Shooting Range at USNA

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JoeAmerican0921

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Jan 23, 2019
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I know that you do rifle qual. during your plebe summer and that the Combat Arms team, and competitive marksmanship teams are places that you can go and shoot, but if you do not participate on any teams, are you able to just go to the range on days you have libo? Or are these the only chances you have to go to the range?
 
The title must have said something like "Shooting at USNA." False alarms in the DMV military facilities happen occasionally.
 
JoeAmerican0921 said:
I know that you do rifle qual. during your plebe summer and that the Combat Arms team, and competitive marksmanship teams are places that you can go and shoot, but if you do not participate on any teams, are you able to just go to the range on days you have libo? Or are these the only chances you have to go to the range?
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You spend one day at the range to qualify with the M4-A1 carbine and the M11-A1 pistol, during Plebe Summer.

If you are invited to try out for the Combat Arms Team, you will go through a physical screener, interview process, and more live-fire at the range.
The Combat Arms Team employs several other firearms, shown here.

The Service Rifle and Pistol Team is probably similar - but I have no knowledge about that one - other than they eschew the short carbines for the full size M16 rifles with stainless 24" bull barrels and iron sights. I would imagine that that use the Beretta M9 pistol as well.

There is also the Navy Pistol Team, which competes in International Pistol (think Olympics, air pistol, and .22LR pistol here)

That's a long answer. More than likely, you won't shoot again after you qualify during Plebe Summer.
 
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THParent said:
JoeAmerican0921 said:
I know that you do rifle qual. during your plebe summer and that the Combat Arms team, and competitive marksmanship teams are places that you can go and shoot, but if you do not participate on any teams, are you able to just go to the range on days you have libo? Or are these the only chances you have to go to the range?
Click to expand...

You spend one day at the range to qualify with the M4-A1 carbine and the M11-A1 pistol, during Plebe Summer.

If you are invited to try out for the Combat Arms Team, you will go through a physical screener, interview process, and more live-fire at the range.
The Combat Arms Team employs several other firearms, shown here.

The Service Rifle and Pistol Team is probably similar - but I have no knowledge about that one - other than they eschew the short carbines for the full size M16 rifles with stainless 24" bull barrels and iron sights. I would imagine that that use the Beretta M9 pistol as well.

There is also the Navy Pistol Team, which competes in International Pistol (think Olympics, air pistol, and .22LR pistol here)

That's a long answer. More than likely, you won't shoot again after you qualify during Plebe Summer.
Click to expand...
Rodger, thank you
 
DS would have practiced shooting at a range before plebe summer. He was one away from expert in one category. It’s not a big deal at all, but being so close, he wished he had practiced up just a bit to have those triple E’s to wear!! Or is it double E? I don’t even know. But it was something he mentioned one day. FWIW.
 
The silver "E" pin device upload_2019-1-31_21-26-41.png goes on the center of either the rifle marksmanship ribbon (three stripes shown) and/or the pistol marksmanship ribbon to denote "Expert".
The only difference in the pistol ribbon is that it doesn't have the center stripe. There is also a "Sharpshooter" denoted by a bronze "S" pin device.
No device on the ribbon denotes "Marksman".

They are just for bragging rights while at USNA. The Marine Corps doesn't use those ribbons, and I don't think the Navy does, either.
 
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THParent said:
The silver "E" pin device View attachment 1952 goes on the center of either the rifle marksmanship ribbon (three stripes shown) and/or the pistol marksmanship ribbon to denote "Expert".
The only difference in the pistol ribbon is that it doesn't have the center stripe. There is also a "Sharpshooter" denoted by a bronze "S" pin device.
No device on the ribbon denotes "Marksman".

They are just for bragging rights while at USNA. The Marine Corps doesn't use those ribbons, and I don't think the Navy does, either.
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Sorry but you really don't know your marksmanship awards. The Navy absolutely wears the ribbons and medal after USNA. What may be confusing is that Naval Officers have the option of just wearing their three "highest" ribbons on a regular basis which in almost every case not be the marksmanship ribbons.
 
I for sure don’t know them, my point though was that DS was one away from the next level up and wished he had practiced a bit before plebe summer, Bc he was so close. To get the better ranking. So if a Plebe-2-be is interested, practice.
 
Practicing isn’t that big of issue. Some can pick up bad habits. There are some opportunities to shoot outside of Plebe summer, but not necessarily at USNA. Summer cruises you can potentially shoot on your ships. Sometimes ships will even run qualification courses and Mids can participate in that. Leatherneck you generally get to shoot a variety of weapons. If you volunteer and are selected to work as a weapons detailer you teach and train the Plebes during the summer. You get to shoot a good bit during that training and they usually requalify during that. There are some local ranges that Mids do go shoot at during liberty. Bottom line, if shooting is something you enjoy, you will need to seek opportunities to do it. And yes, the ribbons carry over to the fleet for those that commission Navy.
 
OldRetSWO said:
Sorry but you really don't know your marksmanship awards. The Navy absolutely wears the ribbons and medal after USNA. What may be confusing is that Naval Officers have the option of just wearing their three "highest" ribbons on a regular basis which in almost every case not be the marksmanship ribbons.
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Okay. I stand corrected.
 
In this photo, we see (from Left to right) the National Defense Medal ribbon, The Rifle Marksman Medal ribbon with bronze "S" device, and the Pistol Marksman Medal ribbon with silver "E" device.

upload_2019-2-1_5-59-23.png
 
I wonder if newly minted 2ndLts show up at TBS wearing marksmanship badges on their Alfas? Surely they know not to wear Navy ribbons.
 
NavyHoops said:
Practicing isn’t that big of issue. Some can pick up bad habits.
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This is so true. Good marksmanship is a learned skill. Proper techniques and instruction are important THEN practice can help instill them in a shooter. Sight picture, breathing, trigger control, etc are all part of the process that ensures a round sent downrange hits the intended target.
 
Oh we know that those ribbons disappear the day we graduate. If you look at graduation you will see a few with shooting badges at graduation. Easy way to identify prior enlisted Marines. Usually the range is the first thing you do at TBS and earn your badges.

Just a note... the Marines at USNA do a wonderful job of preparing us for the Marine Corps. We do uniform fittings while at USNA and ensure we have all the gear we need properly fitted before we graduate. They do inspections to ensure we know proper wear and fit also. Usually the entire class of selectees does a large dress blues inspection right before graduation and takes a class photo together.
 
It used to be that the USMC would send a "team" of tailors to you - wherever you were when you graduated - to fit you and get you all squared away (including showing you how to wear and prepare those new uniforms) for graduation and before reporting to TBS. This was a few weeks before the big day, if my recollection is correct. Do they still do that?
 
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