(Rifle) Marksmanship Matters.

[JU-87]

Hi all

Here is a link to an EXCELLENT article about 2 things:
1) How important Rifle Marksmanship is in combat.
2) How the US Army is totally not interested in teaching Rifle Marksmanship.

Having been through US Army BRM (Basic Rifle Marksmanship) in Basic Training in 1983, I'm calling this article "a Bullseye".

After Basic, my first unit was invited to Paris Island,SC, to shoot with the Marines on 2 occasions. There instruction was an epiphany to me. Although I was a US Army Infantryman, The US Marine Corps taught me to shoot a Rifle.

What does that say about the Army?...

Enjoy the article. Feel free to forward to anyone who owns a rifle.



Marksmanship Matters

"The Army has seldom placed a high priority on small-arms proficiency. In Vietnam, figures sometimes ran 50,000 rounds per enemy killed, but the nature of that war often precluded precise aiming and firing. Widespread suppressive fire ran the round count through the roof, and there were almost no rifle fights in Desert Storm. Consequently, in 2001 the Army entered Afghanistan poorly prepared for long-range engagements against dedicated enemies with a tradition of shooting."

http://www.americanrifleman.org/article ... p-matters/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mustang380gal]

I've seen other articles making the same point. Because of this, Project Appleseed has been given opportunity to teach an abbreviated class at a few bases. They do not charge military or LEO for weekend shoots.

It's bad enough that we as a people have lost our marksmanship ability, but that it isn't stressed in the military is especially disturbing.

[JU-87]

I'm a big fan Of "Appleseed" shoots! Been to 2, qualified RIFLEMAN each time.

http://appleseedproject.blogspot.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ArmyMedic90]

Times have changed. I went through Basic in 2009 and we spent more hours out at the range than I care to remember. Granted we only shoot out to 300 meters (compared to the Marines, thats a relatively short distance). But if we didn't shoot sharpshooter or better, we were punished. I'm a decent shot with a rifle. I routinely shoot 34/40 during range quals. But I'd be led to believe that the reason why the round count in Vietnam was so high was because of a few factors:

1) Many of the Americans serving there wanted nothing to do with the conflict. They didn't sign up. They were drafted. Something different from today's game, where its growing harder and harder to secure an enlistment contract. Nowadays if you don't perform, you get discharge papers.

2) The M16 platform was very new during Vietnam. The sergeants training the joes were learning how the weapon system worked at the same time the trainees were.

My 11-banger friends are furious if they dont shoot expert....
Just my .02