As everyone knows, our 2025 CSA sweepstakes wrapped up in March. While our primary goal was to raise funds to support initiatives that directly benefit our community, we also wanted to give everyone a chance to win the grand prize — the CADEX rifle. In addition to the usual entries, we offered the opportunity to submit an essay, and we ended up receiving six entries, each deserving recognition. All of the essays shared a deep passion for long-range shooting, and it’s that same passion that unites us all. However, there was one essay that especially stood out. It went beyond the love of the sport and delved into the deeper values that marksmanship teaches us—precision, responsibility, and self- discipline. The submission highlighted that the skills we learn aren’t just about shooting tight groups but about how we carry ourselves and represent our community. In a world where some may not understand or appreciate these values, it’s essential that we stand together and preserve the integrity of what we do. I wanted to share this essay with you all. The member who submitted it has requested to remain anonymous as they are currently serving in a sniper position within one of our battalions, but needless to say, the future of our community is bright.
Marksmanship is a unique subject that extends much further than holding a rifle and shooting accurately. A marksman exemplifies some of the most impressive qualities a person can possess. Precision, consideration, and responsibility are just some of the foundations of marksmanship that go beyond simply shooting well. In an effort to convey these principles effectively, I considered writing about the opportunities that I’ve been presented with, the complex and challenging nature of the job, or why I love marksmanship. Instead, I would like to take this
opportunity to establish that the principles of marksmanship can be applied to anything – they can be used as a universal guide against the chaos we resist everyday.
Against our best interests and opposed to order, chaos threatens to envelop every aspect of our lives. It antagonizes us through the random destruction and dispersion of what we care about. The goals we envision ourselves accomplishing are continually resisted by this malevolent force. Dealing with chaos requires consideration as it is not solely inflicted upon us externally. We all have the potential to cultivate chaos within our own minds. Fear and hesitation overwhelms the judgement of those who are unprepared and overconfident. An unseen detail, a passed opportunity, an anomalous event – these are all examples of chaos rearing its ugly head.
The marksman is the ultimate resistor to this calamity. As marksmen, we challenge any and all unknown variables. Far in advance of picking up our rifle, we visualize the journey ahead with extreme prejudice. The energy required to accomplish the goal is drawn out of the chaos by the careful selection process of the marksman. The precision required for the task does not count on luck; it is assured through rigorous training. With thorough reflection, we evaluate and calculate every factor that could affect our success in hitting the selected target. Kit packed, route planned, we set out on whatever journey required to place ourselves in the prime firing position. Before the final breaths are drawn and the slack is pulled from the trigger, we look up from our scopes and make our last considerations. We think about the internal and external ballistics, about the weather conditions, about the gradient and ever-changing nature of wind, right up until every last detail as it concerns our goal. A clean break, the swirling trace of the round – everything is suspended before the final, fatal moment we seek. We resist chaos every time a target is struck with intention.
Standing guard against the challenges of daily life requires a strong presence of mind. Complacency is a friend of chaos. Long after the marksman lays down their rifle for the last time, the processes for achieving their goals and desires remain the same. They are responsible for upholding the standard passed down to them by their mentors. Their position is held accordingly, aligned naturally towards their goal, ensuring the aim is correct. The final consideration of the marksman, above all else and most importantly, they will always follow through.
