18B MOS-specific phase of the SFQC, focusing heavily on the critical skills needed for indirect fire leadership.
Candidates must demonstrate a deep understanding of multiple mortar platforms used by U.S. and potentially hostile forces, including the light M224 60mm, medium M252 81mm, and heavy M120/M121 120mm systems.
Core topics covered include complete mortar characteristics, ammunition identification and capabilities, full mortar mechanical maintenance and troubleshooting, manual and automated gunnery mathematics, fire direction center (FDC) operations, and forward observer procedures.
The actual final evaluation for the 18B mortar phase is a high-stakes, multi-part exam that demands both cognitive speed and physical precision.
Candidates should expect a comprehensive written examination composed of complex multiple-choice questions, detailed short answers, and manual fire-direction plotting scenarios that test their mathematical accuracy under time pressure.
Crucially, the evaluation also includes a substantial practical application component (hands-on test).
This practical segment requires candidates to perform complete mortar emplacement (hanging the gun), bore-sighting procedures, large deflection and elevation changes, and misfire technical procedures while strictly adhering to safety standards, often during timed "gun drills."
Preparation for this exam requires a synthesis of intense academic study and muscle-memory practical application.
Candidates must obsessively review critical reference publications, focusing on the current Army Techniques Publications (ATP) for mortar gunnery and specific technical manuals (TM) for the M224, M252, and M120 systems.
Practical study is paramount; candidates must maximize their time in the mortar pits, practicing rapid gun drills, deflection adjustments, and sight-picture acquisition until the mechanics are instinctive.
As this is a component of internal U.S. Army Special Forces training, the 18B Mortars Skills Exam is administered exclusively at authorized military testing facilities within the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (USAJFKSWCS) complex at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg), North Carolina.
Successfully mastering mortar systems and the 18B Weapons Sergeant curriculum unlocks one of the most prestigious and challenging careers in the military.
The certification is the key requirement for serving as a validated Special Forces Weapons Sergeant (MOS 18B) on a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (SFODA), or Green Beret A-Team.
Special Forces Weapons Sergeant (18B)
Green Beret A-Team Member
Special Forces Indirect Fire Specialist
Unconventional Warfare Weapons Instructor
Cross-Training and Partner Nation Advisor
Heavy Weapons Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) Developer
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