All Ready On The Firing Line
“Combat Marksmanship”
Week 8 at Parris Island marks a pivotal point for Recruits as they transition into team-based operations, emphasizing cohesion, adaptability, and leadership. This week’s advanced exercises and challenges are designed to solidify the core values of honor, courage, and commitment, reinforcing the bond of brotherhood among Recruits. It’s a critical phase where the ethos of the Marine Corps takes deeper root, preparing them for the demanding trials that lie ahead.
Embarking On The Next Stage Of Marksmanship Development
After mastering the fundamentals of precision marksmanship during Table 1, your recruit now moves into Table 2 Firing, where the focus shifts from deliberate, long-range shooting to the fast-paced, dynamic skills required in combat. This is where recruits begin to think, move, and shoot like Marines.
Table 2 places recruits in realistic, combat-focused scenarios that test their ability to apply what they’ve learned under pressure. Instead of engaging stationary targets at known distances, recruits now face multiple and moving targets, react to changing situations, and make rapid decisions—often while wearing full combat gear.
During Table 2, your recruit will:
- Fire from all four shooting positions (standing, kneeling, sitting, and prone)
- Engage targets at varying distances and angles
- Conduct rapid-fire strings to simulate combat pace
- Perform combat reloads under time constraints
- Execute controlled pairs and hammer pairs
- Move between firing points while maintaining accuracy and safety
- Adapt to environmental factors such as wind, light, and terrain
Just like Table 1, recruits will undergo both a pre-qualification (pre-qual) and a final qualification (qual) for Table 2.
- Pre-qual allows them to practice these new combat techniques under the guidance of experienced combat marksmanship coaches, fine-tuning their skills and making adjustments.
- Qualification is the culminating test, where recruits must demonstrate proficiency in all Table 2 requirements to meet the Marine Corps standard for combat marksmanship.
Successfully completing Table 2 represents a major milestone. It shows your recruit is not only accurate, but capable—able to apply combat-focused skills with confidence, discipline, and precision. Together with Table 1, this marks their transformation into a fully qualified Marine rifleman, ready to serve with courage and competence wherever duty calls.
Advancing Their Marksmanship
Having completed their Table 2 qualification, recruits now move on to learning supported firing techniques, where they use barricades, obstacles, and stable platforms to improve accuracy under realistic conditions. This next phase strengthens their confidence as marksmen and pushes them one step closer to becoming proud United States Marines. Your support helps fuel their success every day.
Fall In!!
As Week 8 comes to a close, your Recruit will take part in Final Drill—an event often seen as the Super Bowl for both Recruits and drill instructors. Final Drill serves as the ultimate evaluation of a platoon’s proficiency in close order drill, testing the Senoir Drilll Instructor’s (SDI) command abilities and the Recruits’ skill in executing precise movements. This event reinforces instant obedience to orders and unit cohesion, essential qualities for every Marine. Afterward, Recruits will enjoy a well-deserved haircut to keep them sharp for the final stages of training.
Next week we’ll cover Basic Warrior Training (BWT) that will teach Recruits basic combat survival skills crucial for mission success in their future as a Marine.
I’m SgtMaj Paul Davis (USMC Ret), and I can’t wait to share more with you about this incredible journey.
Semper Fidelis