After we had completed the first 6 weeks of boot camp, we still had a long way to go but our platoon was at least a semblance of a Marine platoon. We were now ready to take a major step forward in the Marine Corps philosophy. The USMC believes that first, every Marine is a rifleman. We were on our way to Edson Range, Camp Pendleton. 

Edson Range was about 45 miles north of MCRD San Diego. Loaded into what were affectionately known as cattle cars, we were drove 27 miles north on the Pacific Coast highway to Del Mar. Offloaded, we did a 17-mile forced march north in the sand on the beach to Edson Range. Arriving at the new barracks just before daylight faded, we dumped our gear, and marched to chow at the new chow hall at Edson Range. Then we settled into the new barracks which felt like a luxury hotel compared to our Quonset huts back in San Diego.

Up at 4:30 am as usual, we did PT then went to chow where we were given a great bacon, egg and fresh fruit breakfast and even a couple of extra minutes to eat it. Back to the barracks, we picked up our M14 rifles and marched to a set of outdoor bleachers under a metal roof. Standing on the stage was a different-looking Drill Instructor. Turns out he was a P.M.I. — a Primary Marksmanship Instructor. Our instructor was a Marine sniper – a crack shot. He would be teaching us how to be deadly shots up to 500 hundred yards with our high-powered M14 rifles.

As class began, our regular Drill Instructors did not harass us though they did watch for any recruits who might doze off. Our instructor was so good and his lecture so interesting, we were riveted. Over the next 2 weeks, we would learn literally from the ground up how to accurately and consistently kill another human being up to 500 yards away.

After the initial lecture about how to precisely aim our weapon, we learned how to hold’em and squeeze’em. We learned how to assume the most effective posture to provide the most stable base to shoot most accurately. And we were taught how to gradually and gently pull on the trigger so as not to jerk our shot.

We then spent the rest of the day warming up and stretching to be able to assume the most effective positions to be the most effective combat shooters. I had no idea I was so stiff and inflexible relative to accurately shooting a high-powered rifle several hundred yards. A group of shooting instructors were very hands-on coaching us into an exact shooting position. This was not shooting squirrels at my Granpa’s ranch. It was hard, sweaty, and uncomfortable work. By day’s end, we were all tired and sore and all we did was practice and hold real Marine shooting positions. I hope I am conveying the proper message here. The Marine Corps is dead serious about shooting accurately and effectively.

The next day – all day – we did the same thing with the one addition of being able to properly and deliberately pull the M14 trigger – dry fire – over and over again under the watchful eye of the group of PMI’s coaching us. The atmosphere was relaxed but 100% business.  We were taught to be aware and to breathe in a relaxed, controlled way every single shot. To focus on the sight and give aiming our rifle our 100% attention.  Shooting well turns out to be very hard work. Exhausting mentally and physically.

The third day, with a PMI’s help, each of us had the sights of our M14 calibrated so our rifle was absolutely dead-on accurate. Now, the only limit to shooting accurately was on us.

During a full six-day week of hyper-focused training and practice, we learned how to adjust the rifle sling on our arm, how to adjust our posture to provide the most stable possible platform, how to aim and see the sight every single shot, how to relax and calm our breathing so we were in a high performance state of relaxed alertness, and how to pull our rifle’s trigger so gently that when it fired we were surprised. We were taught to apply this deliberate, methodical process every single shot. I found it exhausting to concentrate that hard every single time. By the end of the week, my body ached from the effort to become the very best marksman I was capable of. By the end of that first 6- day week of intense shooting training, I was exhausted and we had yet to fire a single shot.

I was totally impressed by the competence and expertise of the PMI and his assistants. These were clearly professional marksmen who approached their work with pride and discipline. My experience at Edson Range only added to the tremendous respect I already had for the Marine Corps and our 3 Drill Instructors. These men were total professionals. My admiration and respect continued to grow.

If you want to hit your mark, fuel your body, your brain, your eyesight, and your focus start with the highest quality protein. A high-quality, high- performance life requires laser focus. You don’t want to be spaced-out because you started with your day with a bowl of junk-food cereal or a sweet-roll and a glass of pure-sugar orange juice. You are an athlete in training. Treat your body and your brain with respect. Feed your body including your brain so you can perform at your best. Start your day with a JDD shake and feel the “Difference.”

Remember: Your body does not lie.
Joe

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