The U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit and the Civilian Marksmanship Program are developing a new program that utilizes outstanding civilian service rifle marksmen to assist USAMU instructors as they train Soldiers in advanced service rifle marksmanship skills. Highly qualified civilian marksmanship experts will be selected for training and service as CMP Military Rifle Instructors. The USAMU will train these instructors who will then be assigned duties with USAMU Mobile Training Teams conducting ‘Train-the-Trainer’ courses throughout the United States.
The Global War on Terrorism has reinforced the need for advanced rifle marksmanship training. Lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan reinforces accurate rifle fire as one of the most critical components of combat operations. To respond to this battlefield requirement the Army is establishing a new Squad Designated Marksman (SDM) program to place a rifleman trained in accurate long-range precision fire in each combat squad. This has created a rapidly growing requirement for Army small unit leader advanced rifle marksmanship training. The Army intends to expand the number of its combat brigades and the number of Soldiers requiring advanced training.
The demand for trained and proficient instructors for these specialized skills exceeds the supply, and the Army has requested CMP assistance to augment USAMU Mobile Training Teams.
The competition program fostered by the National Matches and the service rifle Excellence-in-Competition program has produced large numbers of civilian Distinguished Riflemen and marksmanship experts who have the knowledge and instructional skills needed by the Army for the SDM program. The program developed by the CMP and USAMU is designed to tap into this pool of highly trained and talented civilian rifle experts to help the Army meet its new requirements. In the past year (2004-2005), civilian riflemen in Texas, Tennessee, and Kentucky provided advanced marksmanship instruction for soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Riley, Kansas; and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and have repeatedly demonstrated how effectively civilian Distinguished Riflemen can support military marksmanship training.
As part of the Army-wide Designated Marksman Strategy the USAMU Custom Firearms Shop has developed an improved DM version of the M16A4 service rifle featuring a free-float rail system, an improved trigger, and ACOG rangefinder telescope. A large number of these rifles already are deployed in Iraq. CMP Military Rifle Instructors will teach the use of this rifle system to make accurate long-range shots at distances from 100 to 600 yards.
The CMP Military Rifle Instructor program is unique not only because it gives civilians an opportunity to directly contribute to the national defense, but it also fulfills the original purpose of the CMP when the Congress and President Theodore Roosevelt founded the program in 1903. They envisioned that the National Matches and the “civilian marksmanship program” would be a means of preparing young Americans to serve more effectively in the Armed Services.
The initial group of CMP Military Rifle Instructors will be selected in the next few weeks and will receive training from USAMU instructors as early as mid-June. CMP Military Rifle Instructors selected for the program must meet the following qualifications:
- Have earned the Distinguished Rifleman Badge or have other similar competitive accomplishments in service rifle shooting.
- Have prior experience as a marksmanship instructor or coach.
- Ideally, have prior service in the U. S. Armed Services.
- Be physically fit and capable of working and instructing in outdoor environments for one- week assignments with 10-12 hour workdays.
- Have sufficient time available to attend an initial one-week training session and to work in one or two one-week training courses per year.
Military Rifle Instructors will serve on a volunteer basis, but their travel expenses will be reimbursed while they are on assignments. Military Rifle Instructors will be assigned to work as members of instructional teams that will travel to military installations to conduct SDM courses. Military Rifle Instructors will work under the direction of an Army NCO team leader.
The CMP is no longer accepting applications for the SDM Program.
Updated 12/17/2010 |
