Distinguished Marksman Badge

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In 2019, the CMP introduced the Distinguished Marksman Badge. This allows competitors with a permanent disability or impairment that requires the use of adaptive firing positions, equipment or techniques and who is approved by the CMP in accordance with Rule 2.5.2 a) is eligible to compete to earn EIC credit points that count towards the awarding of the Distinguished Marksman Badge.

CMP Distinguished Marksman Program Application

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact Amy Cantu at acantu@thecmp.org or call (419) 635-2141, ext. 602.

Click here to read about Mark Walsh earning his first Distinguished Marksman Badge EIC credit points.

Distinguished Marksman Authorization.  A Competitor with a permanent disability or limitation who can complete the EIC Service Rifle course of fire while using a WSPS SH1 or similar adaptive positions may be authorized to compete to earn EIC credit points that count towards the awarding of the Distinguished Marksman Badge (9.1.1 f) in accordance with Rule 9.5. The Distinguished Marksman Badge is part of the Distinguished Badge Program  to recognized excellence in rifle and pistol marksmanship that was first established by the U. S. Government in 1884.

CMP Competition Rules – Rule 2.5.1 b)

Distinguished Marksman Authorization.  A Competitor with a permanent disability or limitation who can complete the EIC Service Rifle course of fire while using a WSPS SH1 or similar adaptive positions may be authorized to compete to earn EIC credit points that count towards the awarding of the Distinguished Marksman Badge (9.1.1 f) in accordance with Rule 9.5.

Eligibility

Any shooting sports participant with a permanent disability or impairment that necessitates the use of adaptive positions, equipment or techniques in order to complete a competition course of fire is eligible to apply for a Distinguished Marksman Authorization that authorizes him/her to compete in CMP National Trophy and Excellence-in-Competition (EIC) Matches and earn EIC credit points that count toward the awarding of the CMP Distinguished Marksman Badge.  

Application

Eligible competitors who are interested in participating in this CMP program are invited to submit the application forms to CMP Program Coordinator Amy Cantu acantu@thecmp.org.  Anyone with questions or who needs assistance in completing this form should contact Amy Cantu at (419) 635-2141, ext. 602.

Application Guidelines

Applicants for a Distinguished Marksman Authorization must submit the attached Application Form in which they provide information about their disability or limitation.  Applicants must have a permanent disability or limitation and be capable of safely completing an EIC Match course while using approved adaptive positions, equipment/device(s) and techniques.  Applications must also provide details regarding how applicants propose to complete an EIC Match course(s) of fire by using adaptive positions, equipment/device(s) and techniques.  Proposals can be for either the Pistol EIC Match (Rule 5.3 in the CMP Pistol Competition Rules) or the Rifle EIC Match (Rule 5.4 in the CMP Highpower Rifle Competition Rules).  The following are general standards for adaptive positions that can be approved for use by competitors in this program:

  • Pistol.  Competitor must shoot with one extended arm and the pistol held in a one-handed grip. Competitor may be seated on a stool or wheel chair (application must state whether no, limited or full backrest support is required).  
  • Rifle Standing.  Competitor may hold the rifle with both hands and may not use any other support to hold the rifle in position.  The support arm may rest on the body, but not on any other support. Competitor may be seated on a stool or wheel chair with no or limited backrest support (application must state whether no, limited or full backrest support is required).    
  • Rifle Sitting and Prone.  Competitor may shoot in a regular sitting or prone position or the competitor may shoot from a wheelchair or stool while using a table that mounts on the wheel chair or a separate table.  For the sitting position, the competitor may place both elbows on the table, but may not have body contact with the table.  For the prone position, the competitor may place both elbows on the table plus have body contact with the table.
  • Rifle Rapid-Fire Position Assumption.  The competitor should use a technique for assuming position after loading that involves movement from a starting position to get into the firing position.  Movement from a starting position may be accomplished by taking the rifle out of position and laying it down so it is not held by the hands when time starts.  When time starts/targets come up, competitors may pick up their rifle, chamber the first round, get into position and begin firing.
  • Use of Rifle Stands.  Competitors who cannot hold and/or operate a rifle or pistol with both hands or both hands and a sling (prone and sitting) may propose to shoot with a rifle stand or other support system.  The type of stand to be used must be described in the application.
  • Competitors Who Need to Use Adaptive Devices or Other Adaptive Techniques.  The CMP objective is to make this program accessible to as many persons as possible.  Persons who need to use alternative firing positions or adaptive techniques that do not comply with the guidelines above are encouraged to propose the adaptive positions, techniques or equipment that would be needed for them to be able to participate.
  • Special Assistance.  If an applicant requires special assistance in order to participate, this requirement must be identified in their application.

CMP Review

After the CMP Staff completes its review of your application, it may need to contact you to answer questions or provide additional information.  Proposals for participation in the Distinguished Marksman Program will be evaluated based on reasonable expectations that the applicant can complete the EIC course of fire and that their adaptive positions and equipment provide some degree of comparability with other competitors who fire in these matches.  In pistol, proposals must provide for firing slow, timed and rapid-fire series at 50 and 25 yards.  In rifle proposals must provide for firing slow and rapid-fire series in three positions at 200, 300 and 600 yards.

The CMP rule governing the awarding of Distinguished Marksman Badges is printed below:

9.4 Distinguished Marksman Badges

In addition to general CMP eligibility requirements (see Rule 4.0), the following eligibility requirements apply for Distinguished Marksman EIC matches:

9.4.1 EIC Match Eligibility (Distinguished Marksman Candidate)

A competitor with a permanent disability or impairment that requires the use of adaptive firing positions, equipment or techniques and who is approved by the CMP in accordance with Rule 2.5.2 a) is eligible to compete to earn EIC credit points that count towards the awarding of the Distinguished Marksman Badge.    

9.4.2 Criteria for Earning the Distinguished Marksman Badge

An eligible Distinguished Marksman Candidate who competes in an EIC or National Trophy Pistol Match earns the same number of points that his/her score would have earned if it had been fired by a Non-Distinguished competitor in that competition.

9.4.3 Limited EIC Match Eligibility 

Competitors who are approved to compete to earn Distinguished Marksman EIC credit points may compete for EIC points in a maximum of one National Trophy Individual Match and five (5) CMP-sanctioned Service Rifle EIC matches in any calendar year.  

9.4.4 Awarding of Distinguished Marksman Badges

The CMP awards the Distinguished Marksman Badge when an authorized competitor earns 30 or more points in Service Rifle EIC Matches and has earned at least one eight or ten-point award.