About: United States Army Marksmanship Unit

The United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU or AMU) is a part of U.S. Army providing small arms marksmanship training for soldiers and enhancing Army recruiting. The unit was originally established in 1956 at the direction of president Dwight D. Eisenhower to the mission of winning international competitions, which at the time was dominated by the Soviet Union. At the 1964 Summer Olympics, the United States won seven medals in shooting, of which six were won by Army Marksmanship Unit members; unit members have continued to win medals at subsequent competitions. A 2008 New York Times article notes that the unit has "a reputation as the country's premier training school for competitive shooters." The unit has also trained army snipers and assisted in the development of weaponry.