Photo By Sgt. Chris Garcia | A Marine with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion uses a wooden wall for cover while conducting live-fire training during a deployment-for-training exercise at Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 17, 2017. The DFT was designed to improve tactical and technical proficiency within the unit by providing multiple scenarios that prepare the Marines for future operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Leynard Kyle Plazo) see less
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34 Marines and Sailors with 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division participated in a combat marksmanship program during a deployment-for-training exercise at Fort Pickett, Virginia, Sept. 16, 2017.
The training improved upon the Marines and Sailors marksmanship skills and their ability to fire their weapons in various shooting positions. The training also improved the Marines ability to use a rifle combat optic.
“This training is to get them familiarized with using their RCO and their bullet drop compensator, so they know which yard line to use if they don’t know which distance they are shooting at,” said Sgt. Nicholas Miller, a motor transport operator with the battalion. “The bullet drop compensator shows them how to distinguish how far an enemy is.”
To begin the training the Marines and Sailors zeroed their RCO, using a collimator sight to aid them in centering their weapon attachment. Once the Marines finished zeroing their weapons they began to shoot at 33 meters, 100 meters and at unknown distances.
“On the rifle range they know what they are shooting at; if they were to go out and find a random enemy out in the open the Marines would need to use their bullet drop compensator to figure out how far away the enemies are,” said Miller.
After the Marines and Sailors were finished practicing their combat marksmanship skills they felt more prepared to take the fight to the enemy when needed.
“They did really well,” said Miller. “The zeroing didn’t take long and…all of the targets I oversaw were all on target from pretty far away. Some of them [Marines and Sailors] were hitting from the 400 yard mark in the standing position, so that was really good.”
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