News : Shellsburg's newest Marine earns Expert Marksmanship status

Sixty years after his grandfather, retired Marine Master Sergeant Monte Railsback, graduated from Marine Crops Recruit Depot in San Diego, Calif., Marine, Private Keenan Brown graduated there on 8 July 2016. Keenan is the son of Ken and Kandis Brown and grandson of Monte and Mary Ann Railsback all of Shellsburg. He is a 2015 graduate of Vinton-Shellsburg High School. His Marine graduation was attended by his parents, grandparents, sister Kosette Brown and girl friend, Hannah Hoepner. During the weapons phase of weapons training, Private Brown achieved the distinction of being a Expert Marksman by firing a score of 328 with the score of 305 being the minimum score of achieving Expert Status. Private Brown indicated that being a Marine Expert Marksman was second only to receiving the Eagle, Globe and Anchor in a Ceremony atop a 700 foot mountain called the Grim Reaper that he had just hiked up. After a ten day leave, Private Brown returned to Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California for training at the School of Infantry as every Marine is basically a Rifleman and must learn infantry tactics. After completion of training at the School of Infantry, Private Brown will report to Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for Military Occupational Specialty Training.