Holsclaw estimates that he fired 400 rounds a day during the practical-shooting clinic. Some clinics taught by the marksmanship unit involve Olympic-style target shooting, for which shooters stand in one place while aiming at round, paper targets. A separate clinic focuses on practical shooting, also called action shooting, in which participants move while firing at human-shaped targets using assault-style rifles such as the AR-15, shotguns, and high-capacity pistols. The Army Marksmanship Unit’s annual shooting clinic for children at Fort Benning is the only one of its kind conducted by the military. About 350 children have participated in the Army clinic since its inception in 2008. Other clinics that teach practical shooting to children are run by private organizations around the country.

Practical-shooting participants “take on obstacle laden shooting courses”—called stages—“requiring anywhere from six to 30 plus shots to complete,” according to a description on the Army Marksmanship Unit’s website. “The scoring system measures points scored per second, then weights the score to compensate for the number of shots fired. If the shooter misses a target, or shoots inaccurately, points are deducted, lowering that all-important points-per-second score.”

Speed and accuracy are essential to the sport. “A fast run with poor hits or misses is likely to cost you the match just as perfect shots and a slow time will not win,” according to the website. “The key to success is a balance of speed and accuracy, just like a gun fight.”

In practical-shooting competitions, participants move between firing ranges that look like real-life combat scenarios. One of the “stages” at Fort Benning is designed to look like a rooftop.

“The most important is to learn to shoot effectively while moving quickly,” said Katie Harris, a member of the marksmanship unit who ran the practical-shooting clinic for children in previous years. “When kids get on the rooftop they have to jump up there as fast as they can so they can engage all their targets.”

During the three-day-long Army workshop, participants spend their days on the marksmanship unit’s eight shooting ranges spread across 240 acres at Fort Benning. A typical day starts at 8:30 a.m. with a flag-raising ceremony. The children then head to the ranges in small groups, where they are taught the fine points of gun handling and maintenance, along with movement between stages.

At night, clinic participants and their parents socialize with cookouts. Holsclaw recalled how the instructors inspired him with their upbeat attitudes and technical shooting skilled. While the instructors were strict when it came to safety, they “were absolutely hilarious and kidded around with us,” he said.

Spots in the practical-shooting clinic are in high demand. In previous years, the 50 spots were quickly filled and some applicants were placed on a waiting list. This year, the clinic was limited to 15 participants to provide more personalized instruction. To be accepted, applicants must already have participated in practical-shooting competitions.