Basic Officer Course
Qual Time
“Firing Week”

In Week 6, your Marine’s focus shifts to mastering marksmanship, starting each day with hikes to the rifle range to build endurance and mental toughness. They will undertake the Annual Rifle Qualification (ARQ), a crucial test of their shooting skills, while also maintaining their weapons daily to ensure peak performance. The week wraps up with pre-qualification practice and the final qualification event, where their accuracy and precision will be officially assessed.

Daily Hikes to the Range

In Week 6, your Marine will start each day with a hike out to the rifle range, setting the tone for a week focused on marksmanship and weapons proficiency. These hikes are not just a physical challenge; they also serve to build endurance and mental toughness, ensuring your Marine is prepared for the demands of the range and beyond.

Annual Rifle Qualification (ARQ)

This week, your Marine will undertake the Annual Rifle Qualification (ARQ), a critical assessment of their marksmanship skills. The ARQ consists of a series of shooting exercises that test accuracy and precision at various distances, including rapid fire, sustained fire, and shooting from different positions. Achieving a qualifying score is essential, as it reflects their ability to effectively engage targets in combat scenarios.

Daily Weapons Maintenance

In addition to their time on the range, your Marine will be responsible for daily weapons maintenance. This routine is vital for ensuring that their rifles remain in top working condition, reducing the risk of malfunctions during qualification. Through meticulous care and attention to detail, they will learn the importance of maintaining their equipment to the highest standard.

Pre-Qualification and Qualification

The week will culminate with pre-qualification and qualification events. During pre-qual, your Marine will have the opportunity to refine their skills and address any deficiencies identified earlier in the week. This is their final chance to practice under conditions similar to the actual qualification. The week concludes with the qualification event, where their marksmanship skills will be formally tested and scored.

As your Marine progresses through this intense week of training, they will continue to build the confidence and competence required to lead Marines in any situation. We look forward to sharing more about their journey in the weeks to come.

Semper Fidelis,
SgtMaj Paul Davis (USMC Ret)