United States Army Marksmanship Unit

The United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU or AMU) is a part of U.S. Army providing small arms marksmanship training for soldiers and enhancing Army recruiting. The unit was originally established in 1956[1] at the direction of president Dwight D. Eisenhower to the mission of winning international competitions, which at the time was dominated by the Soviet Union. At the 1964 Summer Olympics, the United States won seven medals in shooting, of which six were won by Army Marksmanship Unit members; unit members have continued to win medals at subsequent competitions. A 2008 New York Times article notes that the unit has "a reputation as the country's premier training school for competitive shooters." The unit has also trained army snipers and assisted in the development of weaponry.[2]

A USAMU NCO trains an Afghan National Army soldier in shot-group identification and discusses what sight adjustments to make on his weapon
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit
USAMU's shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1 March 1956 (1956-03-01)–present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
RoleCompetition, training, and recruiting
Part of Marketing and Engagement Brigade, U.S. Army Recruiting Command
Garrison/HQFort Moore, Georgia
Motto(s)"Home of champions"
Websiterecruiting.army.mil/army_marksmanship/
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
USAMU shoulder cord (worn on the right shoulder of the service uniform)

Sections

The Army Marksmanship Unit consists of seven teams:[3]

See also

References
  1. "USAMU History". Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  2. Katie Thomas, "Army Sharpshooters Have Olympic Medals in Their Sights", The New York Times, July 10, 2008.
  3. Army Marksmanship Team Members, U.S. Army Recruiting Command Official Website, last accessed 25 January 2020
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