CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton hosted a Marine Corps Marksmanship Competition for the first time in seven years.

The competition at Pendleton is the first part in a series of events for the 2021 Competition-In-Arms Program, which will end with a championship match in April at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.

As part of the program, the Marine Corps Shooting Team is coordinating and supervising five regional MCMCs held on Marine Corps bases across the world. Marines of all different trades are being encouraged to volunteer to participate in the event.

“We had operators, vehicle operators, engineers, infantrymen, intelligence Marines, and others,” said U.S. Marine Col. Carlos Jackson, the commanding officer of Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, who hosted the completion aboard Pendleton. “They will be able to take back the skills they learned here and train others, which is all we can really hope for.”

Participants received a total of 12 training days over a two week period where they were given instruction on advanced pistol and rifle positions, firing while moving, dynamic target engagement and more.

“My biggest take away is learning how to run stages, think critically under stress and engage multiple targets in a dynamic environment.”

Sgt Evan Nicholas, a Combat Logistics Regiment 45 metal worker

“Marines who participate will not only get their annual pistol and rifle qualification taken care of but they’ll also learn how to use their weapons in an environment like they’ve never done before,” said Sgt. Evan Nicholas, a metal worker with Combat Logistics Regiment 45, 4th Marine Logistics Group. “It’s unlike any other course of fire that you’ll experience in the Marine Corps.”

The program is designed to significantly enhance participants’ proficiency in the use of individual small arms by refining fundamental marksmanship skills, learning marksmanship techniques, and pushing through mental and physical boundaries in a competitive forum.

According to Jackson, the goal of the MCMC is to make a more confident, more competent, more capable and lethal Marine to send rounds downrange, and that’s exactly what the Marines did on Pendleton over the last two weeks.

At the end of the competition, Marines were awarded for their hard work. The top 10 percent for rifle and pistol stages earned a MCMC medal, and the best performing rifle and pistol teams were awarded a trophy.

The next competition is slated to be at MCB Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan, December 6-8.

Story by LCpl Kerstin Roberts, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

Photo by Sgt Jeremy Laboy

CAMP BUTLER, Japan —

Lt. Gen. H. Stacy Clardy, the III Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general, launched the first Big Ideas Challenge last August to unleash the creativity and ingenuity of III MEF Marines and sailors against the most pressing challenges facing the Marine Corps.

Over 70 submissions were received from Marines and sailors of all ranks and military occupational specialties. Included in those submissions were inputs from Army and Air Force personnel, spouses and even non-SOFA status personnel.

“The submissions surpassed my expectations both in quantity received and in the quality of ideas that were submitted, especially due to the short time window for the challenge,” said Maj. Stephen Kent, action officer for the Big Ideas Challenge.

Proposals touched on a wide variety of topics, including administration, equipment, logistics, tactics, and quality of life.

“We received ideas for equipment modification, data tools, commercial off-the-shelf applications, education-based solutions and ideas to facilitate the Commandant of the Marine Corps’ vision, to name a few,” said Kent.

“We are looking forward to seeing some of these ideas get incorporated and are excited to see what kind of solutions our community comes up with…”
Maj Stephen Kent, action officer for the Big Ideas Challenge

The Marine Corps is constantly striving to enhance its force as a whole by implementing innovation challenges throughout the Corps. The 2nd Marine Logistics Group and 3rd MLG recently hosted events with notable results.

In those challenges, Marines of all ranks and backgrounds were encouraged to submit. One lance corporal received a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for using 3-D printing equipment at the unit to manufacture a $0.50 part to salvage damaged radio equipment.

Good ideas could come from any member of the command, so Lt. Gen. Clardy opened up the challenge to people throughout U.S. Forces Japan. In order to review and study the many submissions, the commanding general assigned an action officer to collect, review, sort, and present all submissions through a review board of Marines.

“My job is to ensure these ideas get routed to the staff and then ultimately the commanding general for final decision,” Kent explained. “We will strive to incorporate all of the good ideas within our means, regardless if they were selected as the top five.”

III MEF plans to announce the results of the challenge at the end of the month via social media. Marines are optimistic about the results.

“Because of the success of this event, we plan to hold it again this time next year,” Kent said. “We are looking forward to seeing some of these ideas get incorporated and are excited to see what kind of solutions our community comes up with in the future.”