Methodology to Assess Individual Shooting Skills that is Predictive of Squad Level Performance in a Close Combat Training Engagement

Abstract

Marksmanship, a critical aspect of military lethality training and readiness, is one area of military assessment that includes standardized quantifiable measures. However, assessment of marksmanship in a traditional live-fire setting can be costly, time consuming, and dangerous, while frequently only providing rudimentary objective measures of performance. Additionally, traditional methods of assessing individual marksmanship skills have never been associated with squad level performance in a close combat environment. This research created a comprehensive marksmanship assessment methodology which builds on earlier static and dynamic methodologies. Previous methodology metrics were integrated and additional pertinent aspects of active decision making and lethality were incorporated (i.e., detection, recognition, and identification or target discrimination) while minimizing execution time and employing a mobile, low-cost weapon simulator. This methodology provides streamlined metrics on the entire marksmanship process across two critical shooting styles, and can predict performance in squad level close combat training environments.