Just recently, my company conducted a M16 100m range. As the title would suggest, i shot down 23/28 targets to become a marksman, just one more than the qualifying mark of 22 (+/-80%). i miss 2 targets for my day shoot, and 3 targets for my night shoot.

i was very disappointed with myself for the 3 missed targets during the night shoot. This is because on the previous night, i was able to shoot down all targets during the night shoot practice. Well, i wasnt so lucky on the second night, which was the actual test day. What's causing me greater grief is the fact that the 3 missed targets were 3 rounds in one single magazine, i.e. i miss 3 consecutive targets for the 100m Fig. 11 Illuminated target. And Fig. 11 is the biggest target board around! i missed them all!!! How can i forgive myself...? Oh well, forget about it. It's all over. i earned myself the title of a marksman anyway. Additional $200 plus a badge. i should be happy, at least happier than the rest who are not $200 richer.

*narrative recall begins here* (stop if you hate narratives)
Anyway, before i officially earned the title of a marksman, i was already known by many others to be a sharpshooter. During my NCC days in ACS(I), i shot down 20/20 targets for the 100m range. i shot down at least 24 targets on the first day of practice, becoming an unofficial marksman. What actually made my day on the second day, which is the test day, and covered up any grief and unhappiness was the fact that i was chosen to help test-shoot the target boards before the commencement for the night shoot.

Before night shoot began, my detail of 12 shooters were summoned to test shoot the 12 lanes of target boards. i was the detail i/c, being in lane one. We were given 2 magazines of 4 rounds, inclusive of one tracer round. i began testing my lane with my first magazine. All 4 shots hit the targets, concluding a fine and perfectly working lane. Next to me at lane 2 was my buddy, who is a 'boboshooter' (opposite of marksman). Well, not that he couldnt shoot for nuts, it just so happened that all 4 shots by him didnt cause the target to fall, making the lane inconclusive of its working condition. My platoon sergeant, who was the chamber safety overall i/c, decided to get me to shoot at lane 2 should my buddy fail to hit his targets again. My buddy succeeded in his predisposition of missing his targets, setting me off to firing at lane 2. Guess what? The target didnt fall either. Once again, lane two's working condition was inconclusive. When i was about to leave the chamber, my platoon sergeant told me to draw another 2 magazines of rounds. i was surprised but i quicky abided to his instructions. To much greater surprise, i was the only person drawing ammunition. i marched off to lane 2, changed my mind along the way, and decided to fast march (somewhere between walking and jogging) there. At that moment, something happened which got me really amused and happy at the same time. An officer, a platoon commander for platoon 1 (i'm in platoon 3) who is inside the control room spoke into his microphone, "Firer, please watch your step." In my mind, i said, "Hey, he's referring to you!" Such concern showered upon me. Haha, it sure was amusing.

i was watched by 8 commander specialists as i entered lane 2 to test the target boards. It felt weird, yet at the same time i was feeling extremely exhilarated by the fact that my capability was recognised. i fired my first magazine, hitting my first shot, missing my second, and for my last round, a miracle happened. There were 2 target boards standing side by side. With one last round, i fired away, seemingly hitting both targets as i saw them both falling. Woah, even i was awed by what happened For the next magazine, i seemingly missed all my shots, with none of the targets falling. Lane 2 couldnt be concluded AGAIN. i drew 2 more magazines of ammunition to shoot again but conclusion still proved elusive. Was i not a marksman after all? To check that out, they summoned a specialist who was able to shoot down all his targets during the day shoot. For him, the targets stood firm too. Finally, lane 2 was concluded to have target boards which were not working properly.

i went back to the holding area feeling a little confused and ashamed. Those targets which i didnt hit, did i really miss them? Or that the conclusion was right and i did hit the targets but they just didnt fall due to technical problems. My heart was warmed once again when the range sergeant major, which was another company's Company Sergeant Major (CSM) came out from the control room looking for me telling me that i shouldnt be desponded by my last 3 magazines of failed shots. He told me that i could really shoot, just that there were some problems with lane 2. Such care and concern showered over me once again, i felt really happy that day even though i didnt shoot as well as i expected it to be.

The world isnt such a dark place after all. There are angels among us. You just have to open your eyes and look for them, like stars shining in the universe. "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me." (Philippians 2:14-18)

Shine like stars in the universe. ACS(I) 2004 Theme of the Year for their students.