More weapons approved for annual quals - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

More weapons approved for annual quals

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Additional weapons have been cleared for use during annual marksmanship qualifications, to include the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, M4A1 Close Quarters Battle Weapon and the M45 Close Quarters Battle Pistol.

Senior leaders made the decision following the 2011 Combat Marksmanship Symposium, said Col. Timothy Armstrong, head of Weapons Training Battalion based here. It was announced in Marine administrative message 716/11.

The move is a reflection of the Corps’ plan to have Marines train as they fight, said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christian Wade, a gunner at the battalion. Rather than every Marine using a standard service rifle during marksmanship qualifications, they’ll use the weapon assigned to them in their unit’s table of organization.

The decision was prompted in part by Commandant Gen. Jim Amos’ decision last year to allow full fielding of the IAR, the 5.56mm automatic rifle that will serve as a one-for-one replacement for the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon in rifle squads and light armored reconnaissance scout sections.

“We wanted to address what weapons are on the range, and more importantly, why,” Wade said.

Before the change was made, the battalion conducted a study to see whether allowing the M27 in rifle qualifications would be fair to those who don’t have it. The free-floating barrel on the IAR makes it more accurate than the M16A4 and M4, but marksmanship officials observed that the advantage was minimal, resulting on average in a 5-point increase in a Marine’s score on the range. Additionally, only automatic riflemen assigned the M27 will use it during quals, and they’ll compete for promotion against personnel in their own military occupational specialty.

“The topic of fairness comes up every time we do something different or introduce an improvement to marksmanship,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Timothy Dankonich, a range officer involved in the study. “If you look at what 5 points on the rifle range does on a cutting score in terms of eligibility for promotion, you’re better off doing one or two more pull-ups on your [Physical Fitness Test]. The fairness issue is essentially moot.”

Several other recommendations were approved by Lt. Gen. Richard Mills, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, following the symposium. They include:

New weapon sling

For years, Marines have complained about the standard three-point combat assault sling used on service rifles, with many buying an alternative option. Marksmanship officials addressed that by adopting the Vickers Combat Applications two-point sling, made by Blue Force Gear, of Pooler, Ga.

The two-point design allows Marines to better stabilize their rifles while firing, Wade said. It’s unlikely that the Corps will roll out a new sling for every Marine all at once, but it will become the recommended option when battalions order new gear.

The Vickers sling already was adopted as the new standard for the M27 after 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii — the first unit to deploy to Afghanistan with the IAR — recommended it this summer. New deliveries of the weapon, made by Heckler and Koch Defense, now include it, said Robert Reidsma, who oversees the IAR program for HK.

Steel target push

Another working group at the symposium addressed range modernization — and what it would take to get more steel targets on ranges across the Corps. With its distinctive sound, steel gives Marines instantaneous feedback when they’re training, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thomas Layou, a gunner at Weapons Training Battalion.

Marine leadership at the symposium decided any move toward more steel targets should begin with a formal request from the operating forces, and discussions are now ongoing about what is needed, Layou said.

“We’re trying to be smart about it,” he said. “I wouldn’t expect to see this request coming any time soon, but everyone is asking, ‘What are we trying to accomplish with steel?’ One of the limitations is that anything within 100 yards with M855 rounds is not authorized. It’s not safe. We’re looking at whether there are ways to mitigate that.”

Marksmanship officials also continue to plan for modernization on rifle ranges across the service. Changes will be driven by new requirements that could be adopted, especially in Tables 3 and 4 of the Known Distance course of fire.

Pistol program iced

An ongoing effort to develop a new Combat Pistol Program is still alive, but its implementation was delayed at the symposium after Marine leadership raised concerns about whether it took too much time and used too much ammunition.

The new plan called for each Marine to shoot 300 rounds, or 100 more than the existing program. It also called for Marines to go beyond existing requirements, which call for personnel to work through five training blocks to learn the basics with the pistol and conduct preventative maintenance.

Marksmanship officials declined to outline specifics of what the new program could include, but said they were directed to determine whether the additional rounds are necessary and whether there is demand for an upgraded pistol program across the Corps.

“They’re re-looking at it at this point,” Armstrong said. “Their task is to go out, talk to different communities and see if there is a true need for a change to the combat pistol program before we institute a change that is going to cost more money. Can we institute a change without [it] costing more money?”

Optics at boot camp

Marksmanship officials also continue to prepare for an anticipated decision to permanently incorporate optics into entry-level training at boot camp and officer training.

The Rifle Combat Optic, or RCO, has been in use since June by new lieutenants at The Basic School and since July by recruits at Parris Island, S.C., and in San Diego as part of an ongoing pilot program to determine whether it would improve Marines’ combat effectiveness.

It has been resisted by some in the Corps, but results gathered by the Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity, out of Quantico, show that the number of new lieutenants qualifying as “expert” has improved from about 60 percent to 75 percent, Marine officials said. The number of enlisted recruits qualifying as experts jumped from about 40 to 45 percent to close to 60 percent.

Marine officers at the symposium decided the study should remain ongoing until senior Marine leadership decides whether to permanently adopt the optics at entry-level training. New Marines receive additional training with iron sights at School of Infantry courses run by Infantry Training Battalion and the Marine Combat Training Battalion, marksmanship officials said.

“We don’t want to stop a study and wait for an implementation decision to come a couple of months from now, after ... instructors PCS or change over,” Armstrong said. “We’d lose some of those skill sets that we’ve been able to develop.”

A final decision on permanently incorporating optics at entry-level training could be reached early in 2012.