Interservice Rifle Competition marks 50th anniversary

QUANTICO, Va. - Retired Marine Maj. Jim Land carefully lined up the rifle sight with the target and pulled the trigger Monday to open the 50th annual Interservice Rifle Competition at Weapons Training Battalion aboard Quantico Marine Corps Base.

Land himself competed in the competition, which was also held at Quantico, 48 years ago.

“The targets have changed, the rifles have changed, the equipment has changed, but the work and skill to produce a center hit hasn’t changed,” he said.

Every year, each of the armed services send their best shooters to the IRC. The shooters compete in various events that include slow fire and rapid fire at set distances, in different shooting position, with different rifles.

Land thanked the behind the scenes personnel, coaches and commanders who put the event on.

“Without them, there would be no one receiving medals or trophies,” he said.

Land, who earned a distinguished shooting badge for both rifle and pistol marksmanship, told the competitors that shooting is a mental discipline.

“This experience will help you become more confident in yourself,” Land predicted. “Through the training and hard work, you have accepted greater responsibility and discipline. All of this makes you a better Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airmen and Guardsmen.”

Land was raised on a farm in Bennett, Neb., and made his childhood spending money by hunting and trapping.

“I was rather aggressive and quick tempered. I never found anything in recruit training that dampened that personality,” he recalled. “It was through shooting that I learned to develop full concentration and focus on my sights and later the same ability to focus on whatever my mission was.”

His duty assignments including serving as captain of the Marine Corps Pistol Team; as officer-in-charge of the Frist Marine Division scout snipers; and marksmanship coordinator for the Marine Corps. Land said shooting helped him to learn to believe in himself, to trust himself and to believe in his ability to be a successful shooter.

“Through shooting, I learned self-discipline,” he continued. “I developed confidence in my ability and learned to focus on whatever I was dealing with. I learned to accept responsibility for my actions and I had a hell’ve lot of fun doing it.”

The opening ceremonies included a performance by the United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and the Drum and Bugle Corps.