DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
Headquarters, United States Marine Corps
Washington, DC 20380-0001
Introduction to Rifle Marksmanship
- Role of the Marine Rifleman
All Marines share a common warfighting belief. The essence of this belief is captured by a simple
yet powerful credo: “ Every Marine a rifleman.” In other words, every Marine, regardless of
specialty, has a fundamental purpose. All Marines are forged from a common experience, share
a common set of values, and are trained as members of an expeditionary force in readiness. There
are no “rear area” Marines. The range, mobility, and lethality of modern weapons ensure that no
one is too far from potentially life threatening situations when Marines respond to a crisis. The
Marine rifleman of the next conflict will be, as in the past, among the first to confront the enemy
and last to hang his weapon on the rack after hostilities cease.