MARADMINS : 451/14
R 110826Z SEP 14
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 451/14
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG MCCDC QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/2014 COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP SYMPOSIUM (CMS) POST SYMPOSIUM MESSAGE//
REF/A/DOC/CMC/01AUG07//
REF/B/DOC/MCCDC/29MAR01//
REF/C/DOC/MCCDC/25NOV03//
REF/D/DOC/TECOM/MAR11//
REF/E/DOC/TECOM//
NARR/REFERENCE (REF) A IS MARINE CORPS ORDER (MCO) 3574.2K MARINE CORPS COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAMS (MCCMP). REF B IS THE MARINE CORPS REFERENCE PUBLICATION 3-01A RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP. REF C IS MCRP 3-01B PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP. REF D IS THE CMS CHARTER WHICH CAN BE VIEWED AT HTTP:(SLASH)(SLASH)WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL/WTBN/
MAINPAGEBASE/DEFAULT.ASP. REF E IS THE RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS FISCAL YEAR 2014 (FY14) CMS AND CONTAINS DETAILS OF VOTING, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND DECISIONS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE ADVOCATE DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION (DC, CDI) WHICH CAN BE VIEWED AT HTTP:(SLASH)(SLASH)WWW.TECOM.USMC.MIL/WTBN/MAINPAGEBASE/DEFAULT.ASP.//
POC/V. S. POPE/CWO5/WEAPONS TRAINING BATTALION (WTBN) QUANTICO, MARKSMANSHIP PROGRAM MANAGEMENT SECTION /TEL: 703-784-5520/ EMAIL: VINCENT.S.POPE(AT)USMC.MIL //
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. WTBN QUANTICO, HOSTED THE FY14 CMS FROM 7-11 APRIL 2014. THE CMS WAS CONDUCTED TO PROVIDE A FORUM WHERE AUTHORIZED DECISION MAKERS, REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF COMMANDS WITHIN THE CORPS, MET TO IDENTIFY AND DISCUSS ISSUES AND PROVIDED RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP.
THIS SYMPOSIUM PROVIDED A SINGLE POINT TO CONSOLIDATE COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP ISSUES AND IS CONTINUING TO PROVIDE SENIOR LEADERSHIP A TRUE PICTURE OF OUR CURRENT STATE OF MARKSMANSHIP.
2. FOR FY14 THE FOLLOWING WORKING GROUPS (WG) CONVENED: WG1 WEAPONS (ENDURING), WG2 FACILITIES (ENDURING), WG3 COMBAT RIFLE PROGRAM, WG4 COMPETITION IN ARMS PROGRAM, AND WG5 SIMULATIONS AND DISTANCE LEARNING.
3. THE EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE (ESC) BROUGHT FORWARD THE FOLLOWING ITEMS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE ADVOCATE:
(A) COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP RANGE AND FACILITIES CAMPAIGN PLAN: DUE TO THE OUTDATED MARKSMANSHIP FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE THE ESC RECOMMENDED THAT A BODY OF STAKEHOLDERS BE ESTABLISHED WHO WOULD CREATE AND MANAGE A COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP RANGE FACILITY STRATEGIC CAMPAIGN PLAN THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE CURRENT AND FUTURE REQUIREMENTS FOR EXECUTING THE MCCMP.
(B) COMBAT RIFLE AND PISTOL MASTER CERTIFICATION: IN ORDER TO GENERATE ENTHUSIASM IN CORE SKILLS THAT MAKE MARINES EXCEPTIONAL, THE ADVOCATE APPROVED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CONCEPTUAL PROGRAM INTENDED TO FOSTER EXCELLENCE IN COMBAT RIFLE AND PISTOL MARKSMANSHIP. UPON FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE CERTIFICATION AND ROAD MAP ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO GIVE COMMANDERS A TOOL TO ENHANCE UNIT MARKSMANSHIP AND PROVIDE QUALIFIED MARINES A TANGIBLE REWARD FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN THE FORM OF A DEVICE FOR WEAR IN LIEU OF THE STANDARD MARKSMANSHIP BADGES. HISTORICAL EXAMPLES OF SUCH PROGRAMS ARE THE MARINE CORPS MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM, THE COMPETITION IN ARMS PROGRAM, MASTER EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE DISPOSAL CERTIFICATION, AND THE MARINE PARACHUTIST.
(C) RE-SEQUENCING TABLE 1 OF THE MCCMP: DURING THE ADVOCATE OUTBRIEF OF THE FY13 CMS, WTBN QUANTICO WAS TASKED TO EXPLORE RE-SEQUENCING MCCMP SKILL SETS IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE TRAINING TIME AND EFFICIENCY. PROPOSALS BROUGHT TO THE FY14 CMS RECOMMENDED METHODS BY WHICH MORE COMBAT RELATED MARKSMANSHIP TECHNIQUES COULD BE INCORPORATED INTO TRAINING (ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES, POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION (PID) OF A THREAT, PHYSIOLOGICAL REALISM), WHILE MAINTAINING PROVEN FUNDAMENTAL MARKSMANSHIP SKILLS. AN EXPANSION OF THE CURRENT STUDY HAS BEEN APPROVED TO COMPLETE TESTING OF THE CONCEPTUAL TRAINING COURSE. FOLLOWING THIS MESSAGE, A FEASIBILITY OF SUPPORT REQUEST WILL BE SENT TO DESIGNATED RANGE SITES TO AID IN THE TESTING AND VALIDATION. A REVIEW OF THE RESULTS WILL BE PRESENTED AT THE FY15 CMS FOR FURTHER RECCOMENDATIONS AND/OR IMPLEMENTATION.
(D) RE-SEQUENCING TABLES 2-4D OF THE MCCMP: WHEN THE CURRENT MCCMP TABLES WERE DEVELOPED IN 2005 THEY WERE MADE WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY WOULD REQUIRE REVISIONS IN THE FUTURE. IN FY14, THE COMMANDING GENERAL OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND (CG,TECOM) DIRECTED AN ANALYSIS OF TABLE 3 CONDUCTED AT THE SCHOOLS OF INFANTRY. THE ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT NUMEROUS REFINEMENTS/IMPROVEMENTS WERE NECESSARY, AND BECAME THE CATALYST TO ADOPT AN INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN THE COMBAT RIFLE TRAINING CONTINUUM. THE PROPOSED CHANGE OF MERGING TABLES 3A-D AND 4A-D INTO ONE TABLE FOR ALL MARINES WAS APPROVED PENDING AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. ALSO APPROVED WAS THE DECISION TO CHANGE CURRENT TRAINING AND READINESS EVENTS TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL SKILL SETS MARINES WILL BE TRAINED TO AND NOT JUST A COURSE OF FIRE.
(E) CONCEPTUAL TARGET FOR THE MCCMP: THE MARKSMANSHIP ADVOCATE APPROVED THE PROCUREMENT AND USE OF A NEW TARGET DURING THE EXECUTION OF MCCMP TABLES 2-3D. THE NEW TARGET WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PHOTO REALISM AND BE A THREAT-TYPE TARGET IN ORDER TO BETTER PREPARE MARINES FOR COMBAT. THE TARGET WILL SUPPORT GAINING PID, SHOOT/NO SHOOT CONCEPTS, AND DOCTRINAL ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES.
(F) INDOOR SIMULATED MARKSMANSHIP TRAINER (ISMT) IMPROVEMENTS: IN ORDER TO TRAIN CURRENT DOCTRINAL TECHNIQUES USING MODERN EQUIPMENT, THE FOLLOWING ENHANCEMENTS TO THE ISMT ARE REQUIRED: ENGAGING MOVING THREATS AT REALISTIC SPEEDS AND ANGLES OF MOVEMENT, ENGAGING THREATS AT UNKNOWN DISTANCES, ENGAGING THREATS AT NIGHT USING NIGHT AIMING DEVICES, AND PROCUREMENT OF ISMT MODIFIED M27 INFANTRY AUTOMATIC RIFLES WITH OPTICS AND OPTIC FILTERS.
(G) AUTHORIZE PERSONNEL WITH THE 0306 MILITARY OCCUPATION SPECIALTY (MOS) (MARINE GUNNERS) AND WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO OPERATIONAL UNITS TO CONDUCT COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP COACH AND COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP TRAINER (CMT) COURSES: DUE TO OPERATIONAL TEMPO OF INFANTRY BATTALIONS AND ROUTINE TEEP CONFLICTS WITH SCHEDULED MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING UNIT (MTU) RUN COMBAT MARKSMANSHIP COACH AND CMT COURSES, MARINE GUNNERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT THESE TWO MOS PRODUCING SCHOOLS WITH LOCAL MTU OVERSIGHT AND SUPPORT. A FOLLOW ON MESSAGE WILL PROVIDE DETAILS AND GUIDANCE TO ESTABLISHED MTU'S AND OPERATIONAL UNITS TO ENSURE PROPER EXECUTION OF THE FORMAL POI'S IS MAINTAINED.
(H) CMS CHARTER MODIFICATIONS: THE CURRENT CHARTER ASSIGNS ONLY ONE VOTE FOR BOTH SCHOOLS OF INFANTRY AND PRE-DATES THE ESTABLISMENT OF MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS COMMAND (MCICOM). THE CHARTER WILL BE REVISED GIVING BOTH SCHOOLS OF INFANTRY A SEPERATE VOTE AS WELL AS INCLUDING MCICOM AS A VOTING MEMBER.
4. ACTION ITEMS: THE MARKSMANSHIP PROPONENT (WTBN QUANTICO) WILL TAKE ACTION ON THE ITEMS IN SECTION 3 OF THIS MESSAGE. WHERE NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE, WTBN WILL MAKE LIAISON WITH THE FOLLOWING COMMANDS:
(A) WEAPONS AND FIELD TRAINING BATTALION (WFTBN) MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, WFTBN EDSON RANGE CAMP PENDLETON, AND SCHOOL OF INFANTRY (EAST/WEST) ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO ITEMS 3B-3G.
(B) KEY SITES, TO INCLUDE: STONE BAY RANGES, WILCOX RANGE, KANEOHE BAY RANGES, CAMP HANSEN RANGE DETACHMENT, AND OTHER MTU'S ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO ITEMS 3B-3H.
(C) DEPUTY COMMANDANTS FOR PLANS POLICIES AND OPERATIONS, INSTALLATIONS AND LOGISTICS, AND THE CG'S FOR TECOM, TRAINING COMMAND, AND SYSTEMS COMMAND ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO ITEMS 3A, 3F, AND 3G.
5. CMS WAY AHEAD. THE CMS MET ITS INTENT TO GAIN A CLEAR PICTURE OF THE CURRENT STATE OF MARINE CORPS MARKSMANSHIP AND THE STEPS NEEDED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE PROGRAM. THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE CMS WILL BE HELD IN OCTOBER OF 2014 FOR FY15.
6. CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR REGARDS TO OBTAIN COPIES OF THE REFERENCES IF UNABLE TO VIEW ON THE WTBN QUANTICO WEBSITE LISTED ABOVE.
7. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL K. J. GLUECK, JR., DC, CDI.//