![\"\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/635763814098452093-150630-m-vz995-006jpg.jpg\")
A rifleman identifies a target through his rifle combat optic during the Super Squad Competition on June 30 aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. The Marines and Sailors tested their abilities to conduct infantry operations for the title of super squad.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo Credit: Cpl. William Perkins\/Marine Corps<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n The squad didn’t conduct extra training to prepare for the competitions, Todd said, but was ready because of its predeployment workup as the Marines prepare to deploy to the Middle East with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force\u2013Crisis Response\u2013Central Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The toughest challenges the squad had to overcome were the differences in terrain, elevation and humidity between Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, where 1\/7 is based, and Camp Pendleton, where the competition was held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Super Squad competitions have taken many forms since they were first introduced in 1957. At one time, the division winners would travel to Quantico, Virginia, to square off for bragging rights as the best squad in the entire Marine Corps. While Super Squads are now limited to the division level, some Marines hope Corps-wide competitions return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Before the war, all divisions competed against each other and were hosted by the commandant. \u2026 We definitely look forward to fostering that competition across all four divisions in the future,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jeffrey Bohn, the 1\/7 battalion gunner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether that will happen remains unclear. But those who win the division competitions can still count themselves among an elite few as they earn the right to wear the gold-plated Annual Rifle Squad Practice Competition Badge alongside marksmanship badges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many Marines don’t recognize the badge, said Cpl. Johnathan Bush, one of the winning squad’s fire team leaders, but it is something he wears with pride and honor, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kohler believes that as more Marines learn about the badge, it’s likely to motivate more infantrymen to want to compete for one of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I think that will make them hungry,” he said. “It is another distinguishing mark to show you are the best.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Super Squad competition for 3rd Marine Division will be held Aug. 28-Sept. 4. The 2nd Marine Division held its second Super Squad June 17-19.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fifteen West Coast Marines were recently named the top infantrymen in their division after winning the first Super Squad competition held there in 15 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":49748,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":69,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[12,69],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1058],"class_list":["post-22802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-your-marine-corps"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"ZMEVBHPDKZCBLAJAA5LGGW7BM4","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2015\/08\/30\/1-7-marines-win-west-coast-super-squad-competition\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n