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The fundamentals of marksmanship are some of the most important skills a Soldier will learn. The competitive marksmanship program, a long-standing tradition, was instituted in the aftermath of the Civil War by the United States Army. In 1884, General Phillip H. Sheridan formalized it when he designated distinguished marksmen with General Order 12. Originally, Soldiers could earn the Distinguished Marksmanship Badge with the rifle, pistol, or carbine. Eventually, the pistol competition separated itself from the rifle competition, and the first United States Army Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge was awarded in 1903. The United States Army Distinguished Rifleman Badge was created, and the Distinguished Marksmanship Badge was no longer awarded. The early badges, along with the Medal of Honor, were the only decorations authorized to be worn on the Army uniform. Although there are greater symbols of excellent marksmanship (such as the Distinguished International Shooter Badge or Olympic Medals), these distinguished badges can generally be earned by applying the fundamentals of marksmanship and remaining cool under pressure.
Excellence in Competition Points
Soldiers earn the Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge after earning 30 Excellence in Competition (EIC) points, also known as leg points or legs. These EIC points are earned through a series of specific marksmanship competitions held throughout the year and are cumulative in nature. After earning their first leg, Soldiers are awarded the Excellence in Competition Pistol Shot (Bronze) Marksmanship Badge, a permanent award accompanied by orders. It is only awarded from the commander of the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) at Fort Benning, Georgia. The AMU maintains the records of approximately 25,000 Soldiers who have obtained EIC points at some point in their career for either the pistol or rifle.1 Soldiers are awarded the Excellence in Competition Pistol Shot (Silver) Marksmanship Badge once 20 EIC points are earned.
Points are awarded based on the shooter's placement in a competition relative to other nondistinguished shooters. A nondistinguished shooter is one who hasn't earned the Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge. So, while the shooter may be competing against some of the best shooters in the country, who are more than likely already recipients of the distinguished pistol badge, a nondistinguished shooter will only be awarded legs based on his performance against other nondistinguished shooters. This was a condition that...