...at least Costa didn't mention anything about picturing him naked.

Great Read.

"Semper Fi " RetreatHell

TAG!!

Thank you.

I've requested this thread be moved to the Training forum and tacked.

Thank you mods for moving this, and thank you Paul for your service, sacrifice, and reminding us why we need to train, and train correctly.

Great read. Glad I got to share Paul's experience. Wish it would have had a better ending though he has his life.

Thank you to all service men and women.

All of Paul's points are now being incorporated in the Army's Short Range Marksman course as well through out the training pipeline. I have been taught and practiced high speed mag changes since Infantry OBC along with squaring to the target and using an isosceles or modified isosceles stance. Shotting on the move, moving to cover, shooting around barriers, controlled pairs, hold off, and lethal zone hits are ingrained in you. But it's a perishable skill and with out a command that's willing to accept the risk of running the ranges that allow these skills to be maintained they are lost.

There is two kinds of shooting, the kind that allows you to qualify expert on the range and the kind that keeps you alive in combat and while they rely on the same principles of marksmanship they are very different.

wow. very inspiring.

The state of the Marine Corps' shooting program has moved forward since this occured. Starting in OIF II, Marines units starting shooting a program of fire similar to a standard civilian carbine course of fire. Whether it was Enhanced Marksmanship Program (EMP) for East Coast units or Mission Oriented Combat Shooting (MOCS) for West Coast units, Marine were taught: Mechanisms of small arms lethality, shooting while moving, speed and tactical reloads, shooting at off axis targets, Hammers, Controlled Pairs, Failure Drills and non-standard responses, shooting and moving from fighting Stance, shooting in confined spaces and in urban obstacles, a change in the immediate and remedial action procedures, weapons manipulation and more importantly the combat mindset and combat triad.

During the week long EMP course a East Coast shooter would fire 944 rounds, while an West Coast shooter would fire 705 rounds not including remediation rounds and Special Effects Small Arms Marking System (SESAMS)-formerly: simunitions fired. This shooting was part of the basic Predeployment Training Program (PTP) for all Division Marines and select Marines from the Marine Logistic Group and Marine Air Wing. Marines conducted this training as part of their overall PTP certification, in order to deploy. Beyond the basic EMP or MOCS most units conducted much more extensive weapons training as part of individual or collective training.

In the intervening period the Marine Corps has adopted the Combat Marksmanship Program (CMP) that is built upon 4 tables of fire. Table 1 of fire is the standard KD course that Marines have been shooting for generations. Table 1 focuses on position shooting at the 200, 300 and 500 yard line. Table 1 for non-entry level Marines covers the first 3 days of the rifle range and will have the Marine firing 220 rounds. On the fourth day of the rifle range Table 2 is fired. Table 2 covers the intermediate fight from 25 meters to 200 meters with the majority of the 220 rounds fired during Table 2 being shot at 25-50 yards. Both the table 1 and 2 scores are used to determine a shooters final rifle qualification score, which shooting badge the Marine rates to wear and for junior Marines the score is used to compute their "cutting score" for promotion purposes.

The next table of the CMP is table 3. The focus of this table is on the close fight from 50 to 7 yards; however if range availability and conditions permit also includes engagement of unknown distance targets to a distance of 500 yards. Table 3 instruction and qualification allocation is 360 rounds per shooter. This table is a standards based training course and not time based. Most units can conduct a table 3 shoot in 1 to 2 days depending on the size of the unit and availability of ranges and CMP coaches. Table 3 also is the first table the Marines use their night optics and IR lasers.

Outside of the annual training requirements, units individual augments are required to conduct table 3 of the CMP as part of their PTP replacing the previous requirement to conduct the EMP/MOCS.

The final table, Table 4 is considered the immersion of Table 3, with more iterations and repetitions are conducted in order to refine skills and build efficiency. Table 4 is similar to table 3 as is standards based training and qualification program, there is not a time standard associate with it. Shooters are allocated 464 rounds to conduct the table. Often in lieu of the annual requirement infantry units and select divisional units will conduct CMP table 4 as part of their PTP certification.

My prayers to that brave. kick ass fucking dude.

He's a real patriot and hero.