Photo By Sgt. Angela Wilcox | U.S. Marines with Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade pose for a group...... read more read more
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CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The sounds of rapid gunfire echoed across the firing range as Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade Marines competed with some of the finest Marine marksmen at the 2025 Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition East (MCMC-E). A premier event in the Marine Corps calendar, the competition draws top riflemen from around the globe to demonstrate their skill, precision, and tactical acumen in a series of challenging shooting events.
MCMC-E is an annual two-week event held from March 3 to 14 at Weapons Training Battalion on Stone Bay, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to improve Marines’ marksmanship, combat readiness and weapon proficiency. Competitors use the first week to study various techniques and fundamentals from members of the Marine Corps Shooting Team before competing the following week as individuals and teams. Competitors tested their accuracy with rifles and pistols under a range of demanding conditions.
TF 51/5th MEB, a forward-deployed unit dedicated to versatility and readiness, brought its best to the competition. The team of eight traveled from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) country of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
"This group was chosen for demonstrated adaptability and high qualification scores with the service rifle and service pistol," said Master Sgt. Wayne Gallagher, the current operations chief for TF 51/5th MEB and a veteran competitor in marksmanship events.
Gallagher has been an advocate for the MCMC for as long as he has participated and hopes to see TF 51/5th MEB continue to compete in the Competition in Arms Program in the future.
“My first competition was the Depot Competition in Arms match at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in 2010. My first division match – which is what the regional Marine Corps Marksmanship Competitions were called before 2017 – was Western Division in 2010, in which I took a bronze,” said Gallagher. Since then, he has competed in eleven division matches & MCMCs—nine western and two eastern.
The competition featured multiple phases designed to test the Marines' ability to engage targets under static and dynamic conditions. The competitors were judged not only on their shooting accuracy but their ability to maintain composure under pressure. Tasks ranged from precision rifle shooting to rapid-fire pistol drills, simulating the speed and accuracy of weapons handling necessary in real-life combat.
Lt. Col. William F. Dufresne Jr, commanding officer of Weapons Training Battalion, Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, spoke on the value of the event for competitors at all skill levels.
“It’s an event to show Marines that marksmanship is so much more than our annual training requirements. It adds complexity to shooting and creates problems that shooters then must solve through the application of their skills. Essentially, its problem solving with a gun. It teaches Marines how to overcome adversity, and how to overcome poor performance—but conversely, how to take a great performance and remain humble.”
Upon completion of the matches, competitors placing in the top ten percent of shooters earn the privilege of competing in the Marine Corps Championships, held at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
Despite the intense competition, TF 51/5th MEB members demonstrated remarkable skill. Gallagher led the way, placing 22nd overall in individual rifle out of 197 competitors. The unit’s combined efforts reflected the high level of experience and commitment that is the hallmark of TF 51/5th MEB’s personnel.
Master Sgt. Trelaine Buffaloe, the utilities chief for TF 51/5th MEB and first-time MCMC competitor, earned high praise for her performance in the team rifle event and as the coach in the team pistol event.
“How many Marines can say they’ve shot at a Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition and were able to represent their unit? Not many,” said Buffaloe. “We got our name out there for sure. We all came back with more confidence and a bigger knowledge base for shooting. The mindset and character development to problem solve a stage, attack it and then deal with the outcome, forces you to grow and mature.”
Each team is required to have at least one competitor at the rank of sergeant or below. Sgt. Thomas McGrath, a battle watch captain with TF 51/5th MEB, expressed his gratitude for the afforded opportunity.
“It was a privilege to compete at the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition for the first time and gain experience that can be brought back to the unit,” said McGrath. “I was able to lean on my experience as an infantry rifleman to shoot from various positions and barricades and perform under pressure.”
At the conclusion of the event, many competitors from Task Force 51/5 left the range with new insights and a deeper appreciation for the complexities of marksmanship. For them, the competition was more than just an event—it was an opportunity to refine their skills, connect with fellow Marines, and demonstrate their commitment to the highest standards of service.
“My biggest takeaway from this experience was the importance of teamwork,” said McGrath. “Every individual shooter can offer insight and expertise that can be leveraged to better one’s own performance.”
TF 51/5th MEB frequently participates in subject matter expert exchanges with partner nations in the CENTCOM area of responsibility. Many of these exchanges involve Marines sharing their own training and experience with weapons handling and marksmanship with partner nation service members. This unique aspect of TF 51/5th MEB’s operational tempo reveals an additional level of value in the training received from the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition.
Furthermore, many of the Marines on the TF 51/5th MEB MCMC-E shooting team serve in “one of one” billets, or work in small teams with a high level of responsibility. They understand the real-world implications of their everyday work and carry that understanding with them in any clime and place.
“The team performed very well given our limited preparation, as planning efforts for exercises in the region are constantly ongoing,” said Gallagher. “It is a testament to them, as most of them had a major role in the International Maritime Exercise 25 which wrapped up in February.”
With the 2025 Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition-East now behind them, TF 51/5th MEB Marines are already looking ahead to the next challenge. For these elite warriors, the pursuit of excellence is a never-ending journey—one that continues long after the final shot is fired.
| Date Taken: | 03.15.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.01.2025 09:54 |
| Story ID: | 494208 |
| Location: | STONE BAY, MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 131 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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