The U.S. Marine Corps has rolled out a new initiative aimed at sharpening the marksmanship and combat readiness of its forces.
On September 16, 2024, General Benjamin T. Watson, head of the Marine Corps Training and Education Command, signed off on the Marksmanship Campaign Plan (MCP), a game-changing strategy designed to standardize how Marine lethality is measured.
At the core of the MCP is the S.P.E.A.R. Model of Lethality, which measures Marine performance based on five attributes: Speed, Precision, Executive Control, Adaptability, and Risk Exposure.
This approach allows the Corps to evaluate each Marine’s effectiveness in combat situations with quantifiable metrics, making assessments more precise and actionable.
Maj. Gen. James “Hammer” Hartsell (Ret.) emphasized the plan’s focus on ensuring Marines are as lethal and capable as possible. The MCP also gives commanders a tool to assess their units’ small-arms lethality, from individual Marines to entire teams.
The foundation of this new plan dates back to changes made three years ago with the Annual Rifle Qualification, which revamped shooting drills to reflect real combat scenarios.
The MCP builds on that with the introduction of the Joint Marksmanship Assessment Package (JMAP), a cutting-edge system that uses shot-timer technology to track performance. Marines can now compare their stats with others, allowing them to see where they excel and where they need to improve.
JMAP also provides hard data for Marine leadership, eliminating the guesswork in evaluating new weapons, holsters, or training programs. Marines trained under traditional methods are now being compared to those trained with modernized techniques, with clear data to back up which approach works better.
Col. Scott Cuomo, Commanding Officer of WTBn-Quantico, called the MCP “the most transformative change in Marine Corps marksmanship in over a century.”
He highlighted that the plan is built on “decades of lessons learned in combat to make the Marine fighting on the ground as lethal as humanly possible.” Cuomo also noted that the Marine Corps’ marksmanship training is now “the best it has ever been.”
In addition to the MCP, the Marine Corps is advancing initiatives to improve readiness, such as virtual training systems and multi-domain exercises.
As threats continue to evolve, TECOM is pushing the boundaries of Marine training, ensuring that America’s Marines remain the world’s top fighting force.
What are your thoughts on the new changes?
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