Marksmanship badges (United States)
In the United States (U.S.), a marksmanship badge is a U.S. military badge or a civilian badge which is awarded to personnel upon successful completion of a weapons qualification course or high achievement in an official marksmanship competition. The U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps are the only military services that award marksmanship qualification badges. However, marksmanship medals and/or marksmanship ribbons are awarded by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Air Force for weapons qualifications. For non-military personnel, different U.S. law enforcement organizations and the National Rifle Association (NRA) award marksmanship qualification badges to those involved in law enforcement. Additionally, the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) and the NRA award marksmanship qualification badges to U.S. civilians. Most of these organizations and the U.S. National Guard award marksmanship competition badges to the people they support who succeed in official competitions.
U.S. Marine Corps Marksmanship Qualification Badges
Examples of the NRA's Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Badges with shotgun and pistol clasps on the NRA Distinguished Expert Badge.
A Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet wears his NRA Marksman Badge on his CAP dress uniform
From top–left to lower–right: Distinguished International Shooter Badge, Distinguished Rifleman Badge, Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge, .22 Rimfire Pistol Distinguished Badge, and Junior Distinguished Badge
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting. In modern military usage this typically refers to the use of projectile weapons such as an accurized scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle to shoot at high-value targets at longer-than-usual ranges.
An American marksman looks for enemy activity along the hilltops near Dur Baba District, Afghanistan (2006)
A soldier with a G28 of the German Army
Marksmen competing in Australia
A British soldier aims on a shooting range in Iraq, 29 July 2006.