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Old July 21, 2013, 01:56 PM   #10
Bart B.
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Join Date: February 15, 2009
Posts: 8,927
In the beginning, when God (err....the Director of Civilian Marksmanship) created the Distinguished Rifle and Pistol badges, Excellence in Competition badges in gold (10 credit points), silver (8 points) and bronze (6 points) were issued to the top 10% of all competitors in a given match based on their scores in that percentage. As long as a competitor fired at least one shot, they qualified for the total count. When one earned 30 points, the badge was awarded. Both individual and team matches were used and everyone on a placing team got credit points.

Up through the 1950's (?), team members getting points included both the team captain and team coach; neither had to fire a shot to be eligible. Therefore, there are some Distinguished Rifle and Pistol badge holders who've never fired a shot in that discipline; service rifle nor service pistol. A lot of folks got rather upset about this as well as some services dragging out junior enlisted men from the mess hall and barracks cleanning staff just to add more shooters on the firing line to get more regular competitive shooters earning points and eventually distinguished. This got squelched in the early 1960's as well as the points for team matches.

Last edited by Bart B.; July 21, 2013 at 04:00 PM.
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