This is outstanding. I hope it becomes a reality.

(former Infantry officer)

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I went in the army in 1955. That was when basic training was really BASIC training!

We spent 2 weeks on the rifle range before we shot for record. The standard rifle course (which every soldier/recruit had to pass was 2 weeks. On the Known Distance range. As I recall, we were shooting the M1 Garand at 100, 200, 300 500 and 600 yards. We had a different range which AIR was called a transition range where we had a few seconds to pick out a pop up target and knock it down with our rifle.

That transition range had targets out to 1000 yards.

And we had to qualify on both KD and transition ranges to receive our marksmanship badges for rifles. We also had to qualify with carbines, pistols, BARs, 30 cal MGs. Armored personnel carrier drivers also had to qualify with 45 cal sub-machine guns and 50 cal.

Maybe my unit (3rd Armored Division) was different because we were training as a combat division with the mission to rotate to Germany and replace the 4th infantry division.

I got out of the army in 1966 and the state of the training for new replacements was nothing short of scandalous. Replacements were coming in to that combat unit, on the West German border, that had NEVER FIRED A WEAPON of any type.

I was tasked to set up a training program to teach all those "replacements" how to actually shoot and handle their weapons. (M14s)

I think what we are seeing now is another "cycle" in all things military.