1. Rifle Marksmanship D The Kneeling Position INSTRUCTION:
Kneeling Position Model
Steps in Building the Kneeling Position
Shot Technique in Kneeling
Firing a 3-Position Course of Firing and Qualification Firing
7D.1 The Kneeling Position
Your marksmanship instruction has now introduced you to basic shot technique and firing in the supported position, the standing position, the proper use of the sling and the prone position. This means you are ready to learn the third of the three regular firing positions that are used in JROTC air rifle marksmanship, the kneeling position.
The kneeling position is generally less stable than prone because it has a higher center of gravity. In kneeling, you are allowed to use two aids to support and stabilize the position, a kneeling roll and a sling. You will need to learn how to use both properly to attain good kneeling results.
Kneeling is the most complicated of the three positions, because you must work out a series of interrelationships between the arms, legs and body. If you do this well, however, your kneeling scores should be nearly as good as your prone scores.
Update: 21Aug10

2. 2008 Olympic Medalists’ Kneeling Positions
Silver
Silver
2008 Olympic Medalists’ Kneeling Positions
Gold
Gold
7D.2 Model Kneeling Positions
Model Positions. The kneeling positions used by these rifle medalists in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing are shown here to give you models to follow in developing your kneeling position.
Olympic Medalists. The shooter on the top left is Matt Emmons of the USA. Matt won a silver medal in the meter prone rifle event and was one shot away from a gold medal in the 50 meter 3-position rifle event when an accidental discharge on his last shot dropped him to fourth place. The shooter at the top right is Lioubov Galkina of Russia, who won gold and silver medals in the women’s 50 meter 3-position events in 2004 and The shooter on the lower left and lower center is Du Li of China, the gold medalist in the 2008 women’s 50 meter 3-position event. The shooter on the lower right is Qiu Jian of China, the gold medalist in the 2008 men’s 50 meter 3-position event.
As you study these photos, note: 1) how they use their kneeling rolls to support their bodies, 2) how they sit with their body weight back on their right heels, 3) how they configure their left leg and arm and 4) how they keep their heads reasonably erect.
Gold

3. Build the Position Foundation
KNEELING
Step 1:
Build the Position Foundation
Place kneeling roll on firing point, turn degrees from the line of fire
Kneel over the roll, rest ankle on roll, keep right foot vertical
Sit on right heel, keep weight back on heel
Locate left foot so lower leg is vertical
7D.3 Kneeling, Step 1, Build the Position Foundation
Step 1--Build the Position Foundation by Sitting on the Heel and Kneeling Roll with Lower Left Leg Vertical. There are four distinct stages to this first step in building a foundation for a stable kneeling position:
Place the kneeling roll on the firing point. It is best to place the kneeling roll directly on the floor and not on a shooting mat. Turn the roll 40 to 60 degrees away from the line of fire to give an initial orientation to your body.
Kneel over the roll with the ankle resting on the roll. The right knee should point the same direction as the kneeling roll. Be sure to keep the right fool vertical as you prepare to sit on this foot.
Sit down on the right heel. Try to place the heel in the center of the buttocks. Sit with your body weight resting on the heel just like you would sit on a chair.
Bend the left leg so that the knee is up and the lower leg is vertical. There are two position check-points here: 1) the right foot must be vertical as you sit on it and 2) your lower left leg should also be in a vertical position.

4. KNEELING
Steps 2 and 3
7D.4 Kneeling, Steps 2 and 3
Now that the kneeling roll, legs and lower body are in place to give you a position foundation, your are ready to add the rifle to the position.
Step 2--Put the Sling On and Attach It to the Rifle. Put the sling on just as you do in prone. Place the loop high on the arm and tighten it. Extend the sling as long as possible so that the sling will hang loose when you shoulder the rifle.
Step 3--Shoulder the Rifle and Put Your Left Elbow in Place. After attaching the sling, lift the rifle up into position on your shoulder as you grasp the fore-arm with your left hand. To find the right location for your left elbow, sit with your body weight resting back on your right heel. Without reaching forward with your left elbow, simply drop your left arm down to your left knee. The elbow will normally fall onto the knee or slightly behind the knee; the red dashed oval in the illustration (above right) shows the area where most elbow locations will be. Wherever your elbow falls on your knee or upper leg, use that as a starting point for building the rest of your kneeling position.
Left Elbow Location
Step 2: Put the sling on and attach it to the rifle
Step 3: Shoulder the rifle and place the left elbow on the left knee or just behind the knee

5. KNEELING, Step 4
Locate the butt-plate high enough in the shoulder to establish a good head position
KNEELING, Step 5
Adjust the rifle height by moving the left hand forward or rearward on the fore-end until the sights are aligned at target level
7D.5 Kneeling, Steps 4 and 5
Just as you did in prone, the next steps involve adjusting the height of the rifle in relation to the shoulder and head and in relation to the target.
Step 4--Place the Butt-Plate Up in the Shoulder so the Head is Reasonably Erect. In the kneeling position, keeping the head up aids vision and balance. The butt-plate should remain in solid contact with the shoulder and be located a little higher than it is in prone. With the butt of the rifle and your head in a fixed position, you must next adjust the rifle height so that the sights come up to target level.
Step 5--Adjust the Rifle Height by Shifting the Left Hand Forward or Rearward. The height of the rifle is always adjusted by moving the left hand on the fore-end, not by moving the butt-plate up and down. Adjust the rifle height so that the sights on your rifle come up to target level. At this stage, be concerned only with having the sights at target level, not with whether the sights point at your particular target. You will fix that problem in Step 7.

6. KNEELING, Step 6
Loosen the hand stop and move it back to the fork of the left hand--tighten
Tighten the sling until it takes over the work of hold up the rifle
7D.6 Kneeling, Step 6, Tighten the Hand-Stop and Sling
Step 6--Move the Hand-Stop to the Hand and Tighten the Sling. When you find a left hand location on the fore-arm that aligns the sights to target level, adjust the hand-stop on the fore-end so that it rests in the fork of the hand (between the thumb and fingers). Then tighten the sling until it takes over the work of holding up the rifle.
Once you have found a hand-stop location and sling length adjustment that gives you a comfortable, steady kneeling position, you can mark those adjustments on your rifle and sling so that you can return to that same adjustment each time you fire that particular rifle.

7. KNEELING
Step 7
Rotate the position to align the sights with your target
Pivot over the kneeling roll while moving the left foot and right knee
7D.7 Kneeling, Step 7, Rotate to Your Target
Step 7--Rotate the Position to Your Target. If you built your position correctly, your sling should be doing the work of holding up the rifle and your rifle sights should be aligned at target level, pointing at somebody’s target, not necessarily your own. Your position should now have a “natural point of aim” or location where the sights point naturally when your body is relaxed. This natural point of aim must be aligned with your target. Do this by rotating your entire position by pivoting over your right heel as it rests on the kneeling roll. Rotate by shifting your left foot and right knee to the left or right to align your sights and position with your target. When your rifle sights point naturally at your target, you are ready to start shooting in the kneeling position.

8. Shot Technique in Kneeling
Approach bull’s-eye from same direction, Exhale & stop breathing, take up trigger slack
Center the front sight movement over the bull’s-eye
7D.8 Shot Technique in Kneeling
With your position built, you can begin to do aiming exercises, dry fire and shoot groups in kneeling as you work out a technique for you to use to fire accurate shots in kneeling:
Start by approaching the bull’s-eye from the same direction each time. After shouldering the rifle and starting to set up your position, let the front sight settle down onto the bull. As you center the bull’s-eye, take one more breath, exhale and stop breathing. Simultaneously take up the trigger slack and add initial pressure to the trigger. As you prepare to fire the shot make sure your left arm is relaxed and you body feels balanced (not leaning to either side).
Next focus your attention on your front sight and sight picture. Center the front sight movements over the bull’s-eye.
With the front sight movements centered, add gradual pressure to the trigger until the shot fires. This basic technique is the same as in the other positions: Center the movement--squeeze the trigger.
Squeeze the trigger while the front sight movement is centered

9. Kneeling Position: Balance point Balance point
The final step in establishing a good position is to practice live and dry firing in the new position
Balance point
To have a stable kneeling position:
a. Keep your body weight back on your right heel
b. Keep your right foot and left lower leg vertical
c. Balance your position over the left and right heels
7D.9 Firing Exercises in Kneeling
As soon as you work out a kneeling position where your upper body and rifle are comfortably balanced above your left foot and right heel on the kneeling roll, you are ready to start firing exercises in the kneeling position. Be sure to precede each live fire series with dry firing or aiming exercises.
To attain the best stability and highest results in kneeling, pay attention to these things:
Keep your body weight resting back on your right heel. The weight of your body should balance directly above that heel.
Keep your right foot and left lower leg both vertical. If these two support elements tip or lean to the side, the position will change for each shot and lose its stability. Keep the right foot vertical so your body weight pushes straight down. Keep your left lower leg vertical or pushed slightly forward so that your body weight remains back on your heel, not on your left foot.
Try to balance your position so that the weight of your body and rifle balance directly above your right heel on the kneeling roll and your left foot. Little or no weight should press down on your right knee. In kneeling, a balanced position is a steady position.

10. 3-Position Shooting
Practice Kneeling until your are comfortable with the position
Then you are ready for three-position shooting
Standard 3-Position Course of Fire (3x10):
Sighters + 10 shots for record prone
Sighters + 10 shots for record standing
Sighters + 10 shots for record kneeling
3x10 is the standard event for Expert qualification and annual JROTC Postal Competitions
Sighters: Practice or zeroing shots before record shots
7D Position Shooting
After you practice kneeling until you feel comfortable with the position, you will be ready to shoot a standard 3-position course of fire. The standard three-position course of fire is 10 shots for record in each of the positions, prone, standing and kneeling. The positions must be fired in sequence in that order.
Time Limits. Each position is timed separately. Time limits are: Prone = 20 minutes, standing = 20 minutes and kneeling = 15 minutes.
Competition Target. In most cases, by the time new shooters are ready to fire 3-position courses of fire to try for the Expert qualification medal or to compete in the Annual JROTC Postals, they will be firing on 10-bull competition targets (lower right illustration). With this target all sighting or practice shots must be fired at the two bulls in the center of the target with a guard ring around them. Ten record shots are fired on one target, one shot on each record bull.
Sighters. Shooters may fire as many sighter or practice shots as they wish before starting the 10 record shots, but all shots must be fired within the time limit for that position. The most important thing to do during sighting shots is to make any sight adjustments needed to center the shot group.
Zeroing. In order to zero your rifle prior to starting record shots in any position, you must be able to see the locations of your sighting shots. If your unit has spotting scores, this is the best way to do this. If spotting scopes are not available, an alternative is to have a short zeroing period before starting the prone position so that shooters can check their shot group locations and make sight adjustments.

11. Qualification Awards
JROTC Qualification Badges: Marksman, Sharpshooter, Expert
Marksmanship Ribbons
Awarded according to regulations
Goal: To demonstrate your marksmanship skill by qualifying
7D.10 Earn Recognition:
A challenging JROTC marksmanship goal that is attainable by most cadets who participate in JROTC air rifle marksmanship is to earn one or more of the recognition or qualification awards that are available. These awards are authorized for wear on JROTC uniforms. They offer a visible means for cadets to demonstrate the skills they learn through this program.
JROTC Qualification Badges. The Army JROTC program has adopted a new “Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Awards” system that offers cadets opportunities to earn Marksman, Sharpshooter and Expert qualification badges. Basic regulations for this program are given in the next slide. These badges may also be earned by cadets in other JROTC programs.
Marksmanship Ribbons. Navy and Marine Corps JROTC regulations provide for “marksmanship ribbons” that may be awarded to cadets who meet qualification or rifle team standards.
Award Regulations. Regulations have been established by the JROTC Commands to provide standards for rifle marksmanship awards. Check these regulations for additional details.
Opportunities to Earn Awards. The standards for earning these awards are high enough that cadets must work to earn them, but all cadets who receive marksmanship training can earn them if they are willing to do the practice necessary to bring their scores up to the qualification levels.
Note: JROTC Instructors may procure these qualification badges through their supply systems.
New JROTC Air Rifle Marksmanship Qualification Badges—may be worn on uniforms

12. Qualification Firing Use BMC or AR targets
Use sporter rifles, no special clothing
Marksman & Sharpshooter: Count best 10-shot scores in standing and prone
Expert: Count best 3-position (3x10) total
Check regulations for details
7D.11 AJROTC Qualification Firing Regulations:
Detailed requirements for JROTC instructors to follow in conducting qualification firing and awarding qualification badges are given in the qualification regulations. A copy of the most recent qualification regulations is included in this section of the JMIC Instructors Notebook. Here is a summary of those requirements:
Sporter Air Rifles. Qualification firing must be done with sporter air rifles. Precision class rifles may not be used.
No Shooting Jackets. Cadets may not wear shooting jackets or other special shooting clothing during qualification firing.
BMC or AR Targets. Either the BMC or 10-bull competition target may be used. Scores are adjusted according to the target used.
Marksman & Sharpshooter. To earn these badges, cadets must fire qualifying scores in two positions, standing and prone. Any ten-shot score that qualifies may be counted; targets do not have to be fired consecutively or at the same time.
Expert. Qualification firing for the Expert Badge must be done by completing a 3x10 course of fire where time limits (see regulations) are followed and all three targets are fired together.
Qualification Scores. Scores that must be fired to earn qualification badges are listed in the qualification score chart in the regulations.