Navy’s Backward Scope Blunder Sparks Online Mockery

The U.S. Navy found itself in the crosshairs of public opinion this week after sharing an image that showed Commander Cameron Yaste, executive officer aboard the USS John S. McCain, firing a rifle.

The photo was initially shared on the Navy’s official Instagram page, with a caption that read, “From engaging in practice gun shoots, conducting maintenance, testing fuel purity and participating in sea and anchor details, the #USNavy is always ready to serve and protect.”

However, it wasn’t long before keen-eyed observers spotted a glaring error in the image that was taken on March 24. Some noted that the foregrip on the rifle seemed to be farther from the center than it should be, while others found fault with Yaste’s stance or his decision to shoot on a three-round burst.

The most glaring error, however, was the fact that the scope on the rifle was mounted backward, with the cap still on. This prompted a wave of memes and mockery online, eventually leading the Navy to remove the post from its Instagram page.

Once the image was shared, it wasn’t long before the jokes started to roll in. Memes were created, with other branches of the military also joining the fray, sharing images of their own service members firing rifles with properly mounted scopes.

The National Guard posted an image of two guardsmen firing rifles with just a side-eyes emoji as the caption.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Marine Corps shared a photo of Marines assigned to Bravo Company, conducting a live-fire deck shoot aboard the U.S. Navy’s USS Boxer. The Marines’ post was aptly captioned, “Clear Sight Picture.”

The military comedy Instagram page, @dearmomimdead, also chimed in with a post that read, “HEY NAVY. I FIXED UR SH!T…,” direct, and perhaps less charitable than the posts shared by the USMC and the National Guard.

Despite the humor, Task and Purpose made it clear that the U.S. Navy “is without equal on the open seas” and is more than capable of obliterating America’s foes when playing to its strengths.

However, they also noted, “If an engagement calls for rifles, Marines will be there to help them out.” Task and Purpose then provided a visual indication of how the scope should have been mounted.

Even lawmakers had their say on the matter. Representative Mike Collins (R-Ga.) shared an image of a gun with the barrel pointed toward the would-be shooter, writing, “Navy’s newly issued sidearm.”

Though many found the humor in the situation, others saw it as a concerning sign, with one user noting, “We’re going to lose a major war.”

An archive of now-deleted images on the Department of Defense’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service shows that Yaste posed with the rifle on at least two other occasions, with the scope correctly mounted.

In response to the online discourse, the Navy noted, “Thank you for pointing out our rifle scope error in the previous post. [The] picture has been removed until EMI [extra military instruction] is completed! #Readiness.”

Stars and Stripes pointed out that EMI is defined by the Navy as “instruction in a phase of military duty in which an individual is deficient, and is intended for and directed towards the correction of that deficiency.”

Commander Yaste, despite the error in the photo, has a notable service record. He previously served as division officer aboard the USS Bataan, as weapons and executive officer aboard Patrol Coastal crew HOTEL, and as combat systems and weapons officer aboard the USS Hopper.

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