So you meet the requirements? Cowboy up!

Civilian Instructors to Support Army Marksmanship Training

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 now accepting applications from qualified individuals who are interested in serving in the new Military Rifle Instructor Program. You may download the application form by clicking on http://www.odcmp.com/Programs/MRIApp.pdf. Complete the form and fax it to 419-635-2565 or mail it to Sheri Judd, CMP SDM Program, P. O. Box 576, Port Clinton, OH 43452 or email [email protected]. Additional information about the program will be available in a few days.

Link to application form

Mods: How about a tack? Thanks

Yet another reason why the INDIVIDUAL right to keep and bear arms is important to a free nation.

Taged for home!

Outstanding program!!

When wil CMP begin selling rifles appropriate for this?    (wishful thinking)

Bump

tag

This is some of the best news I've heard in a very long time!  I hope this plan becomes institutionalized as a permanent standard.  My father devoted his career to the Army & Texas Army National Guard and he strongly criticized the military's wholesale decline in marksmanship skills.  I wish he was around to hear about this.

Thanks for the tack.

Quoted: Yet another reason why the INDIVIDUAL right to keep and bear arms is important to a free nation.

SHHH!!

Don't tell anyone that! You'll hurt a liberal's feelings!

Didn't the NRA used to do this kind of thing? Or was it the DCM?

Either way... Cool program. Wish I had enough time to do something like this.

And that I didn't suck at long range shooting...  

tag and a free bump

tagged as well

well since half the poeople can shoot 1/2" groups at 500 yards with iron sights, there should be no shortage of able instructors.

Ted Kennedy will get this shut down.

Do not bother tacking.

tag bump

Quoted: well since half the poeople can shoot 1/2" groups at 500 yards with iron sights, there should be no shortage of able instructors.

With there stock Rem PSS no less.

Quoted: Yet another reason why the INDIVIDUAL right to keep and bear arms is important to a free nation.

AMEN !!

Ted Kennedy will get this shut down. Do not bother tacking.

Screw Ted Kennedy! He can lick my left nut.....................

That is a change.  Back when I went through BCT (in the 1980's), there was a soldier.  Private Jeffery Creek.  Poor Creek couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with buckshot.  I noticed the awkwardness steering the old M16 A1 on the 25 meter zeroing range and instantly noted he was cross dominant.

I thought I could save Unccle Sugar some time and trouble if I corrected the problem.  Next time on the line, Creek shoots left handed, with his left eye even though he was right handed.  The drill sergeants went ballistic.  "WHO THE FVCK TOLD YOU TO SHOOT LEFT HANDED?".  Creek couldn't lie.  I took the heat by holding my A1 (thank God they were light) in front of me at an arm's length for what seemed like eternity for this transgression.

But Creek continued to shoot right handed, burning M193 ammo like there was no tomorrow.  Finally, the cadre couldn't figure out why Creek couldn't obtain a zero.  They sent Creek to the optometrist who gave PVT Creek a diagnosis of 20/20 vision.  Then they sent him to the opthamalogist.  Bingo.  "Creek, you are cross-dominant.  Shoot left handed".  

Finally vindication.  I bet as an 18 year old recruit I had fired more rounds at paper in formal competetion than all the cadre at BCT.  But PVT Joe Snuffy don't know how to shoot.

You did the right thing.

The Drill SGTs where fucked up.

We now teach to shot with the dominant eye.

FREE

Quoted: That is a change.  Back when I went through BCT (in the 1980's), there was a soldier.  Private Jeffery Creek.  Poor Creek couldn't hit the broadside of a barn with buckshot.  I noticed the awkwardness steering the old M16 A1 on the 25 meter zeroing range and instantly noted he was cross dominant. I thought I could save Unccle Sugar some time and trouble if I corrected the problem.  Next time on the line, Creek shoots left handed, with his left eye even though he was right handed.  The drill sergeants went ballistic.  "WHO THE FVCK TOLD YOU TO SHOOT LEFT HANDED?".  Creek couldn't lie.  I took the heat by holding my A1 (thank God they were light) in front of me at an arm's length for what seemed like eternity for this transgression. But Creek continued to shoot right handed, burning M193 ammo like there was no tomorrow.  Finally, the cadre couldn't figure out why Creek couldn't obtain a zero.  They sent Creek to the optometrist who gave PVT Creek a diagnosis of 20/20 vision.  Then they sent him to the opthamalogist.  Bingo.  "Creek, you are cross-dominant.  Shoot left handed".   Finally vindication.  I bet as an 18 year old recruit I had fired more rounds at paper in formal competetion than all the cadre at BCT.  But PVT Joe Snuffy don't know how to shoot.

Keith_J: The drill sgts need some more training. One of the first things the instructors did for us when my wife and I took our pistol training class when I bought my very first gun was determine which is the "master" eye.
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Oh man, oh man, this music to my ears and vindication for us pro-gunners. And a flogging for Sens. Chuck Schumer(who was the point man to shut down the old DCM(Division of Civilian Marksmanship which was part of the US Army, the predecessor of the CMP), Diane Fienstein, and Ted Kennedy. The USA needs the civilian firearms sector. Those Sens preached that we don't need small arms any more because the USA military has all of these high tech missles and weapons.

Witness all of the gizmos and gadgets being used by the USA military, most of that equipment came from the civilian side. And of course the 50BMG Barret.

The USA is truly a "nation of rifleman."

Gents, this has been occurring since the start of GW2.  Some from the comp board have even been invited to serve as instructors.

The Texas crew not only taught them how to shoot the M14, they also repaired the 14's with privately-owned spare parts.

There is currently a thread on Nationalmatch.us by Col. Dave and the status of the program.

This is just one of the reasons some of us preach highpower comp to the general board.

See ya on the line!

SRM

So the military need civillians to teach soldiers to shoot?????

Is this what we've come to?????

Quoted: So the military need civillians to teach soldiers to shoot????? Is this what we've come to?????

It has always been that way in time of need...

Thank goodness!

( Think about it)

Quoted: The Texas crew not only taught them how to shoot the M14, they also repaired the 14's with privately-owned spare parts.

It was a good thing that on the behest of the NRA and the pro-gunners pushed for legislation to prevent those rat-bastard Clintons from destorying all of the m14s by declaring them as obsolete. But then I forget the number of M14s & etc succumbed before Congress could get the law passed. I think it was several hundred thousand.

Quoted: So the military need civillians to teach soldiers to shoot????? Is this what we've come to?????

There's nothing at all wrong with that.  Even though the military has some fine marksmen and instructors, a great many others are in the civilian world.  For many years in the Viet Nam and post-Viet Nam era, marksmanship training was not considered important.  Now the tide is turning once again.

In BlammO's Perfect World™, the military and the civilian segments of society should have a symbiotic relationship.  It should never be us vs. them -- it should be "what can we do to benefit each other".

Mods,

Thanks for the tack!

Quoted: So the military need civillians to teach soldiers to shoot????? Is this what we've come to?????

soldiers get to shoot when it is on the training schedule.

Then they shoot the course that is required.  It's an assembly line production.

Civilians get to plink, shoot, bs, learn, shoot, practice, see what works learn from old men who have been there.  Learn from folks who have learned the required skill sets.  Unless you are USAMU, chances are, you don't shoot your m-16 as well as a lot of folks here who do it as a hobby.

TXL

Back in BCT, the drill sergeants told us to "forget everything you know about shooting 'cause we are going to teach you to shoot right".  Bullshit.  The only thing I learned to do was shoot pop-up targets.   Oh yes, and to deal with a front sight that was about 4" closer to my eye and a rear apeture that was about 0.025" too big for my eyes.

At the downrange feedback phase, the wind was something horrible and no windflags.  Ok, so I had to read the wind on the grass.  No biggie as we had plenty of feedback from the pits.

I think I might have inflamed the drill sergeants further by requesting time to clean the rifles before downrange feedback.  At about 0230 that morning, a freak thunderstorm flooded the bivouac site with 3 feet of water and the non-shooters had M16's floating muzzle first in water.  Many had flash supressors FULL of sand.  I can only imagine what would have happened if these rifles were fired.

Now why did the drill sergeants choose a dry stream bed for a bivouac site?  I will never know.  NRA smallbore and Boy Scouts were better preparation for BCT than any JROTC program.

There must be some really, really big problems in the field if the USA is turning to the civilian sector to get them fixed. Can you imagine the loss of face there? Shooting is what the Army's supposed to be good at; it's one of those basic-level soldier skills that, if lacking, causes weakness and casualties when the SHTF.

Can you imagine what would happen if saaay, a maintenence company or something got caught in the battle area (because the battle area moved to them, as battle areas are sometimes want to do) and they couldn't manipulate their weapons, clear jams, hit the broad side of a barn, etc.?

That poor girl found out during the initial phases of OIF... and so did a number of her fellow SOLDIERS (they're soldiers FIRST, and mechanics SECOND).

Quoted: Quoted: Yet another reason why the INDIVIDUAL right to keep and bear arms is important to a free nation. AMEN !!

no no.. we dont need guns.. we need more hugs.  Hugs are the answer.

Quoted: There must be some really, really big problems in the field if the USA is turning to the civilian sector to get them fixed. Can you imagine the loss of face there? Shooting is what the Army's supposed to be good at; it's one of those basic-level soldier skills that, if lacking, causes weakness and casualties when the SHTF. Can you imagine what would happen if saaay, a maintenence company or something got caught in the battle area (because the battle area moved to them, as battle areas are sometimes want to do) and they couldn't manipulate their weapons, clear jams, hit the broad side of a barn, etc.? That poor girl found out during the initial phases of OIF... and so did a number of her fellow SOLDIERS (they're soldiers FIRST, and mechanics SECOND).

You didn't read the report.  A few of the 507th's soldiers managed to mop up on the enemy.  PFC Lynch was in retreat mode when the vehicle crash took her out.

The root cause of the problem was navigation.  You don't intentionally send CSS into the heat of battle.  And for the most part,  more Iraqis were killed than US servicemembers.  

Maybe that is the reason why Jessica Lynch and her companions were killed and/or captured in the opening days of the GW2. The US Army gave them a rifle, but didn't teach them how to use it because the US Army didn't expect them to get into a fire fight because of their assignments they were not suppose to encounter any hostilities anyway, and training cost money for them to seldom use. Contrary to the thinking of the anti-gunners(such as Chuck Schumer, Diane Fienstein and company), there is a place for civilian ownership of military rifle and this is it. Remember, if you want to "shoot an assualt weapon, join the Army" put out the by anti-gunners.

One thing for sure, the OIF/OEF opened the eyes of many people who thought, that the common ordinary foot soldier with his/her shoulder fired rifle was obsolete? Being surpassed by high tech armaments such as smart bombs and guided missiles.

Quoted: There must be some really, really big problems in the field if the USA is turning to the civilian sector to get them fixed. Can you imagine the loss of face there? Shooting is what the Army's supposed to be good at; it's one of those basic-level soldier skills that, if lacking, causes weakness and casualties when the SHTF. <snip>

See my second post on page 1.

For more info go to www.nationalmatch.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=3412

SRM

Quoted: For more info go to www.nationalmatch.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=3412 SRM

I tried to go there but you have to register.

Quoted: So the military need civillians to teach soldiers to shoot????? Is this what we've come to?????

WTF are you talking about?  This country was founded on the basis
of the citizen soldier rather than a special warrior class.

Who do you think those citizens are?

Get a clue......read a history book.

Quoted: Quoted: For more info go to www.nationalmatch.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=3412 SRM I tried to go there but you have to register.

Sorry, here are some highlights:


The Army has asked for qualified CMP volunteers to help give Known Distance/Designated Marksman training since March. Chief Hugh Denson's 5th Army SARG in Texas was the first, training three battalions' worth of former 1st Cav artillerymen to shoot M14s prior to going to Baghdad as dismounted infantrymen and convoy security gunners. In September the Kentucky and Tennessee State Rifle Teams helped the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division run their courses, with another iteration kicking off in March.

There aren't enough NCOs who know how to shoot KD or past 300 yards, period (whether in the Army, Guard, or Reserve). With all the requests for advance training coming in the Marksmanship Unit, National Guard Marksmanship Training Unit, and the Army Reserve Small Arms Readiness Groups were either tapped out, deployed, demobilized, or just plain undermanned. I asked the various state associations for help, and just like the CMP mission letter states there was a pool of willing, trained volunteers ready to help the Army out "In times of war and national emergency."

The Texas CMP trainers were specifically mentioned by the TRADOC G3 in a brief to the TRADOC Commanding General of the shortage of advance marksmanship trainers.

The AMU is running two more week-long DM classes before the All-Army Championships at Benning in March, and then the Guard Marksmanship Unit picks up after the AMU Service Rifle Team goes back to competition training.

Thanks again, and thanks to all who will volunteer in future!

Dave Liwanag
USAMU


Grant, as units request trainers from the AMU my Operations guys first check to see if Service Rifle has instructors available. If not, we check to see if the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center has anyone available. I'm not sure how the Army Reserve SARG does it.

We then solicit the CMP state rifle team for the area around the requesting post (Texas State Rifle Association for Fort Hood; Kentucky and Tennessee for Fort Campbell, etc.). They try to square us away with qualified shooter/instructors (former military, NRA Masters, Distinguished Riflemen, President's tab holders, etc.) who can get away from work for a week (retired guys, business owners, military leave, etc.). If the guys need one I write a letter as the AMU Commander asking employers, businesses, colleges, etc. for their support (either as military leave, unpaid time off, public service, whatever).

The requesting unit cuts Army "Invitational Orders" paying for the volunteer instructors' mileage, room and board, and usually a small stipend. Texas' guys fixed all of 1st Cav's M14s with their own spare parts, and the 1st Cav G4 cut them a check for any parts provided (I'm told).

As far as I can tell the program is working along President Teddy Roosevelt's original intent! Amazing that we find the need 100 years after the CMP's establishment.

Dave Liwanag
USAMU



If you have the skills, consider volunteering.  If you don't have the skills, or don't know if you do, start attending your local highpower events.  Perhaps we can support the troops in other ways than just a magnetic sign on your car or a few bucks to a good cause.

See ya on the line!

SRM

And to think, Congress wanted to kill the CMP as an outdated relic of our past.

......

Quoted: And to think, Congress wanted to kill the CMP as an outdated relic of our past. ......

Quoted: Oh man, oh man, this music to my ears and vindication for us pro-gunners. And a flogging for Sens. Chuck Schumer(who was the point man to shut down the old DCM(Division of Civilian Marksmanship which was part of the US Army, the predecessor of the CMP), Diane Fienstein, and Ted Kennedy. The USA needs the civilian firearms sector. Those Sens preached that we don't need small arms any more because the USA military has all of these high tech missles and weapons.

From my post on page 1
The above good senators also said that the DCM was also in the pocket of the NRA, another reason to shut down the program.

But in reality, those fine senators enabled the shooting public to get their M1 Garands in weeks rather than waiting months. From the day that I mailed off my completed for the DCM, it took approximately 12 months for me to get my Garand, but today that is cut down to weeks.

"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."

100 to 600?  WTF, I'm not even particularly good, and I can hit a chest-sized target at 600 (much) more often than not.

Of course, that *is* with handloads in a tolerably accurate rifle (half inch or less at 100yds, thirty round groups).

Shouldn't this program be up and running by now?  It was implemented months ago.

This makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

I only wish I was qualified(on paper) to teach... heck I'll even go as support/manual labor!

Quoted: "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." 100 to 600?  WTF, I'm not even particularly good, and I can hit a chest-sized target at 600 (much) more often than not. Of course, that *is* with handloads in a tolerably accurate rifle (half inch or less at 100yds, thirty round groups).

Practice and interest go a long way.

Quoted: Shouldn't this program be up and running by now?  It was implemented months ago.

It has been going since Feb a year ago.
'Borg

So...anybody else sign up?