Marine marksmanship will face review - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

Marine marksmanship will face review

Marine officials will take aim at combat marksmanship next month during a four-day symposium addressing entry-level training, competitive shooting and at least five other issues.

The symposium was announced in Marine administrative message 095/11, released Feb. 10. It will be held at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., by Weapons Training Battalion, with Marines from more than a dozen commands based across the globe participating.

The MARADMIN says the Corps wants to make the symposium an annual event — a significant change, considering none has been held since 2005, Marine officials said.

Working groups at the symposium will be conducted with the following goals:

• Establish a marksmanship charter that establishes roles, responsibilities and authorities.

• Examine entry-level marksmanship training and standardization of requirements.

• Review the integration of a variety of rifle components and how they would affect current marksmanship doctrine and future developments.

• Assess current rifle range facilities and recommend improvements where necessary.

• Consider future pistol requirements and training.

• Identify manpower shortfalls in the combat marksmanship coach and combat marksmanship trainer courses, and propose solutions.

• Address the intent of the Corps’ competitive marksmanship program and decide how it relates to combat marksmanship.

The symposium sets the stage for potential changes to rifle ranges, qualifications and training, officials told Marine Corps Times in December. It marks the first time a marksmanship symposium has been held since 2005, when the Corps shook up the marksmanship program with a handful of changes. Previously, Marines qualified only on what is now known as Table 1 of the Known Distance course of fire, shooting from prone, kneeling, seated and standing positions at distances of 200, 300 and 500 yards. Other tables of fire were added, including Table 2, which calls for Marines to wear helmets and body armor and shoot at both stationary and moving targets. It was made an annual requalification requirement.

Marine officials intended to hold another symposium sooner but didn’t because of operational tempo, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Brooks, the Corps’ senior gunner, said in a December interview with Marine Corps Times. The gunner community recommended that one be held this year following their own symposium last summer.