Missile marksmanship

My grandfather left behind a box of military stuff. Some of it was pretty rare, like his Korean Service Medal (IAW AR 600-8-22 §5-9a) and Army of Occupation Medal-Germany with Berlin Airlift clasp (IAW AR 600-8-22 §5-11b). Others, like a spare Good Conduct Medal and some oak leaf clusters, you can buy anywhere.

And from his time with a missile unit in Pennsylvania, he had one of these -- a Marksman Badge with Missile component bar. Just like with "Flamethrower," you don't see too many people with the "Missile" component bar these days. For me, personally, I've never seen a single person with one on active duty, but that may only be because I don't work in that part of the Army.

Most people that I see with marksmanship badges have "Rifle" or "Pistol," or maybe even "Grenade," but I suppose it's theoretically possible to qualify with missiles even today -- AR 600-8-22 Table 8-2 still permits those qualified to wear this component bar.

I had to laugh, though, that he just a "Marksman," rather than "Sharpshooter" or "Expert." When you're at an M4/M16 range, that means you hit only 60-74% (23-29 out of 40) of your targets. Now, I don't know what the qualification process was for missiles, but I chuckle at the thought of him hitting only 28 targets out of 40 missiles fired.

I guess it's true: "Almost" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades -- not when qualifying with missiles.