Identifying Criteria to Predict Army Rifle Marksmanship Proficiency

The United States Army requires each Soldier to develop marksmanship proficiency in an effort to achieve combat readiness. Soldiers currently develop marksmanship proficiency through Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) training, but significant skill deficiencies are apparent at the end of training. These skill deficiencies remain throughout training because instructors rarely assess Soldiers objectively before the final qualification, reducing the opportunity for instructors to diagnose skill deficiencies until it is too late. Therefore, the goal of the current research is to identify individual differences and sensor-based performance measures for inclusion in a formative assessment during BRM training. The results of the current study found several variables that predicted marksmanship qualification scores. These findings bring research one step closer to identifying skill deficiencies and individual needs prior to training. However, more research is needed to maximize the understanding and improvement of marksmanship performance and, in turn, improve overall combat readiness