Yesterday I qualified as an Expert on the M16A4 and the M9. 
And I wanted to take a moment to publicly thank those from INGO who have helped me learn so much about shooting before I even joined the Marines.
So "Thank you!" to Gary (HandK) and Bob (NIFT) for your pistol training. The Close Quarters Combat drills and skills I learned from the two of you paid great dividends when it came to the new Combat Pistol Program during Range Week at The Basic School here in Quantico.
Furthermore, the Appleseed project is incredibly, incredibly, helpful with rifle marksmanship (an understatement). A couple summers ago, I attended a mini Appleseed in Indianapolis. Thanks to Dave (DaveD) who was the instructor on my area of the line. The fundamentals I learned there were exactly — exactly — the same ones that the Marine Corps taught me for Table 1 of the Combat Rifle Program. I'm sure there are some Marines who had never experienced Appleseed, or gone shooting at all before, who were able to do well based simply on the advice from the Combat Marksmanship Trainers and Coaches, but I believe that I was able to do especially well because Appleseed had exposed me to those fundamentals of marksmanship already.
So, again, "Thank you!" to those named above and to all others who helped me learn to shoot and then to shoot even better.
Advice to anybody considering joining the Marines: attend an Appleseed and take some formal pistol classes with a good instructor. They will help you get started on the right foot and show you good habits that won't need to be broken later in training. If you only have time or money for one, do the Appleseed.
And I wanted to take a moment to publicly thank those from INGO who have helped me learn so much about shooting before I even joined the Marines.
So "Thank you!" to Gary (HandK) and Bob (NIFT) for your pistol training. The Close Quarters Combat drills and skills I learned from the two of you paid great dividends when it came to the new Combat Pistol Program during Range Week at The Basic School here in Quantico.
Furthermore, the Appleseed project is incredibly, incredibly, helpful with rifle marksmanship (an understatement). A couple summers ago, I attended a mini Appleseed in Indianapolis. Thanks to Dave (DaveD) who was the instructor on my area of the line. The fundamentals I learned there were exactly — exactly — the same ones that the Marine Corps taught me for Table 1 of the Combat Rifle Program. I'm sure there are some Marines who had never experienced Appleseed, or gone shooting at all before, who were able to do well based simply on the advice from the Combat Marksmanship Trainers and Coaches, but I believe that I was able to do especially well because Appleseed had exposed me to those fundamentals of marksmanship already.
So, again, "Thank you!" to those named above and to all others who helped me learn to shoot and then to shoot even better.
Advice to anybody considering joining the Marines: attend an Appleseed and take some formal pistol classes with a good instructor. They will help you get started on the right foot and show you good habits that won't need to be broken later in training. If you only have time or money for one, do the Appleseed.
