Every Marine has called a rifle his own. He has memorized a serial number, “gone around the world” performing rifle manual, and kept his faithful companion safe against his body during cold nights in the field. Every Marine is a rifleman; however, few put thought into what goes into every rifle he holds.

The Marines at The Basic School armory work behind the scenes to make sure every weapon they issue, including rifles, are in peak form.

“Our mission is to provide support for the lieutenants,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Bitterman, operations chief for TBS armory. “With everything we do we’re looking to put out the best warfighter possible.”

TBS’ armory is the third largest armory in the Marine Corps, containing thousands of weapons ranging from 9mm Beretta pistols to 81mm mortar tubes. Along with the thousands of weapons, thousands of optics are accounted for as well.

“Every rifle in here has a Rifle Combat Optic attached. The Squad Automatic Weapons have Squad Day Optics on them and the M240Bs have Medium Day Optics. It’s thousands of optics, and that doesn’t even include the ones that aren’t mounted,” said Bitterman.

Each month an extensive inventory is done on the vast assets in the armory including verifying serial numbers and setting eyes on each piece of weaponry and the optics.

Also behind the armory’s thick security doors, a team of technicians work diligently repairing weapons all day. One of those technicians, Cpl. Ryan Halstead, a small arms technician, was assigned to support an Infantry Officers Course- where lieutenants chosen to lead infantry units are refined.

The Marines at TBS armory serve as armorers to individual companies, according to Bitterman. The armory Marines are assigned to exercises from rifle ranges to the Infantry Officers Course.

“If any weapons go down during training, I’ll single it out and try to fix it,” Halstead said as his right hand clutched the charging handle of a downed M240B. With his palm to the sky, he quickly pulled back and slid the operating group - the guts of the weapon - smoothly from the receiver for inspection.

Halstead said many of the issues he sees are easy fixes, but since the weapons are constantly being used, something always comes up.

“Coming out to support the lieutenants teaches you what makes certain things break and go wrong. There are telltale signs like dented rounds or repeated jamming that will give it away every time,” Halstead said.

Each weapon supplied needs to be safe and serviceable, according to Gunnery Sgt. Timothy Hunter, armory chief for The Basic School armory.

 “What makes you good at this job is being able to predict what may go bad before it does,” said Hunter.

That is why, even before any weapon is fired during any training evolution, a technician like Halstead performs a pre-fire inspection to make sure the armory is putting out consistent and reliable weapons, but when things go wrong, the armorers are on the case.

Alongside their primary support mission, the Marines of TBS armory are some of the first enlisted Marines new lieutenants work with. Not only the corporals and sergeants in the unit are involved, but the lance corporals and privates first class, as well.

“[Our Marines] set the bar for what a lance corporal or Pfc. can be like in the fleet,” Hunter said. “Other units help paint the picture, too, but the armory Marines are some of the first.”

The work of Marines in the armory is an important part of TBS’ training. Without them, the weapons would fall into disrepair and break down. Their behind-the-scenes work keeps guns in the fight and rounds flying downrange in typical Marine Corps fashion.