Marksmanship Medal
Encyclopedia
The Marksmanship Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy
and the Coast Guard
and is the highest award one may receive for weapons qualification. The Marksmanship Medal is the equivalent of the Expert Marksmanship Badge in the United States Army
and Marine Corps.
The Marksmanship Medal is awarded for qualifying as an expert marksman
on either the 9 mm M9 pistol
(Navy), .40 S&W
SIG P229 DAK (Coast Guard), or M16 rifle
. To qualify at the expert level, a superior foxtrot must be obtained on an approved weapons qualification course. The standard weapons qualification course normally consists of several courses of fire from one-handed kneeling, double-handed standing, and (in the case of the M16), firing from a crouched position. A superior score, qualifying for the Marksmanship Medal, is typically 285 points out of a 300 point scale. This varies slightly depending on the awarding authority and the military command which is running a particular qualification course.
Those qualifying as an expert marksman are presented the Marksmanship Medal which is awarded as two separate decorations for both rifle or pistol qualifications. Those having qualified on both pistol and rifle may receive both medals for simultaneous wear. The Marksmanship Medal is worn as a full-sized medal, on a dress uniform, but when worn on a duty uniform the award is displayed as the standard Marksmanship Ribbon
with Expert Device
. Those qualifying for the sharpshooter version are wearing a bronze device in shape of an "S" on their ribbon.
In the U.S. Navy, the Marksmanship Medal is considered a successor decoration to the Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon
. Both the Coast Guard and Navy Marksmanship Medals were first issued in 1969.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
and is the highest award one may receive for weapons qualification. The Marksmanship Medal is the equivalent of the Expert Marksmanship Badge in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and Marine Corps.
The Marksmanship Medal is awarded for qualifying as an expert marksman
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
on either the 9 mm M9 pistol
M9 Pistol
The Beretta M9, formally Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, is a 9×19mm Parabellum pistol of the United States military adopted in 1985. It is essentially a military specification Beretta 92F, later the 92FS....
(Navy), .40 S&W
.40 S&W
The .40 S&W is a rimless pistol cartridge developed jointly by major American firearms manufacturers Winchester and Smith & Wesson. The .40 S&W was developed from the ground up as a law enforcement cartridge designed to duplicate performance of the FBI's reduced velocity 10mm cartridge which could...
SIG P229 DAK (Coast Guard), or M16 rifle
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
. To qualify at the expert level, a superior foxtrot must be obtained on an approved weapons qualification course. The standard weapons qualification course normally consists of several courses of fire from one-handed kneeling, double-handed standing, and (in the case of the M16), firing from a crouched position. A superior score, qualifying for the Marksmanship Medal, is typically 285 points out of a 300 point scale. This varies slightly depending on the awarding authority and the military command which is running a particular qualification course.
Those qualifying as an expert marksman are presented the Marksmanship Medal which is awarded as two separate decorations for both rifle or pistol qualifications. Those having qualified on both pistol and rifle may receive both medals for simultaneous wear. The Marksmanship Medal is worn as a full-sized medal, on a dress uniform, but when worn on a duty uniform the award is displayed as the standard Marksmanship Ribbon
Marksmanship Ribbon
A Marksmanship Ribbon is an award of the United States Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard that is issued to service members who pass a weapons qualification course and achieve an above-average score.-Navy:...
with Expert Device
Marksmanship Device
A Marksmanship Device is an award of the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Coast Guard which is presented as an attachment to the Marksmanship Ribbon. For the Air Force, the addition of a bronze Service Star is used to indicate expert qualification in both rifle and...
. Those qualifying for the sharpshooter version are wearing a bronze device in shape of an "S" on their ribbon.
In the U.S. Navy, the Marksmanship Medal is considered a successor decoration to the Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon
Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon
The Distinguished Marksmanship Ribbon was a military decoration of the United States Navy which was established in 1942. Originally known as the Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon, the decoration recognized those who had been presented a Distinguished Marksman Badge through exceptional...
. Both the Coast Guard and Navy Marksmanship Medals were first issued in 1969.
Qualification Scores
| Navy | ||
|---|---|---|
| M9 Service Pistol | Qualification | M16 Rifle or M4 Carbine |
| 180-203 | Marksman | 140-159 |
| 204-227 | Sharpshooter | 160-169 |
| 228-240 | Expert | 170-200 |
| Coast Guard | ||
| M9 or P229R DAK | Qualification | M16A2, M4 or M14-T Rifle |
| 114-128 | Marksman | 140-166 |
| 129-143 | Sharpshooter | 167-174 |
| 144-150 | Expert | 175-200 |
See also
- U.S. Navy & U.S. Coast Guard Marksmanship Ribbon DevicesMarksmanship DeviceA Marksmanship Device is an award of the United States Air Force, United States Navy, and United States Coast Guard which is presented as an attachment to the Marksmanship Ribbon. For the Air Force, the addition of a bronze Service Star is used to indicate expert qualification in both rifle and...
- Awards and decorations of the United States militaryAwards and decorations of the United States militaryAwards and decorations of the United States Military are military decorations which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the United States armed forces...