Parris Island Shooting Team competes in Infantry Trophy Match during Civilian Marksmanship Program National Matches

Photo By Staff Sgt. Dana Beesley | U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Timothy Joy, with the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Shooting Team, sights in with his binoculars during the Infantry Trophy Team Match at Camp Perry, Ohio Aug. 2, 2018. Joy served as a spotter and coach for the team during the match, directing lines of fire and making wind calls. The National Trophy Rifle Matches are an annual sporting festival established by congress and President Roosevelt in 1903. The event welcomes over 6,000 participants, ranging from beginning shooters to the world’s top-performing competitors. Shooters wear custom-made shooting jackets that conform to their body type. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Dana Beesley/Released)  

PORT CLINTON, OH, UNITED STATES

08.02.2018

Story by Sgt. Dana Beesley   

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island           

The Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Shooting Team competed in the Infantry Trophy Match on Rodriguez Range August 2, 2018 during the 2018 Civilian Marksmanship Program National Matches.
Created in 1922, the match consists of teams shooting match-issued service rifles at a rapid rate for 50-second rounds. They begin at the 600 yard line and progress closer to the targets as they exhaust their ammo. The goal is to expend as many rounds as possible as far back as possible for the highest score.
As the last relay shooting of the day, the team had plenty of time to create a plan of attack. Team Officer-in-Charge Chief Warrant Officer 3 Saul Cardenas, stressed the importance of accurate wind calls to his Marines as they prepared for the match.
“This match is all about accuracy and speed,” Cardenas said. “If you screw up your wind calls at the 600 [yard line], you’re not going to get any hits on your target.”
Cardenas said what makes this event unique to others is that the team doesn’t spot their own rounds. A coach or team captain stands behind the shooters with binoculars and directs the shooters on where they need to adjust their line of fire.
“Shooting at the 600, we have a different optic,” Cardenas said. Wind calls are critical here. Our rifles are weighted and everything about them is matched, from the barrel to the trigger.”
Team member Sgt. Cody Cheney said because of the constantly shifting winds and potential weapons failures, team meetings are crucial during the competition.
“The wind is proving to be a major factor for some of the other teams,” Cheney said. “Some of the other teams have not made accurate wind calls, which have pushed their rounds left or right of the target. If a weapon goes down, we need to transfer that ammo so we can still shoot those rounds down range and not suffer the point losses if you don’t shoot them.”
Team member Cpl. Trevor Keith said the team fared well, despite the weather conditions.
“We came together as a team,” Keith said. “We communicated as best we could give the circumstances, and overall I feel like we gained a valuable experience to pass on for next year.”
The team will continue to compete in various individual and team matches throughout the week.

• Date Taken: 08.02.2018
• Date Posted: 08.02.2018 18:12
• Story ID: 287011
• Location: PORT CLINTON, OH, US