Marine Corps Dedicated Marksmen Duty

In the early days of the Marine Corps, leathernecks were recruited to sit atop high masts on U.S. Naval vessels to pick-off enemies during ship-to-ship battles with their muzzle-loaded muskets of yesterday. This tradition of skilled marksmanship still lives today, through Marines around the globe as designated marksmen to protect others.

Designated marksmen currently sit in sandbag bunkers on the rooftop of U.S. Embassies, guarding the lives of Marines, U.S. State Department workers and others who live and work on the embassy grounds. The designated marksmen look over the compound with a watchful eye, searching for anything out of the ordinary.