142146Z MAY 08
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CG MCCDC QUANTICO VA MCCDC//
SUBJ/AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT TABLE 1 AND TABLE 2 WITH RIFLE COMBAT 
/OPTIC DURING ANNUAL RIFLE TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION//
REF/A/MSGID:MCO 3574.2K/CMC WASHINGTON DC MCCDC/-//
POC/JR MORENO/CAPT/UNIT:WTBN/NAME:QUANTICO/TEL:DSN 278-5520
/TEL:COM 703 784-5520/EMAIL:JAMES.MORENO@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  BACKGROUND.  THIS MARADMIN PROVIDES TEMPORARY
GUIDANCE FOR MEETING ANNUAL MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING REQUIREMENTS UNTIL
THE FIELDING OF THE NEW RIFLE COMBAT OPTIC (RCO) IS COMPLETED.
SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW MARINE CORPS COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP
PROGRAM, DEPLOYING UNITS HAVE IDENTIFIED LACK OF SUFFICIENT TRAINING
TIME TO MEET ANNUAL RIFLE QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AND
PREDEPLOYMENT TRAINING PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS.  THE PRIMARY POINT
OF ISSUE HAS BEEN THE REQUIREMENT FOR SHOOTING TABLE 1 WITH IRON
SIGHTS ONLY.  MANY DEPLOYING UNITS WOULD PREFER TO ALLOW MARINES TO
SHOOT TABLES 1 AND 2 WITH THE  RCO THEY WILL TAKE INTO COMBAT.  IN
ORDER TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF COMMANDERS, AUTHORIZATION TO
CONDUCT TABLE 1 AND TABLE 2 WITH AN RCO WILL BE TEMPORARILY
AUTHORIZED.  DUE TO THE FIELDING SHORTFALLS WITH THE RCO, SPECIFIC
GUIDELINES WILL ALSO BE INSTITUTED TO MAINTAIN A FAIR EVALUATION FOR
ALL MARINES CONDUCTING ANNUAL RIFLE TRAINING (ART) WITH REGARDS TO
THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE ISSUED AN RCO.          
2.  IMPLEMENTATION.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, MARINES REQUIRING ANNUAL
RIFLE TRAINING AND QUALIFICATION ARE AUTHORIZED TO SHOOT TABLE 1 AND
TABLE 2 WITH ALL MODULAR ATTACHMENTS TO THE SERVICE RIFLE AND
CARBINE TO INCLUDE THE RCO, LASER AIMING DEVICES, AND VERTICAL
FOREGRIP.  AUTHORIZATION WILL BE GRANTED BY THE COMMANDING OFFICER
AT THE BATTALION AND SQUADRON LEVEL.  ANNUAL RIFLE QUALIFICATION IS
STILL REQUIRED FOR MARINES AND EXEMPTIONS STILL APPLY PER REFERENCE
A.  THE 0930 RANGE OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF EACH MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING
SITE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING AND SUBMITTING PERFORMANCE
DATA ON MARINES CONDUCTING TABLES 1 AND 2 WITH RCOS TO THE
MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SECTION (MPMS) IN ORDER TO ANALYZE
THE EFFECTS IN TRAINING WITH THE RCOS DURING ART.  AN UPDATED RCO
TRAINING PACKAGE IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTION ON EMPLOYING THE RCO DURING TABLE 1.  THE
UPDATED RCO TRAINING PACKAGE WILL SUPPLEMENT CURRENT INSTRUCTIONAL
INFORMATION AND WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE
OPERATING FORCES.        
3.  REPORTING AND SCORING PROCEDURES.  IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN A FAIR
EVALUATION ON MARKSMANSHIP THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS, TABLE 1 AND
TABLE 2 SCORES WILL ONLY BE ENTERED INTO MCTFS IF CONDUCTED WITH
IRON SIGHTS.  IF A QUALIFICATION SCORE IS REQUIRED, DEPLOYING UNIT
COMMANDERS WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF ALLOWING MARINES TO SHOOT WITH
IRON SIGHTS TO EARN AN UPDATED QUALIFICATION SCORE OR SHOOT TABLE 1
AND TABLE 2 WITH THE RCO AND NOT RECEIVE AN UPDATED QUALIFICATION
SCORE.  BATTALION AND SQUADRON COMMANDS WILL ENTER AN EXEMPTION CODE
INTO MCTFS FOR MARINES CONDUCTING TABLES 1 AND 2 WITH RCOS.  THE
EXEMPTION CODE COVERS AN ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR.  THE EXEMPTIONS WILL
ACCOUNT FOR THE ANNUAL REQUIREMENT FOR COMMANDS TO CONDUCT TABLES 1
AND 2 FOR SCORE.  COMMANDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FIELDED THE RCO,
SUPPORTING ESTABLISHMENT COMMANDS, AND ENTRY-LEVEL TRAINING SITES
WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT TABLES 1 AND 2 WITH IRON SIGHTS AND HAVE
SCORES REPORTED INTO MCTFS.  PRELIMINARY STUDIES EXAMINING THE
PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RCOS AND IRON SIGHTS USING
ENTRY-LEVEL LIEUTENANTS HAVE SHOWN A FIVE POINT DIFFERENCE IN
QUALIFICATION SCORES FAVORING THE RCOS.  ALTHOUGH FURTHER COMPARISON
STUDIES ARE REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY A TRUE MEASURE, THE INITIAL
DIFFERENCES IN PERFORMANCE PREVENTS THE USE OF RCOS FOR
QUALIFICATION SCORES WHILE MAINTAINING A FAIR STANDARD FOR ALL
MARINES.  AGAIN, THIS MARADMIN IS A TEMPORARY SOLUTION IN RESPONSE
TO PREDEPLOYMENT TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MARINE CORPS UNTIL
RCO FIELDING REQUIREMENTS ARE COMPLETE.  
4.  ADDRESS QUESTIONS TO THE MARKSMANSHIP CENTER OF EXCELLENCE,
DOCTRINE SECTION, WEAPONS TRAINING BATTALION, QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.
TEL: DSN 278-5520 COM: (703) 784-5520.
5.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE.
6.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY COMMANDING GENERAL, MARINE CORPS COMBAT
DEVELOPMENT COMMAND.
//