5 July 04

Pistol Training with the USMC:

Vicki and I just competed two, consecutive two-day defensive pistol courses with Marine and Navy personnel who are about to deploy to Iraq. Training took place at Camp Pendelton, CA. This is our fifth program with the USMC this year. Our students included a number of colonels, light colonels, Navy corpsmen, staff NCOs, and other NCOs. I now have an enthusiastic and accomplished cadre of instructors from previous courses who greatly enhance the program.

Assisting Vicki and me were Lt/Colonel Blish, Capt Wild, CWO4 Ross, M/Sgt Mitchell, Sgt Cervantes, Sgt Mkrtchyan, Sgt Saldana, and Sgt Taff, as well as Steve Camp, Steve VanMol, Tom Burris, and Pete Taussig.

It struck both Steve VanMol and me (both of us former Marines) that today we have a better Marine Corps than we had in the 1960s and 1970s when Steve and I were in. We surely had some great people in those days too, but our students last week were the best we've ever had. Enthusiasm and acceptance of the new training philosophy to which they were introduced was superlative. We were delighted and honored to be there.

Everyone used the Beretta M9 (92F) pistol, and all worked just fine. Ammunition was 9mm hardball, and each student shot in excess of eight hundred rounds over the course of two days. To their credit, the USMC had on hand all the ammunition we needed, and we made a joyful noise! The concept of a hot range was, once more, accepted immediately by all. Everyone got used to carrying around a loaded pistol. Most commented that this is the way all pistol training should be conducted. At the end of the day, no one wanted to unload, particularly when they saw that all of the instructors remained hot. Many years ago, all officers and staff NCOs carried loaded pistols all the time, on and off base. It was a point of honor. We need to get back to that practice. The first step is to convince all Marines that it can be done safely, and that it must be done, so that we will have the opportunity to handle our pistols daily. Handling a pistol once a year is not often enough to cement in place necessary gun-handling skills. It is "The Profession of Arms" is it not?

Several students had been instructed to carry the pistol with the decocking lever in the down (sterile) position. Others had been trained to carry it with no round chambered. Those foolish practices were quickly abandoned when students learned how fast they were expected to draw and fire. Within a short time, all were carrying loaded pistols correctly, with the decocker up (enabled).

Betterbilt's Rotating Steel Targets were, as always, a great challenge and kept students shooting at them, even during breaks. Most students had never shot at steel targets before. Much more exciting and versatile than paper.

Exercises included advancing from covered position to covered position, with loaded pistol in hand, transition from rifle to pistol and back, drawing and firing at close range, low-light shooting, and retention and disarms. These are all drills that are currently considered "too complicated" and/or "too dangerous" to introduce to the general body of skills and knowledge of Marines. Those stale, feeble excuses were swept aside. Everyone who attended the class is now convinced otherwise!

Several students approached us and said, "Why aren't we doing this throughout the system?" and "I enjoy going to the range and being treated like an adult" and "This is what being a Marine is all about!"

We are trying our best to start a trend that will change the entire small-arms training philosophy, within the USMC and eventually throughout all armed services. Just as there is a vast difference between a chef and a waffle-iron-operator, Marines have to start thinking of themselves as professional gunmen, not just occasional gun operators. I hope we're succeeding, and pray we succeed in time!

/John