Competition shooting in the military?! Inconceivable!

[JTH]

Well, I'll be.  Even the Marines think that competition shooting will help them be better shooters.  Who'da thunk it? 

Post

(Oh wait, the Army thinks this too.  Heck, lots of military groups have been hiring top-level competition shooters to come teach shooting technique for years.)

Personally, I think it will get them killed on the streets. 

[David Hineline]

I took a retired Omaha Air Force officer to the range, her Air Force training was so intense that she did not even know that her Beretta 9mm she carried her entire career held more than 3 rounds.  A 3 round load and fire is all she had ever done with it at the range for qualification.

[SemperFiGuy]

I never could figger USMC individual weapons training.

For the rifle range, we were so wrapped up in leather strapping that we could have been mistaken for..................never mind.

For the pistol range, we shot the M1911 w/the extended strong hand only, no weak hand support.  (Weak hand was supposed to be properly stowed in the trouser pocket.)   Aim in, slowly squeeze off each shot.  Handgun waving in the breeze.  Sometimes we hit the berm; sometimes not.  Everyone griped about the "inaccuracy" of the M1911, but officers and NCOs proudly carried them on their hips in the US flap holsters.

Now, when we ran Combat Town drills for advanced infantry training (a little simulated Korean village) where I frequently worked, the scenario was more real.  Everyone just ran through and shot the hell out of everything in sight.  Standard USMC drill.  Shoot long enough and loud enough, Something Dies.

MyThink is that the USMC (and maybe all military branches) ought to run some form of IDPA/USPSA for all handgun, rifle, and all other shoulder/squad fired weapons training.  C/mon....Let's MOVE!!!!!

But--Of Course--No One's Gonna Listen.

sfg

[Kendahl]

Long ago, didn't the Marine Corp and, maybe, the Army, too, compete in matches including the national one at Camp Perry?

[jonm]

army and air force sponsor shooters at 3GN.

[SemperFiGuy]

Long ago, didn't the Marine Corp and, maybe, the Army, too, compete in matches including the national one at Camp Perry?

USMC and USA teams and individuals still do.

It's the Old Timey type shooting.  Which has merit, of course.  But it's still not Shoot and Scoot shooting.  Which is what has to be done when Real Bad Guys are shooting back.

sfg

[David Hineline]

Here is a picture of my daughter working on one of those towns you speak of.

[OnTheFly]

Here is a picture of my daughter working on one of those towns you speak of.

Ok...I have to ask.  Why is she sitting on a sheep?

Fly

[SemperFiGuy]

Here is a picture of my daughter working on one of those towns you speak of

Given that Device she's calibrating, she probably has One Whole Week's Combat Unit of Fire laid up and is going to blow it all with one small push of a nicely polished fingernail.

There goes Combat Town:   Up in Smoke.

sfg

[David Hineline]

She's probably documenting some other Marine getting ready to blow up combat town.

[David Hineline]

She wis assigned at the Pentagon now and for some secret reason as a parent I am not privy to most of the time she is not allowed to be in military uniform. Also for some reason Pentagon Marines do not have to rifle qualify, they just get their last qualification credited to them.  She has shot expert since boot camp. 

[SemperFiGuy]

She has shot expert since boot camp. 

In all my 400+ or so CHP students, the Very Best Pistol Shot of All was a Woman Marine LtCol named Erica.

I once put on this private CHP class for USMC Field Grade Officers.  Maybe a dozen or so.

During range qualification, Col. Erica put all 30 shots into a single hole about half the size of her small fist.   Then apologized for shooting so badly.

All the Other Highly Competitive Male USMC Officers were walking around with their heads down, kicking the dirt, and uttering muted curses.
==================================
Regarding the No-Uniform/Wear Civvies bit.............It's probably that Obama is eliminating uniforms for the military.

sfg