With the 2025 Marine Corps Championships just around the corner, let’s go back in time and take a look at how and where they were held back in 1956.
This copy of the article from Leatherneck Magazine (August 1956) has come our way compliments of our own Ray Del Rio (1st Sgt. USMC Retired) — thank you, Ray!
Reading the pages of the article, it appears that at the time not only were there ONLY TWO “Division Matches,” but the “Marine Corps Match” was held at Parris Island. …Among other points, it’s interesting to read how the qualifying course at the time for the Rifle was modified for the Marine Corps Match so as to parallel the course of fire for the rifle at the matches which would be held in August of 1956 at Camp Perry, Ohio.
The Marine Corps Championships will take place 10-18 April with the Awards Ceremony occuring on 18 April at 0900 on Range 4.
Following the Awards Ceremony, there will be a live-fire event for members to fire some of the newer courses of fire and acquaint themselves with evaluations being implemented — and there will also be a BBQ in the Downrange Club.
We will be holding our 2025 Reunion/Cookout at Randy Allen’s Bittersweet Farm in Unionville, VA (near Lake Anna). This will be the 3rd year that Randy has hosted our event. Recently he and Leslie built a large pavilion capable of seating everyone (see pictures below). No more tents to set up and tear down!
Our Reunion will again be catered by Mission Bar-B-Q. (We took note of the chow that went fast last year, and have adjusted the quantities to suit our appetites.) When making your plans, please keep in mind that we need to provide the final numbers to Mission Bar-B-Q NLT 9 May 2025.
The cost of entry to this year’s event will be $30.00 for Life Members and Annual Members (in good standing). Please send your RSVP for the Reunion and your check to: MCDSA, P.O. Box 134, Quantico, VA 22134.
***Please respond early enough so that we have your RSVP in time to meet the 9 May deadline for ordering our chow.***
A lot of preparations have already started, and now all you have to do is add the weekend of 17 May 2025 to your calendar. We will still have the silent auction if you have any items to donate to the Association, and there will be Door Prizes and 50/50 Raffle Tickets. We will also have copies of the “Red Book” Vol. I and Vol. II available for purchase (…get them autographed while at the Reunion!) and Fraternal Items will also be available.
If you plan on bringing an RV or Camper, please coordinate with Leslie or Randy (their #s are listed in our Membership Directory) — this reunion will be a great opportunity to hang out for a few days!
Commercial lodging is available in Culpepper which is about 20 to 22 miles away from the Reunion/Cookout site.
And, for those who might be interested, Randy will set up his grill Friday evening for anyone wanting to bring their own grub to throw on the Bar-B (with maybe a side to share?) and we’ll sit by the bonfire and tell war stories.
Note: The above recording of the Marines’ Hymn is one performed by a Marine Brass Ensemble (of the United States Marine Band) on Feb. 23, 2020 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.
Click on the following headline to read the article published in the Marine Corps Times.
Two of our own have been honored by the United States Marine Corps.
With the annual National Capital Region (NCR) matches being established as a regular part of the Marine Corps Competition-In-Arms Program’s annually-held regional competitions, there was a need to establish new Team Trophies to be awarded each year to the winning Rifle Team and the winning Pistol Team at the NCR matches, and two of our own were chosen to be honored by having the Team Trophies respectively named in their honor:
Nelson Ocasio and Brian Zins
This amazing honor was conferred and announced earlier this year, and so for the first time in history the National Capital Region “Ocasio Rifle Team Trophy” and the National Capital Region “Zins Pistol Team Trophy” will each be presented and awarded to the NCR winning teams at the upcoming National Capital Region competitions’ Awards Ceremony on 25 October 2024.
Individual members of each winning team will also be awarded either an “Ocasio Rifle Team Trophy Badge” or a “Zins Pistol Team Trophy Badge” and the name of the winning Team will be inscribed on a plate affixed to the base of their actual, respective trophy.
It is with great pride that we give a loud “Ooorah!” and hearty congratulations to both Nelson Ocasio and Brian Zins on the occasion of this great honor in recognition of their own individual achievements within the Marine Corps’ Competition-In-Arms Program!
Nelson Ocasio and the National Capital Region Ocasio Rifle Team Trophy while at the NCR Awards Ceremony held in Quantico, VA (25 October 2024)
Congratulations to Team WTBN SCARLET
(A. Grissom, P. Liu-Gorman, M. Martinez, J. Stewart, P. Williams) which WON the
2024 National Capital Region Rifle Team Match!
Brian Zins and the National Capital Region Zins Pistol Team Trophy while at the NCR Awards Ceremony held in Quantico, VA (25 October 2024)
Congratulations to Team WTBN GOLD
(M. Andre, J. Flessner, D. Hannigan, C. Schilling) which WON the
The Marine Corps FY 2025’s Competition-In-Arms Program (CIAP) regional Marine Corps Marksmanship Competitions (MCMC) kick off THIS week with the start of the first regional match in the series of FIVE regional marksmanship competitions which then culminate with the Marine Corps Championships held 07 – 18 April 2025.
#1 – MCMC National Capital Region (NCR): 17 – 25 October 2024 – hosted by CO, WTBn, Quantico
#2 – MCMC Far East: 05 – 20 December 2024 – hosted by CG, MCB Smedley D. Butler
#3 – MCMC Pacific: 23 – 31 January 2025 – hosted by CO, MCB Hawaii
#4 – MCMC West: 06 – 21 February 2025 – hosted by CG, Marine Corps Installations West, MCB Camp Pendleton
#5 – MCMC East: 27 February – 14 March 2025 – hosted by CG, Marine Corps Installations East, MCB Camp Lejeune
#6 – Marine Corps Championships: 07 April – 18 April 2025 – hosted by CG, Training Command, Quantico
The MCDSA Board of Governors met on 14 September 2024 and formalized acceptance of the updated Constitution and By-laws which had been earlier approved by a majority of the voting members of the Marine Corps Distinguished Shooters Association.
Whereas the updated Constitution calls for there to be a Vice-President/East Coast (east of the Mississippi) and a Vice-President/West Coast (west of the Mississippi), Harry Harrison was nominated and approved to fill the position of VP/West Coast. The position of VP/East Coast will be filled at the Board’s next meeting which is currently scheduled to be held on 12 April 2025.
The date and place for our 2025 Reunion was also established:
Date: 17 May 2025
Place: Bittersweet Farm’s Pavilion
Unionville, VA
Mark your calendars and start planning your trip – 17 May 2025 will be here before you know it!
