MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- The Miramar rifle and pistol range became officially known as the Hathcock Range Complex Thursday, following a dedication ceremony held at the complex here.

The range, named after Gunnery Sgt. Carlos N. Hathcock, trains Marines from the air station on pistol and rifle marksmanship using state of the art computer systems.

Hathcock’s legendary status as one of the Corps’ finest snipers contributed to the decision to name the state-of-the-art marksmanship facility in his honor.

According to Master Sgt. James Stucker, the range complex chief, officially naming the range adds to the sense of pride the staff has and establishes a unique identity for what he describes as one of the Corps’ finest ranges.

“My vision is that putting a name like Hathcock on the range facility will instill the next level of pride within the Marines,” Stucker said. “This should transition over to their coaching skills and abilities.

“In return, this should impact the Marines aboard the air station when they come to learn and master marksmanship,” added Stucker.

The range, ran by the Marines and civilian contractors aboard the air station, is completely electronic.

Marines fire from the same location throughout the course of fire while the targets move to the 200, 300, and 500 yard lines.

Personnel firing on the Hathcock range do not have to pull targets, mark their scores or move from yard line to yard line.

From the famous Hathcock shot that killed an enemy from more than 2,500 yards away to the Miramar Marine laying prone at the 500 yard line on qualification day, one thing remains a constant for Marine riflemen: one shot, one kill. The Miramar Hathcock Range Complex stands aptly named and ready to help achieve this goal.