Typically, members of the "Volkssturm" received only very basic military training. It included a brief indoctrination and training on the use of basic weapons such as the Karabiner 98k rifle and "Panzerfaust". Because of continuous fighting and weapon shortages, weapon training was often minimal. There was also a lack of instructors, meaning that weapons training was sometimes done by World War I veterans drafted into service themselves. Often "Volkssturm" members were only able to familiarize themselves with their weapons when in actual combat.