Shooting badges

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Perrotfish

Perrotfish

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  1. Attending Physician
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Do doctors get a chance to earn shooting badges? Should I bother learning how to shoot? Right now my knowledge of firearms pretty much stops at which way to point them. Will I look like a jackass if I don't know how to handle a weapon, or is that pretty much expected of the medical types?
 
I'm not really sure if there is any weapons training at OBC, which is basically the only place you'd get any. Although, I suppose you could go out of your way to find somebody to help you out once you get to your first duty station. The M16 and its relatives are actually pretty intricate weapons, so it would probably be more trouble than it's worth.

There's really no functional reason to qualify on any weapons. Although, I know where you're coming from - if you're going to be in the Army you should know how to handle a rifle. Sort of like people in the Navy ought to know how to swim. Remember that officers don't wear marksmanship badges, so it's not like anyone will know (or care) that you qualifed.
 
There's really no functional reason to qualify on any weapons.
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Yeah, I know there's no really good reason for it. It just seems like going into the military and not knowing how to handle a weapon seems a little like going to a dog show and saying your 'more of a cat person'.
 
You'll be required to qualify on the M9 (9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol) in order to deploy. You can also qualify on the M16 (5.56mm semi-automatic rifle) if you so desire, but it is not required. If you score expert on one of the weapons, you can wear a ribbon denoting it. Score expert on both and you will get a device for that ribbon. In the grand scheme, it doesn't mean a helluva lot for doctors. I wouldn't worry about it. If you are a gun nut and already know how to shoot, you'll easily score expert and be bored as hell during the training.
 
That's odd in the Marines Officers word their markmenship badges the same as the enlisted. Other branches of service don't do this?
 
Milamber said:
That's odd in the Marines Officers word their markmenship badges the same as the enlisted. Other branches of service don't do this?
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Army officers also wear marksmanship badges. The only marksmanship badges they don't wear are foreign badges such as the German Schutzenschnur.
Neither enlisted nor officers in the Air Force wear marksmanship badges. As BomberDoc stated, airmen receive a ribbon for qualifying expert.
 
Ah I didn't see in his post that he was specifically talking about the airforce... oops...
 
dentalOH said:
Army officers also wear marksmanship badges. The only marksmanship badges they don't wear are foreign badges such as the German Schutzenschnur.
Neither enlisted nor officers in the Air Force wear marksmanship badges. As BomberDoc stated, airmen receive a ribbon for qualifying expert.
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I've been in or around the Army my entire life, and I have never seen an officer wear a marksmanship badge. If you have a link or a reference, I wouldn't mind seeing it.
 
colbgw02 said:
I've been in or around the Army my entire life, and I have never seen an officer wear a marksmanship badge. If you have a link or a reference, I wouldn't mind seeing it.
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I have never seen it either...
 
Most docs have no problem qualifying for the M9 prior to deployment on the first try. You sit in class for a few hours, then shoot off something like 50 rounds for score. I had fired a handgun exactly once before in my life prior to this class and nearly made expert. Don't sweat it.
 
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While the wear of the weapons qualification badges by officers is not prohibited in the regulations, the majority of Army officers do not wear them. Apparently all officers are expected to shoot expert, so it would be redundant. I have heard that a lot of the senior officers will give junior officers who choose to wear them a hard time about it until they stop.
 
del Sol DOHC said:
While the wear of the weapons qualification badges by officers is not prohibited in the regulations, the majority of Army officers do not wear them. Apparently all officers are expected to shoot expert, so it would be redundant. I have heard that a lot of the senior officers will give junior officers who choose to wear them a hard time about it until they stop.
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Roger. Checked out AR 670-1 and 600-8-22 (Both can be found at www.usapa.army.mil) and officers are, in fact, authorized to wear qualification badges. I had to read it to believe it, but there is no distinction made between officer and enlisted SM with regards to wear of qualification badges.

However...In 15 years of service, I have NEVER seen an officer wear a qual badge. It is definitely an unspoken rule and wearing a marksmanship badge as an officer, particularly a doc, would be the equivalent of saying "Hi, I'm CPT Douche-Bag, please treat me as such." Go to the range, challenge your medics to out shoot you, and buy them a beer/dinner when they do. Half of your board pay is worth the morale boost.

Just my two cents.
 
colbgw02 said:
M16 and its relatives are actually pretty intricate weapons, so it would probably be more trouble than it's worth.

There's really no functional reason to qualify on any weapons.
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Not remotely accurate.

Everyone except Chaplains need to know how to clean, assemble, disassemble and safely fire either the 9mm, or the M-16 (I'm blanking on the current nomeclature).

Physicians and nurses are expected to be able to use a weapon for self protection and protection of their patients. While the odds are low you will ever be called on to use it, it is a basic military skill. Once you've been deployed you might have a very different take on this, especially if deployed to a forward base and not Baghdad.

Qualification (or at least familiarization) is usually a requirement before deployment, but I'm sure lots of people deploy without qualifying. Ranges are available if you desire, just ask your training NCO to link you up with some unit at the range.
 
a1qwerty55 said:
Qualification (or at least familiarization) is usually a requirement before deployment, but I'm sure lots of people deploy without qualifying. Ranges are available if you desire, just ask your training NCO to link you up with some unit at the range.
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...plus it can just be a lot of fun if you were never exposed to weapons while growing up.
 
It's a good idea for medical types to know how to safety, unload and clear a hot weapon because some wounded soldiers/Marines may still have weapons on them when they come into the initial aid station. I've heard a negligent discharge involves a lot of paperwork... I echo the above posters, get the training if you can, but don't go around acting like a shooter--no one likes that guy.
 
I have a question about shooting badges. As a Marine I qualled marksman with the pistol and Expert two times with on the rifle range I suspect I don't get to wear my badges anymore but are there equivalents I rate for the Navy? What about my ribbons and medals do I still wear the Marine style for them or do they "transfer" to the Navy I am not even sure they are that different. Now a final question that I am not sure if anyone here can answer but I will give it a shot. I left 5th Marines who rated the French Fourrege and was told that when we left the 5th Marines we wore it to our next duty statioin as we rated it until we checked in do I wear it until I am part of another command even though it is a Marine decoration?

Libo
 
libo1369 said:
I have a question about shooting badges. As a Marine I qualled marksman with the pistol and Expert two times with on the rifle range I suspect I don't get to wear my badges anymore but are there equivalents I rate for the Navy? What about my ribbons and medals do I still wear the Marine style for them or do they "transfer" to the Navy I am not even sure they are that different. Now a final question that I am not sure if anyone here can answer but I will give it a shot. I left 5th Marines who rated the French Fourrege and was told that when we left the 5th Marines we wore it to our next duty statioin as we rated it until we checked in do I wear it until I am part of another command even though it is a Marine decoration?

Libo
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libo,

let me ask you this... were you discharged from active service? If so then you do not rate to continue wearing the french fourrege. If you are still on active duty and in the Marines and still attached to the 5th Marines then yes by all means wear it, however if you have separated then you no longer rate to wear the decoration.

Also what unit were you in? I was one of the Magnificent Bastards with Golf 2/4 in another life. Sometimes I miss Camp San Mateo and running up to the helio pad and playing out in the backyard or even running my PFT through the cabbage patch. Those were the days. I actually think I still have my french fourrege around here somewhere or even in the garage. But it's always nice to see a fellow Marine.

Semper Fi
 
a1qwerty55 said:
I'm sure lots of people deploy without qualifying .
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I think that number is very small. At my base they stay home until they qualify. And they get to take the dumb class and shoot several times a week until they do. You might think this a wise tactic until you get so frickin' bored with the class you'd rather be deployed.
 
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