Photo By Pfc. Franklin Mercado | Marines stand for the playing of the Marines’ Hymn during the Marine Corps Shooting...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The Marine Corps has long been known for excellence and tradition.
Those two qualities were on display during the 2012 Marine Corps Rifle and Pistol Matches Awards Ceremony aboard Stone Bay, N.C., April 27.
The Marine Corps Rifle and Pistol Matches are annual competitions where Marines from around the Corps get a chance to prove their skill with the M16A4 service rifle and M1911A1 .45-caliber pistol.
The original Marine Corps Rifle Match was in 1909 and has been an annual competition since. The Marine Corps Pistol Match became an annual event beginning in 1921.
A total of 77 Marines participated in the event and the award ceremony was held to recognize the top shooters in the competition.
Gunnery Sgt. Joshua Peterson, the staff non-commissioned officer-in-charge of the Marine Corps Shooting Team, was one of the many participants.
Peterson, who is a veteran of the competition, placed first in the Final Individual Rifle Match. He out-shot 76 other Marines striving to be the Marine Corps’ best.
He’s quick to mention how difficult it is to compete, which is evident in the score. He won with a slim six-point cushion.
“Overall, I think I did fairly well,” said Peterson, who made his third appearance at the rifle competition. “But it’s not satisfying. I’m never satisfied with my performance, because you can always do better in some area of your performance.”
Peterson credits his never-satisfied mentality for his successes in the contests because as he explains, the shooting competitions are a totally different “beast.”
“This is a different level of shooting, it’s not like getting range high at a rifle range,” Peterson explained. “During the competition it is totally different. The guy you are trying to beat is right next to you.”
Events like these give Marines a chance to showcase their talents. Peterson encourages Marines to compete in shooting events which are held throughout the Corps beginning at intramural competitions.
“Marines should contact their chain of commands for competition information and get out and compete,” Peterson said. “The Marine Corps Shooting Team is looking for new Marines.”
The team has 50 spots of which 20 are available. The competition was a great start for many striving to reach that goal.
| Date Taken: | 04.27.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2012 11:52 |
| Story ID: | 87662 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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