Editing John Allen Muhammad (section)

==Military service==
In August 1978, Muhammad enlisted in the [[Louisiana Army National Guard]] at [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]] as a [[combat engineer]]. He transferred to the Regular Army on November 6, 1985, and was trained as a mechanic, truck driver and specialist metalworker. He qualified with the Army's standard rifle, the [[M16 (rifle)|M16]], earning the [[Marksmanship Badge (United States)|Expert Rifleman's Badge]]. This is the Army's highest of three levels of basic rifle marksmanship for a soldier.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://alextizon.com/2002/11/john-muhammad%E2%80%99s-meltdown|title=John Muhammad's Meltdown: The Story of the Beltway Sniper|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|last=Tizon|first=Alex|date=November 10, 2002|access-date=October 25, 2013}}</ref>

Muhammad's first tour was with the [[15th Engineer Battalion (United States)|15th Engineer Battalion]] at [[Fort Lewis (Washington)|Fort Lewis]] in 1985. In 1991, he served in the [[Gulf War]] with a company that dismantled [[Iraqi chemical weapons program|Iraqi chemical warfare]] rockets, service for which he received the [[Southwest Asia Service Medal]], the [[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)]] and the [[Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Tackett|first=Michael|date=October 25, 2002|title=The Suspects|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2002/10/25/the-suspects-2/|work=[[The Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=June 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=October 24, 2002|title=Sniper Suspect's Military Service Details Released|url=http://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=42571|work=Department of Defense|access-date=June 30, 2017|archive-date=September 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902091426/http://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=42571|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1992, he was at [[Fort Ord]], California, with the 13th Engineers and in 1993 was back at Fort Lewis with the [[14th Engineer Battalion]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Hess|first=Pamela|date=October 24, 2002|title=DC sniper suspect 'expert' Army marksman|url=http://www.upi.com/DC-sniper-suspect-expert-Army-marksman/92261035492262|work=UPI|access-date=June 30, 2017}}</ref>

Muhammad was honorably discharged from the Army with the rank of [[sergeant]] on April 26, 1994, after 16 years of service. He received the following awards: [[Army Service Ribbon]], [[National Defense Service Medal]], [[Overseas Service Ribbon|Overseas Ribbon]], [[Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon|Noncommissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon]] and [[Achievement Medal|Army Achievement Medal]].<ref>{{cite news|author=<!-- none listed-->|title=Muhammad Had 17-Year Army Career|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/muhammad-had-17-year-army-career|work=[[Fox News]]|date=October 25, 2002|access-date=June 30, 2017|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>