▁a ▁not - for - pro fit ▁corpor ation ▁char tered ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁instruct ▁citizens ▁in ▁mark sm ans hip ▁and ▁promote ▁practice ▁and ▁safety ▁in ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁fire ar ms . ▁The ▁group ▁holds ▁a ▁con gression al ▁char ter ▁under ▁Title ▁ 3 6 ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Code . ▁From ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁C MP ▁was ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁Civil ian ▁Mark sm ans hip ▁( DC M ), ▁a ▁position ▁first ▁within ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁War ▁and ▁later ▁in ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁the ▁Army . ▁The ▁DC M ▁was ▁normally ▁an ▁active - d ut y ▁Army ▁colon el . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁an ▁effort ▁by ▁the ▁South ▁Korean ▁government ▁to ▁export ▁about ▁ 8 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁fire ar ms ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁including ▁ 8 7 , 0 0 0 ▁M 1 ▁rif les , ▁for ▁event ual ▁sale ▁to ▁civ ili ans , ▁was ▁initially ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁Ob ama ▁administration , ▁but ▁it ▁later ▁blocked ▁the ▁sale ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁A ▁State ▁Department ▁sp okes man ▁said ▁the ▁administration ' s ▁decision ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁concerns ▁that ▁the ▁guns ▁could ▁fall ▁into ▁the ▁wrong ▁hands ▁and ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁criminal ▁activity . ▁However , ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the