MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, San Diego -- Marines from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region shot it out during the annual Depot Competition in Arms Program from Jan. 31 to Feb. 12 at Edson Range, Weapons Field Training Battalion, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
The DCIAP was a close competition, but 12th Marine Corps District took first place in the rifle team match with 1,093 points. Field Company, WFTBn, took second with 1,092 points after scoring the tiebraker against Headquarters and Support Company, WFTBn, which took third place with 1,092 points. The tiebreaker was the highest score at the 500 yard line.
The winners of the pistol team match were: 9th Marine Corps District in first place, with 850 points; Headquarters and Service Battalion, MCRD San Diego in second place, with 814 points; and 8th Marine Corps District in third with 812 points.
Bravo Range, Range Co., WFTBn, took the Gunner’s Trophy, with 12th MCD taking second place, and H&S Co., WFTBn, took third place.
The DCIAP serves as a competition to help to determine the Marines who have the opportunity to become members of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Shooting Team. The MCRD shooting team will go on to compete in the Western Division Matches March 8-19.
The DCIAP provided the competition shooters a week to polish their marksmanship skills. After snapping in, the competition schedule had two days of individual rifle and pistol competition, one day of rifle teams and the Gunner’s Trophy competition, a movement-to-contact drill, and one day of pistol team competition fire.
“Most of the shooters have not shot for years, especially the ones on recruiting duty, but they were able to come out and compete to help enhance their skills,” said Sgt. Joshua Rigney, recruiter, 12th Marine Corps District.
Rigney explained how recruiters go many years without picking up a rifle while drill instructors qualify every year. Recruiters are exempt from qualifying because they are often miles from a base and don’t get the opportunity to enhance their marksmanship skills.
“The competition provides a great opportunity to sharpen those skills,” said Rigney.
Though he had not shot in two years, he still won the Daniel Boone competition, which consisted of shooting a rifle and hitting dead center on the target at 500 yards, while standing.
“The competition is beneficial because it focuses on marksmanship, which is something all Marines can take back to their units,” said Sgt. Kyle Wilson, primary marksmanship instructor, Weapons Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
For Staff Sgt. Scott Chromy, drill instructor, Company B, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, it was an honor to be able to come out and shoot, he said. Though he is on his recovery time between platoons, he volunteered to spend his time shooting for 1st RTB.
“The objective of this competition was to motivate and provide a stimulus to develop, excel, and maintain a basis of Marines with high marksmanship skills,” said Chromy. “I feel that’s exactly what this competition has done.”