Dominant eye theory

[SMOKEY12103]

In the post Sep. 25, 2025, a great discussion abour cross-eye, aka Dominant Eye theory. My first assignment in 1964 at Ft. Knox, Ky. was "Training Company Commander" USATCA. On the rifle range one day I observed a recruit having difficulty (M-14). Many of my troops were from West Va. or Kentucky, so marksmanship should have been a no-brainer. I climbed in the shooting pit and talked with the soldier who showed me his shooting posture-sure enough, he leaned his head right so he could see with his left eye, but not well. Unnatural. I asked him to move the weapon to his left shoulder and try again. BULLSEYE! Ithen explained the theory which I had read in Reader's Digest just before going on active duty. Since the age of about 10, I have always shot left-handed. Grandpaw didn't care as long as I hit what I was aiming for. I called the cadre together, explained the theory and sent them back on line to observe and correct soldiers attempting to shoot with the wrong eye. The interesting part came next when my Brigade Commander, Col. Wm. Wise stopped by and asked me what I was doing. I explained the theory, showed him the result and to my amazement he remarked he'd have to put out a training directive. I was astounded as Col. Wise was a WW2 &Korean war vet. Many years later, talking with a recent vet we discussed this and he told me sometime in the 90'S the Army began to test the soldiers early in BASIC.

 

[Cedric]

In the post Sep. 25, 2025, a great discussion abour cross-eye, aka Dominant Eye theory. My first assignment in 1964 at Ft. Knox, Ky. was "Training Company Commander" USATCA. On the rifle range one day I observed a recruit having difficulty (M-14). Many of my troops were from West Va. or Kentucky, so marksmanship should have been a no-brainer. I climbed in the shooting pit and talked with the soldier who showed me his shooting posture-sure enough, he leaned his head right so he could see with his left eye, but not well. Unnatural. I asked him to move the weapon to his left shoulder and try again. BULLSEYE! Ithen explained the theory which I had read in Reader's Digest just before going on active duty. Since the age of about 10, I have always shot left-handed. Grandpaw didn't care as long as I hit what I was aiming for. I called the cadre together, explained the theory and sent them back on line to observe and correct soldiers attempting to shoot with the wrong eye. The interesting part came next when my Brigade Commander, Col. Wm. Wise stopped by and asked me what I was doing. I explained the theory, showed him the result and to my amazement he remarked he'd have to put out a training directive. I was astounded as Col. Wise was a WW2 &Korean war vet. Many years later, talking with a recent vet we discussed this and he told me sometime in the 90'S the Army began to test the soldiers early in BAS

We were testing in basic at Ft. Knox in the early 80s.

 

[mikep]

All eye dominance issues are solved by finding yourself a good “leanin’ tree”. Isn’t that right @Belt Fed ?

 

[Belt Fed]

All eye dominance issues are solved by finding yourself a good “leanin’ tree”. Isn’t that right @Belt Fed ?

Yep, even a cyclops could shoot good agin a tree.

 

[OldGrunt]

Yep, even a cyclops could shoot good agin a tree.

 

[Oldwrxguy]

That is very interesting. I am left eye dominant even though right handed. When I joined the Dallas Police I shot expert at the academy with the pistol. When we went to shotgun I tried to shoot right handed left eye. I couldn't hit anything. The staff didn't catch this. When I switched to right eye I shot 100%. We did no rifle training in those days.