DD1 expresses interest in marksmanship. She's 10.

Retired NCO (non commissioned officer--me) decides, based on previous training, to provide DD1 with air rifle & training.

DW (or D@!, depending on key/finger posisition, or attiude) argues that DD1 should learn 1) to throw a rock first (accurately) --to which I grumped, area vs. fixed target?, and to , then, learn the bow.

To me, this is back-asswards. In the military, rifle was first, followed by machine-gun, followed by pistol. In rare instances, we were trained in rocks.

It is arguable that rifles are easy to use, and rocks, difficult.

Should I train DD1 in rocks, first? Move on to flat trajectory?

I would think: rocks, slingshot, sling, Bow & arrows, BB gun & knife, pellet rifle & sword, .22cal rifle/.22cal pistol & start Martial Arts, .410ga shotgun, in that order.

THEN start with a M-79 40mm grenade launcher(grenade, willy petes, and buckshot), M-60, BMG .50cal, 20mm Oerlikon, followed by the 25mm Hughes, 40mm single, twin, or quad Bofors, 3".50cal Dahlgren up to the 16".50cal Dahlgren would be the correct order of training.

Ask me and I can tell you where you can find the large calibre stuff to play on.

If DD1 is a recruit, then rigorous training ala Wildman800.

If DD1 is a beloved volunteer, then find out what she wants and negotiate a short course of study in whatever strikes her fancy. See how it goes, consult with the vounteer, and negotiate a new short course of study. Repeat.

Find a great martial arts instructor who isn't you and support a long term comittment eventually with weapons training options, including archery.

I'd go straight for the guns! There are a few kids her age at the gun club and they really enjoy plinking around. The girls tend to shy away from guns a bit more. They are quite wide-eyed about the whole thing. And once peer pressure sets in -- well most girls don't shoot. . . . There are a few girls in the kids archery group as well. I wish I had started at 10 and not my late 30's.

I'm pretty reasonable shot with my guns, but not much of a marksman with a rock. That's because I throw like a girl (and I can say that because I am one).

My first inclination was to go straight to pellet rifles (how does one mount a bayonet on a Crossman?!), this is where I got into trouble with DW. Compared to the lowly rock, a rifle takes less practice (or skill, depending on your point of view) to grasp the fundamentals.

She's insisting that DD1 "prove" her interest in firearms by learning the basics of ballistics (rock, sling, bow, etc) first.

I'm still intrigued by such a course of study. Wildman, I like your syllabus! I'm qualified to teach the majority of the items involved (including sword--foil, epee, sabre), but will probably pass on the automatics for now, as she's 10, but will take her to a heavy weapons shoot to see if she's interested.

Nothing quite like watching a VW bug disentegrate

Your daughter is interested in something, she wants to learn it. Give her the chance to learn it.

You are basically saying; She wants to learn guitar, should I force her to go through piano lessons first? How would you like it if that was what you were told?

If she wants to shoot a rifle, teach her how to shoot a rifle... Definitely don't scare her away from it by forcing something else.

If she wants to learn more skills, then go from there...

She asked to learn how to shoot, not to become a weapons expert, much less an MI or an Operative from the Freehold of Grainne.

Let'er try shooting.

+1 on above - do what she ( your daughter) wants. Pick up the other skills later.

Sounds like a great idea to me!