Tulsan Wins Award For Marine Corps Pistol Competition

Corporal Joseph Morris is one of this year's Walsh Trophy winners.

The winners of this award must have the highest score in the Marine Corps Individual Pistol Match.

"We train consistently all day long," Morris said.

Corporal Morris is from Tulsa, but he and his family are stationed in Quantico, Virginia. Morris started his career as a motor transportation marine, driving trucks and doing logistics.

"They needed more personnel over there to help spread this information and teach this new curriculum that we're teaching to help advance the marksmanship of the Marine Corps," Morris said.

Now he's a marksmanship coach and part of the shooting team.

He says he dreamed of being in marksmanship and once he got that opportunity, he felt like he was reaching his potential in the Marine Corps.

"We're constantly researching, studying, and talking to the professionals trying to figure out what the newest cutting-edge techniques are for training. And how we can get better and faster and constantly teaching each other and pushing each other to get better," Morris said.

He says one of his favorite things about his job is taking things he's learned and applying them in a curriculum-based setting to help other marines.

Corporal Morris's wife, Amanda Morris, and their family are very proud of him.

"I think that what he does is not only important because he's teaching and training the Marines today to be better and more effective shooters to where if they were to be in combat, they would be able to execute their job at a higher precision with the training that he receives and teaches them,” Morris said.

Corporal Morris and his family said they plan to move back to Tulsa when he gets out of the Marines in 2024. He says he is very passionate about his job and is honored by the recognition.