Thought this was an interesting article - USMC permitting use of the M27 and M4A1 for qualification purposes, recommending issuance of the BFG Vickers sling, increasing use of steel targets for training and other topics…
The current crop of Gunners is pretty damned good: smart cats, vocal, not entrenched in “Old Guard” thought processes, and they can bludgeon folks both up and down the chain, if they feel they need to. A lot of the positive changes that have been/are coming forward are a pretty direct result, I think.
Couple that with a Commandant from a commuity outside the Infantry, and some other factors, there’s room for cogent thought to replace carrying out tradition for no better reason than the sake of tradition. I wasn’t a fan, before, but I was wrong…as if my opinion matters. 
One has to ask, though: With the drawdown and the wartime pendulum swinging back the other way, what’s gonna swing back with it? Only time will tell…
More positive changes for the Corps. My opinion is that these changes started in ernest in 2005. This is when guys who had spent more than half of their enlistments in combat started to pick up slots at the MCRD’s and SOI’s as DI’s and Combat Instructors. You also started to see Staff NCO’s with significant combat experience shooting for gunner positions. Hell I was putting together my Gunner Package when we made the decision to get out and pursue another career.
I am glad to see the Corps continues to look forward.
From the article:
“Rather than every Marine using a standard service rifle during marksmanship qualifications, they’ll use the weapon assigned to them in their unit’s table of organization.”
Blasphemy!!! :eek:
But, but, but… When I was a 60 gunner, I always qualified with an M-16A1… It’s tradition!
Sorry, had to get that out of my system. I feel better now.
In all seriousness, this is great news. I am tickled to death to hear of all the positive developments - from F2S’s training syllabus to this. I could not be more proud of what our current warriors have done.
I have a LOT of respect for the Marines; however, they still have their heads stuck in the ass of tradition in some areas. Glad to hear they are removing head from ass in the qualification area.
That’s outstanding news. Wish the Army was as quick to draw from lessons learned. Glad to hear that old stoic mindset is falling by the wayside…for now.
This is the result of breaking the range officer mafia.
Ditto, man I HATED going to the rifle range. The ROs where asshats of the 1st order. The lowest of the low in the Corps is a recruit, next step up the ladder is a “shooter”.
The Corps has always done a great job with basic marksmanship training, it’s hard to beat it anywhere. However the field / practical shooting side was ignored while I was in. After getting off active duty (for college), then getting in the the reserves and shooting USPSA I tried to get the I&I staff to take a look at running a stage or two (I had a timer) rather than blowing rounds down range. Of course I was shot down.
Marines love to compete, scoring a basic practical range stage would bring out the best in them and teach them something in the process.
I hated the goddamned warrant officers running the ranges. The range Nazis got way, way out of control.
No shit. It’s the machine man. I think we are bred that way. I still hear people all the time whining for thier trusty ole irons back on the range every other week.
Im was happy to see the unit I’m “combat replacing” for right now issued vickers slings, which is what I use. As I was passing thru leatherneck, 1/25 was coming back, which has IARs, and they liked there’s.