USNA Pistol/Rifle Ribbons

Korab said:
The difference here is it’s the parents wanting those ribbons so bad, not the kids.
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Definitely on this thread. But as a new Plebe, you want that ribbon pretty badly. You definitely don’t want to be the guy/gal who didn’t. Now they all have NDSMs so they will all have at least 1 ribbon regardless.
 
Mids honestly couldn’t care less about marksmanship. I personally didn’t qualify in rifle (kept mixing up which target I was aiming at). My only negative experience was some Ssgt telling me I was not a good fit for the USMC since I didn’t qualify. I had no plans to go Marines, but not exactly what you want to hear from someone who is partially there to get people to consider the Marines.

The ribbons are Navy only anyway. So, future members of Uncle Sam’s gun club only can wear those ribbons/medals as MIDN.
 
Usnavy2019 said:
Mids honestly couldn’t care less about marksmanship. I personally didn’t qualify in rifle (kept mixing up which target I was aiming at). My only negative experience was some Ssgt telling me I was not a good fit for the USMC since I didn’t qualify. I had no plans to go Marines, but not exactly what you want to hear from someone who is partially there to get people to consider the Marines.

The ribbons are Navy only anyway. So, future members of Uncle Sam’s gun club only can wear those ribbons/medals as MIDN.
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And then you spend so many hours of your life dry firing and doing grass week you want to jab yourself in the eyes. But then you really learn how to shoot. It took me a few years to figure it out, but eventually did.
 
As mentioned, most naval officers in the non-Naval Special Warfare or Expeditionary units will not handle a weapon, for about all of their career, with the exception of being in limited billets/roles (i.e. as an officer of the deck, antiterrorism watch officer, or visit, board, search and seizure officer) and those are typically performed as an ENS or LTJG. You are looking at maybe 1-3 more times on a range. Honestly, as you become more senior no one is going to care if you rate a medal or ribbon…maybe if you have neither, but still likely to not really care. The bigger concern is are you affecting a watchbill and watches (readiness) because you can’t carry an arm. Furthermore, as a naval officer, the shiny gold pin(s) will carry more weight about whether you are a competent officer than pistol/rifle qualifications. It goes without saying, that if the opportunity affords itself to requalify and shoot better…by all means…but it should be done for greater proficiency and readiness, rather than for the medal or ribbon.
 
usnabgo08 said:
As mentioned, most naval officers in the non-Naval Special Warfare or Expeditionary units will not handle a weapon, for about all of their career, with the exception of being in limited billets/roles (i.e. as an officer of the deck, antiterrorism watch officer, or visit, board, search and seizure officer) and those are typically performed as an ENS or LTJG. You are looking at maybe 1-3 more times on a range. Honestly, as you become more senior no one is going to care if you rate a medal or ribbon…maybe if you have neither, but still likely to not really care. The bigger concern is are you affecting a watchbill and watches (readiness) because you can’t carry an arm. Furthermore, as a naval officer, the shiny gold pin(s) will carry more weight about whether you are a competent officer than pistol/rifle qualifications. It goes without saying, that if the opportunity affords itself to requalify and shoot better…by all means…but it should be done for greater proficiency and readiness, rather than for the medal or ribbon.
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Ordnance Officer for a CGN had me in charge of weapons training and quals for 500 people. Both my boss and my chiefs thought that it important that an example be set so my senior folks and I were expected to shoot first and show how it was done.
Later as an XO and CO I carried that forward to help set the standard as was also the case for PRT.
 
I appreciate how, at graduation and commissioning, the new Marine officers abandon their previously won pistol and rifle qualification ribbons. They wear only the National Defense Service ribbon (unless they have other ribbons from prior service). Meanwhile, the new naval officers retain their pistol and rifle ribbons. The contrast is interesting: the Marines in their dark blue tunics with a single ribbon, the naval officers in their white tunics with multiple ribbons.

DD, herself a new Marine, explained that they’re acknowledging that they must qualify once again for the pistol and rifle ribbons. Perhaps it’s fitting that those who are most likely to carry and fire pistols and rifles on active duty must prove once again their competence and/or expertise.
 
MidCakePa said:
I appreciate how, at graduation and commissioning, the new Marine officers abandon their previously won pistol and rifle qualification ribbons. They wear only the National Defense Service ribbon (unless they have other ribbons from prior service). Meanwhile, the new naval officers retain their pistol and rifle ribbons. The contrast is interesting: the Marines in their dark blue tunics with a single ribbon, the naval officers in their white tunics with multiple ribbons.

DD, herself a new Marine, explained that they’re acknowledging that they must qualify once again for the pistol and rifle ribbons. Perhaps it’s fitting that those who are most likely to carry and fire pistols and rifles on active duty must prove once again their competence and/or expertise.
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First thing at TBS check-in is they drain all Navy blood out of them and replace with proper Marine stock.
 
Proud of DGD said:
Do most of the plebes qualify on both pistols and rifles, especially those that are shooting for the first time? Our GD, who has never fired a gun before, qualified on pistols which surprised me (But very proud!).
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I think most do, my DS did not. He qualified on rifle, but not pistol. When we talked to him, it was not a big deal to him. I'm sure he would've preferred to qualify, but he's moved on to the next topic, new detailers, etc. Not much time for him to think about it.
 
After being only one of two people who qualified Expert in the Army for rifle for my platoon during Basic, all I got was a pat on the back, and stuck in a foxhole at the end of the "assault" course with the MILES gear on to provide "enemy fire" to rest of my platoon as they were running the course. Same with the other guy who got it. Nobody made it close enough to my foxhole to toss the practice grenades at me. ;)

I'm just happy my son got his quals. As I mentioned, he'd never shot before in his life, and has only held a real pistol and rifle once. And that was the night before I-Day! He seemed genuinely happily about earning the ribbons, so that is good enough for me. This is his journey, not mine.
 
Daughter always told Husband that Her's were better than the Pizza Box he had. Then again, he can fly a Military Aircraft and she cannot. OK it's a wash.:shake:.
 
cb7893 said:
Why do parents go to their 10 year old kids' sports practices?
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Because coaches can’t be trusted, in case of injury, and because you have to drive them home afterwards anyway. Apples and oranges. But you are on the right track.
 
Then again, your choice. Ten-year-old kids don't have a driver's license, but most Mids do, and Parents like to hear about even the smallest accomplishments that excites their Mid during PS. As a former youth coach any coach I knew would drop anything and everything if a kid even seemed hurt. It isn't "play on" or "run it off" at any Youth level.
 

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