To CBS Sunday Morning and Ken Burns,
I am a long-time fan of CBS Sunday Morning and Ken Burns. Given his typical thoroughness with history, I was surprised at an oversight in his “Baseball is a Mirror of our Country” piece that aired on your show.
“The first real progress in civil rights since the Civil War took place… on a baseball diamond…” The oversight here is that marksmanship programs started just after the Civil War to better train up to the capabilities rifled small arms offered provided equal opportunities for competitors decades before this.
Welcome The U.S. Navy Marksmanship Team (USNMT) represents the Department of the Navy in inter-service and national competitions. Our mission is to train Sailors in marksmanship and small arms. About the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and Unit The U.S. Army Reserve Marksmanship Unit represents the forefront of small arms skill in the Reserve and are the only formally proven and acknowledged experts on the proper use and training of small arms across the force. The link below takes you to a summary of recent rule changes published in the Civilian Marksmanship Program's (CMP) online newsletter. Since JROTC marksmanship competitions are conducted in accordance with the National Standard Three-Position Air Rifle Rules (the 'blue book') our coaches and shooters need to be aware of the recent update. Provide commanders with select Noncommissioned Officer Marksmanship Master Trainers who understand how to train marksmanship and train and develop primary and assistant instructors. Assist Commander’s in planning and implementation of their marksmanship strategy. A Girl & A Gun is a club by women shooters for women shooters. Through our network of caring and qualified instructors, events, clinics, and training opportunities, we offer women the ability to improve their marksmanship and make new friends. AG & AG World Headquarters 202 Walton Way, Ste. 192-161 Cedar Park, TX 78613.
The U.S. Army began the Excellence-in-Competition (EIC) program in 1884, first creating Distinguished Rifleman and then Distinguished Pistol Shot gold badges to award competitors finishing in the top ten percent at EIC events. Buffalo Soldiers were equal participants and noteworthy competitors.
The first shooter to become Double Distinguished, earning both badges, was Cpt. Horace Wayman Bivins, earning the distinction in 1903. A member of the 10th Cavalry Regiment and decorated for valor for his actions at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, accounts of his history “reads like fiction from the imagination of a pulp magazine writer” as one newspaper described him. The Army Reserve Postal Match has an event named in his honor.
The EIC program was managed by the U.S. Army Department of Civilian Marksmanship and then the Civilian Marksmanship Program and has been an open competition for military and civilian shooters. It is the only sport mandated by federal law, per Public Law Title 36, U.S. Code § 40727.
This is history worthy of your attention. I’ve sent articles on the history of Captain Horace Wayman Bivins and the Army’s marksmanship Equal Opportunities.
John M. Buol Jr.
SFC, USAR
USARCMP Public Affairs/Postal Match Program
https://www.usar.army.mil/ARM/
One of my current goals is getting more involved in precision shooting and competition. It shouldn’t be a surprise that precision has been on my mind a lot lately. As I’ve been doing more and more reading and research, I’ve come across a few interesting ways of thinking about things that I want to share with you.
MoreThe Pistol Fundamentals Challenge
December 3, 2019 10 Comments MarksmanshipThe PIstol Fundamentals Challenge is my variation on the classic Dot Torture popularized by Todd Green and Dave Blinder. It’s a 30-round challenge testing your ability to maintain accuracy across different circumstances while under time pressure.
MoreHow to Breathe for Better Marksmanship
September 17, 2019 10 Comments MarksmanshipMarksmanship Pellet Rifles
One of the easily overlooked areas of good marksmanship is controlling your breathing. I really believe it’s one of those things that everyone knows they should get control of it, but good breath control becomes one of the first marksmanship fundamentals to go out the window as pressure mounts.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the midst of a stage and didn’t even think about my breathing until after it was over. Of course, then I try to go backwards and wonder if I did it correctly anyway, or if I did it wrong and it cost me a little bit of performance.
MoreThe Minuteman Marksmanship Challenge
July 30, 2019 20 Comments MarksmanshipWelcome back to another Marksman Challenge. For this one, we’re balancing speed and precision, while also giving a shout out to the guys at the Revolutionary War Veteran’s Association (RWVA) for their excellent work in the Appleseed program.
MoreStanding Position Tips and Crushing the Marksman Challenge
June 18, 2019 5 Comments MarksmanshipThe standing position is the most difficult to master for marksmanship. With the June challenge underway and such a tough accuracy standard, I wanted to ask around for some standing position tips to help you, and me to be honest, out with earning that badge. Let’s dig into it.
MoreThe 4 MOA Rifle Fundamentals Challenge
June 4, 2019
4 Comments Marksmanship
This is the very first of the monthly Marksman Challenges. This is not a competition, but a way to test your own abilities and improve. The first challenge is all about the fundamentals of marksmanship.
MoreTerminal Ballistics: How Bullets Wound and Kill
May 28, 2019 15 Comments MarksmanshipIn this article, we’re digging into terminal ballistics: the science of what happens when the bullet impacts a target. In particular, we’re going over the history of the research and what we know today about how bullets wound and kill a target.
MoreApril 2019 America’s Rifle Challenge at the PNTC: After Action Review
May 2, 2019Marksmanship Badge Nsn
10 Comments MarksmanshipOn April 27th, 2019, I competed in the NRA’s reborn America’s Rifle Challenge at the Peacemaker National Training Center. In all, it was a very fun match and a great introduction to competitive action shooting. But I’m not without a few complaints along the way.
MoreLessons Learned from My EIC Match
December 15, 2018 10 Comments MarksmanshipI competed in a lot of local outlaw matches for years before finally going to a “real” one. Excellence in Competition matches, or EIC, happen periodically at military bases all over the country. They follow CMP rules, with a few twists.
MoreMils vs Minutes of Angle: The Complete Guide
December 1, 2018 13 Comments MarksmanshipMarksmanship Pages
Buckle up, because I’m about to talk nerdy. This post is all about the two most common marksmanship measurement systems, how to use them, and which one you should use.
Be warned, I will be dropping some math on you. I’ll be gentle, though.
Stop Paying for Precision You Don’t Need
November 29, 2018 9 Comments MarksmanshipShooting enthusiasts, especially new ones, tend to try and shortcut the mastery process.
The truth is that a standard rifle is more than capable of all the precision a new shooter can muster.
A Marksman’s Guide to Natural Point of Aim
November 6, 2018 2 Comments MarksmanshipPracticing rifle positions will take you far. You’ll be able to get in and out of them quickly, build up a stable shooting platform, and even be an effective marksman. But getting good with your natural point of aim will make you even better.
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