BCT 2 Marksman

John41057

5-Year Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2012
Messages
239
Hi
Has anyone heard that the chance for our Basics to earn their marksman medal has been canceled for the class of 2017. My DS is under the impression this would not happen this year during Jacks Valley?
Regards
John
 
Hi
Has anyone heard that the chance for our Basics to earn their marksman medal has been canceled for the class of 2017. My DS is under the impression this would not happen this year during Jacks Valley?
Regards
John

Don't know about this year, but last year 2016 Basics did not have the opportunity earn their marksmanship ribbon.
 
Don't know about this year, but last year 2016 Basics did not have the opportunity earn their marksmanship ribbon.

Correct. I have no idea what shooting 2017 will or will not do, but there has never (in recent history at least) been an opportunity to actually qualify for the ribbon during BCT.
 
Son (Class of 2011) qualified during BCT as Expert and this allowed him to wear the marksman ribbon for his time at the Academy but not post-graduation. He does still wear the ribbon, though, because he qualified as Expert again when they did their weapons training for Deployed Ops in Southwest Asia during his Firstie summer.

Based on the others posts this must have changed since then.

Stealth_81
 
Curious why "they" wouldn't allow him to wear the ribbon after graduation. Once qualified for on the AF "course of fire" that ribbon is forever.

Earned my rifle one during BCT, and the star for pistol as an officer. Wear them both to this day and both are in my records.

Interesting...have to dig into this a bit.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
When is the next time after USAFA that one can compete for the ribbon?
 
Curious why "they" wouldn't allow him to wear the ribbon after graduation. Once qualified for on the AF "course of fire" that ribbon is forever.

Earned my rifle one during BCT, and the star for pistol as an officer. Wear them both to this day and both are in my records.

Interesting...have to dig into this a bit.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

Steve,

According to him the BCT qualification didn't include the 10 rounds with the gas mask on and that is why it wasn't 'official' until he did the one Firstie year for Deployed Ops.

Also, wanted to let you know he moved into his house in Surprise over the 4th and started his B-course last week. Yesterday his new class all went rafting on the Salt River over on your side of the Valley.

Stealth_81
 
Hm...one qualifies expert or doesn't. There should be no "academy only" ribbon, as that would go against the AFIs. There are specific cadet badges that can only be worn as a cadet, but there are no cadet ribbons at the academy.
(That said, I wouldn't be surprised if things had been screwed up. Both the CATM program and awards and decs. records were screwed up when I was a cadet.)

As for when a basic/cadet will get to qualify next, probably not for a while, unless they get into a specific program. I have qualified once, officially, since basic...7+ years ago. The AF doesn't care about guns they can't mount on aircraft, in general. That's a big reason why the Combat Shooting Team was started at the academy. We felt that cadets did not have the opportunity to become well versed in small arms, so the team was started.
 
Curious why "they" wouldn't allow him to wear the ribbon after graduation. Once qualified for on the AF "course of fire" that ribbon is forever.

Earned my rifle one during BCT, and the star for pistol as an officer. Wear them both to this day and both are in my records.

Interesting...have to dig into this a bit.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

You only have to qualify for it once?!
 
"Yes, But..."

You can only qualify for the ribbon once per weapon...but you have annual CATM training and "requalification."

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
"Yes, But..."

You can only qualify for the ribbon once per weapon...but you have annual CATM training and "requalification."

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

True for some. How often you requal depends on what group you are in. Some groups only qualify before deployments.
 
Class of 2012 also had the opportunity to qualify, we had 2 people in my flight earn the ribbon (definitely not me...) but I guess it seems we were the last class to have this opportunity.
 
My DS was originally class of 2013....he qualified Expert small arms during his BCT...by the way he's now class of 2015...having served a two yr LDS Church Mission after his C4C yr. He's Sqd Supe...for BCT2...just marched or is currently marching in now I think...I just texted him if this yrs Basics will have the opportunity to shoot. I will let you all know if and when he texts back and is allowed to let us know unless someone else already may know the answer and post before my knowledge. Anyway...its 0400 hrs here in Paradise...and I'm killing another hour or so until sunrise...getting ready to hit the surf 2 hours before work at 1000 hrs....:yllol:
 
True for some. How often you requal depends on what group you are in. Some groups only qualify before deployments.

Hmm....that's new info for me. I've always (well, almost always) been in a flying wing and we always have annual training.

The times they are a changing!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
 
The Marksmanship ribbon is now part of EST survival training which cadets all take in the summer after their C4C year. DS confirmed that the ribbon is a "USAFA only" ribbon.
 
Paperwork SNAFU

My son (2013) qualified for the ribbon and star while working with the Combat Shooting Team.
He wore both during his time at the academy. Then when processing out, just before graduation, he discovered that the paperwork was never filed and so it is not in his record.
I was disappointed for him because I thought, “How many AF “engineers” will be walking around with that Ribbon and Star?” Now he can't ware it and doubts he will ever get another chance to qualiy.
He just chalks it up to another of many SNAFUs. He is so Jazzed about his new assignment, he says he doesn’t care, but I can tell he is P.O.ed
 
My son (2013) qualified for the ribbon and star while working with the Combat Shooting Team.
He wore both during his time at the academy. Then when processing out, just before graduation, he discovered that the paperwork was never filed and so it is not in his record.
I was disappointed for him because I thought, “How many AF “engineers” will be walking around with that Ribbon and Star?” Now he can't ware it and doubts he will ever get another chance to qualiy.
He just chalks it up to another of many SNAFUs. He is so Jazzed about his new assignment, he says he doesn’t care, but I can tell he is P.O.ed

Is his assignment really that great? I've been shying away from branching an Engineering AFSC because I really don't want to be stuck at a desk state side my entire AF career. Can a 62EX get an overseas assignment? How rare is it?
 
The Marksmanship ribbon is now part of EST survival training which cadets all take in the summer after their C4C year. DS confirmed that the ribbon is a "USAFA only" ribbon.

I'm curious how that works. Did they create a cadet ribbon, are they just allowing (encouraging) uniform violations, or did they screw up the awards and decs. paperwork again?
 
Hmm....that's new info for me. I've always (well, almost always) been in a flying wing and we always have annual training.

The times they are a changing!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83
Yeah, I was rather disappointed in that one.
Me: "So, when do we get to qual on the M9?" Response: "Uhhhh...."
 
One man’s great … another man’s ?

Is his assignment really that great? I've been shying away from branching an Engineering AFSC because I really don't want to be stuck at a desk state side my entire AF career. Can a 62EX get an overseas assignment? How rare is it?

I suppose like any adjective, “great” is in the eye of the beholder.

My son will be working on his Masters degree at MIT. That was one of his goals. He thinks it’s great.

He looks forward to a career as an Officer and playing a valuable role in his country's defense. He thinks that’s great too!

He loves to shoot, so he will find a way to do so.

As for overseas, I have no idea, he has already been all over the world. If it’s your goal to work overseas, make sure you pick a career path that brings you there. As an engineer, my son will be working in DC for his first assignment, after grad school.
 
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