BRASS: breath, relax, aim, sights, and squeeze (the trigger); these are some of the fundamentals of Marine Corps marksmanship.
Though this method works to improve marksmanship on a known-distance firing range, they are too often the first to be dismissed by those untrained for a combat environment. For this reason, the Marines of Ground Combat Element, Security Cooperation Task Force and a platoon of Senegalese commandos spent the week revisiting the basics of combat marksmanship.
“In fast-paced combat scenarios, you have to be able to effectively employ your weapon,” said 1st Lt. Michael J. Thomas, a Maynard, Mass., native and executive officer for the GCE. “As Marines we know that one day we may find ourselves in combat, so it’s important that we prepare.”
And prepare they did as the Marines and commandos started the week with fire and movement tactics, rehearsing them several times until proficiency was apparent.
“Practice makes permanent,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Connors, platoon sergeant for the GCE, originally of Fitchburg, Mass. “A lot of these guys haven’t been to combat yet, and if we don’t show them the fundamentals as young troops, then we fail them as leaders.”
Marines qualify with the M4 or M16 service rifle each year on a known-distance range, in which the course of fire varies from the 200-, 300- and 500-yard lines. Combat marksmanship shoots, by comparison, are from the 25-yard line and incorporate closing movements to simulate the real-world distance in urban combat situations.
“In combat you don’t shoot laying down next to the ready bench, with the tower telling you when to shoot while you’re plotting shots in a databook,” said Connors. “When you are in combat you’re sweaty, your eye (protection) is fogged up, there’s CLP in your eye and your head is on a swivel. There isn’t time for that,” added the Operation Iraqi Freedom combat veteran.
In the intense pace of combat, there’s more to being effective than just accuracy. As the Marines and commandos bounded past one another while other fire teams provided suppressing fire, they learned real-life valuable lessons in marksmanship: speed, efficiencies, proficient magazine changes, weapons transition and mindfulness of ammunition limitations.
“I learned that I am able to conserve my ammunition by shooting more accurately,” said Chief Cpl. Leopold Ayimadu, a Senegalese Marine commando who ran the course with his fire team more than once. “I realize now that I must be aware of everything happening around me, because the enemy will not wait for me to reload and continue firing.”
As the sun dipped down below the savannah and the partnered marksmanship course concluded, the Marines capitalized on the darkness of the night and engaged in additional training—a night-fire course. The night shoot involved PEQ-15 infared lasers, PVS-14 night vision goggles and a significant amount of extra attention to coordination and communication, as most of the shoot negated the use of illumination flares.
“I learned that you have to be a lot more familiar with your gear at night,” said Lance Cpl. Gage Miller, a Mount Zion, Ill., native. “It’s one thing to be changing out magazines in the daytime, but at night when you’re pretty much completely blind it’s a different ball game.”
Other facets of the combat marksmanship refresher included pistol marksmanship with the M9 Beretta, techniques to quickly identify enemy, sight alignment, team movement, and situational awareness. “Everyone took the basics that were demonstrated and in just a few runs we saw vast improvements between the Marines and the commandos,” said Thomas.
When training for combat, improvement is the primary standard Marines train to, and can often be the deciding factor in an enemy or ally’s survival.
“Anyone can get out there and squeeze the trigger a thousand times,” said Connors, “but are they actually hitting something?”
Security Cooperation Task Force, Africa Partnership Station 2011 is an APS-11 asset that conducts hands-on, partnered engagement designed to strengthen participating nations’ maritime security capacity through multilateral collaboration and cross-border cooperation. The SCTF, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., is supported by Marine Corps Forces, Africa as it deploys throughout the Marine Corps’ area of operations in Africa. The task force began its deployment to Ghana in March and is slated to continue its follow-on mission at Gabon in June.
Editor’s note: The Marine Corps Security Cooperation Task Force that is attached to Africa Partnership Station 2011 is currently conducting security cooperation events—outside of the APS 11 banner— in Senegal, for Marine Corps Forces, Africa. In June, the SCTF will resume its APS-11 security cooperation events at Gabon.