| D.C. Sniper Suspect's Military Background | |
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Dateline: 10/25/02
U.S. Department of Defense officials have released details of the past military service of John Allen Muhammad, aka John Allen Williams, one of the two men arrested Oct. 24 in connection with the D.C.-area sniper case.
Muhammad, along with 17-year-old John Lee Malvo are suspected of killing 10 people and critically wounding three others in a series of snipping attacks that began on Oct. 2.
Muhammad Served as 'Williams'
According to the Defense Department, Muhammad began and completed his
military service under the name John Allen Williams and served as follows:
- From 1978 to 1985, served in the Louisiana Army National Guard
- Went on active military duty in 1985, serving in the Army with:
- the 15th Engineer Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington
- the 84th Engineer Company in Germany in 1990
- the 13th Engineer Battalion at Fort Ord, California in 1992
- the 14th Engineer Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington in 1993
- Left active military duty in 1994
- Served in the Oregon Army National Guard until 1995
Williams also saw duty in the Persian Gulf War and held three military job specialties: metalworker, combat engineer and water transport specialist. His highest rank held was sergeant. His awards and decorations include the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Ribbon and the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal. He qualified as expert with both the M-16 rifle and hand grenades, according to the Department of Defense.
Due to privacy restrictions and pending court actions, the status of Williams' military discharge could not be disclosed.
Suspect's Military Marksmanship Training
U.S. Army officials confirmed that sniper suspect Muhammad, while serving
under the name "Williams," had earned an
expert rating with the Colt
M-16, the standard infantry rifle issued by the U.S. Military. The expert
badge is the highest of three levels of marksmanship attainable by soldiers
receiving basic training.
In order to earn the expert badge, soldiers must hit 36 out of 40 upper torso-sized targets at distances from 50 to 300 meters, without the use of a telescopic sight. Police estimate that none of the D.C. sniper's shots exceeded a range of 175 meters.
No matter what their specialty or daily duty may be, all members of all branches of the U.S. Military receive mandatory basic training in the use and maintenance of the M-16 rifle, the military version of the Bushmaster XM-15 rifle used by the D.C.-area sniper. Failure to meet minimum marksmanship qualification standards, is grounds for discharge.
The basic, minimal level of marksmanship training delivered by the Army is fully described in the "US Army Rifle Marksmanship Training Manual." Under this program, soldiers are trained in the use and maintenance of the M-16A2 and M-16A1 rifles. The training manual contains details on disassembly and reassembly, sighting and firing of the rifles under a wide variation of battlefield conditions.
"The procedures and techniques for implementing the Army rifle marksmanship training program are based on the concept that all soldiers must understand common firing principles, be proficient marksmen, and be confident in applying their firing skills in combat," says the training manual. "The accomplishment of these phases are basic and necessary in mastering the correct techniques of marksmanship and when functioning as a soldier in a combat area."
