Photo By Sgt. Vincent Pham | A U.S. Marine fires an M4 service rifle during the Marine Corps Marksmanship...... read more read more
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OKINAWA, Japan -- U.S. Marines from across Okinawa participate in the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition Far East, hosted on Camp Hansen, Dec. 8-15, 2023.
MCMC-FE is one of five regional marksmanship competitions held by the Marine Corps Shooting Team. Other competitions are held at Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Camp Lejeune, and Quantico, Virginia.
Shooters who score in the top 10% are invited to compete in the Marine Corps Championship Match held annually in Quantico.
The purpose of the match is to increase the proficiency of shooters and recognize those who are uniquely skilled in marksmanship. A four-day period of instruction precedes the three-day competition. Members of the Marine Corps Shooting Team introduce shooters to drills meant to better prepare them for the competition.
“The intent with the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competitions is that we go to every major region and offer the Marines stationed there the chance to receive instruction from the shooting team, and to test the skills they gain from that instruction in a match that is analogous to the civilian shooting competitions that we participate in,” said Sgt. Shane Ryan, a member of the MCST and native of Yarmouth, Ma.
Comprised of Marines who have distinguished themselves in competition, the MCST uses its members’ expertise to enhance the skillset of competing Marines.
The MCST is a part of Weapons Training Battalion, headquartered out of Quantico. Its mission is to serve as the Marine Corps’ proponent for all facets of small arms combat marksmanship and to be the focal point for marksmanship doctrine, training, competition, equipment, and weapons. They regularly compete with marksmanship teams, both civilian and military, from all over the globe.
Shooters race against the clock and test their adaptability as they navigate challenging shooting positions, aiming to perform better than the rest. The added stress of competing against their peers can be a challenge, but this is by design.
“We expose the shooters to a type of shooting that they usually aren’t used to on Marine Corps ranges. Many of the events are a little unorthodox in order to expose them to new scenarios and make them critically think while shooting,” said Capt. John Bodzioch, the MCST Action Team OIC and native of Clermont, Florida.
Coaches instruct the competitors on how to best shoot from a variety of positions and barricades. To many, firing accurately from these barricades can become exceeding difficult as fatigue and stress affect the shooters.
“A big challenge for myself was firing from the tractor tires,” said 1st Lt. Mathew Candy, an Adjutant Officer with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. “You have to be able to make hits in uncomfortable positions but once I started connecting with steel down range it was a great feeling.”
The competition is comprised of two days of individual focused events and one day of team events. These include long range stages that test the shooter’s ability to stabilize their rifle on uneven surfaces while judging distance to make hits. Other stages incorporate close-range shooting with rifle and pistol where a shooter’s speed and accuracy is put to the test.
As shooting tactics and techniques evolve, the MCST uses its experience in international shooting competitions to create a better course year after year.
“Historically, there was more of a focus on bullseye shooting in competition, so incorporating action shooting disciplines with modern, dynamic speed and accuracy is something we have been improving on every year of the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competitions,” said Ryan.
The awards ceremony on Dec. 15 recognized the best performing individual shooters and teams of the competition. Categories included individual recognition of the pistol and rifle shooters as well as the teams who performed the best in each category.
Placing 1st overall in the pistol category was Cpl. Tanner Wright from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment who had advice for new aspiring competitors. “Even if you think you aren’t good enough to compete, you can still go out there and learn a lot from the match,” said Wright, a native of Lacona, Iowa.
Any Marine stationed on Okinawa can start applying for the annual MCMC-FE when registration opens in November by reaching out to their Marksmanship Training Unit.
| Date Taken: | 12.14.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2023 19:24 |
| Story ID: | 460627 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 487 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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