Thursday, July 2, 2015 --
The Combat Center hosted the annual Western Regional Combat
Match at the Rifle Range June 29 through July 2, 2015.
The competition, ran by the Marine Corps Combat Shooting
Team along with the Combat Center Marksmanship Training Unit, is meant to
refine the combat marksmanship skills of the participants with three different
weapon systems. The weapons used during the competition were the Benelli M1014
shotgun, the M9 pistol and the M16 or M4 service rifles.
“The Combat Match, also called a Three-gun Match, challenges
its participants by having them think while shooting through different
scenarios,” said Sgt. James Marker, instructor, MTU. “The course of fire
depends on the imagination of the people conducting the course, so no two
courses are the same. During the course of fire, certain targets are designated
for certain weapons, making the participant think before they engage a target.”
One hundred eight Marines from seven units participated in
the competition. The units represented included: Marine Corps Mountain Warfare
Training Center, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Marine Wing Support
Squadron 372, Combat Logistics Battalion 7, the Combat Center MTU, Marine Wing
Support Squadron 374 and 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.
“This particular match was open to any Marine west of the
Mississippi River,” said Capt. Jared Dalton, officer in charge, Marine Corps
Combat Shooting Team. “The main purpose behind this match is to better prepare
the Marines.”
The match is a tool used to create Marines who have a better
understanding of each weapons system.
“The traditional ‘table one’ bulls-eye marksmanship is the
fundamental base for all marksmanship,” Dalton said. “Combat matches give
Marines the opportunity to use skills that are not found in the traditional
marksmanship courses. The Marine has to multitask to reload their weapon, walk,
engage targets, know which targets to engage and when to engage them.”
The match spanned four days allowing for two days of
practice and two days to run the courses of fire for score.
“The point of having different courses of fire every day is
to keep the Marines prepared for anything,” said Marker. “The Marines did not
know what the course of fire for the range they are on until they get there.
This keeps the Marines on their toes and keeps them thinking.”
These matches give the Marines an opportunity to train in a
more realistic way and challenge themselves to become better combat marksman.
“The Marines enjoy being able to shoot while moving and
improving themselves,” Marker said. “The Marines don’t have the opportunity to
participate in these types of matches as often. Having to deal with walls and
windows while ensuring that they only hit the targets they are supposed to is a
challenge that, I think, makes these courses of fire more realistic.”