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Sinister · 03-21-2006, 07:14

March 16, 2006
U S Army

Soldiers take home more than 100 prizes, valuable training from All-Army Small Arms Championships

Generals McNeill, Van Antwerp present awards

By Paula J. Randall Pagán
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Accessions Support Brigade

FORT BENNING, Ga. – Besides the more than 100 trophies, plaques, medals and certificates that were awarded to the Army’s top combat shooters in the All-Army Small Arms Championships, each Soldier left with something even more valuable – advanced marksmanship training. All the competitors in the All-Army Championships received advance marksmanship instruction and training materials to conduct Train-the-Trainer clinics on return to their home station.

Nearly 200 Soldiers from the active Army, Reserve and National Guard, as well as Army ROTC cadets from across the country, spent 11 grueling days of rifle and pistol competition on the ranges of Fort Benning during the matches. The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit hosted the 2006 Army Rifle and Pistol Championships in conjunction with the U.S. Army Infantry Center March 3 to 14.

“Congratulations on your achievements,” USAMU Commander LTC David J. Liwanag told the crowd of competitors at the awards ceremony March 11. “You can all say you are now better and more proficient military marksmen with the M-16 and M-9 and have doubled or tripled your effective range with Army weapons.”

The All-Army is an advanced combat marksmanship training event and competition, according to Liwanag.

“This is an excellent vehicle for those Soldiers and units reorganized into brigade combat teams and reconnaissance battalions who do not hold MOS 11 (Infantry) or 18 (Special Forces) and cannot attend the U.S. Army Sniper School,” Liwanag said. “The All-Army Matches are designed to raise the shooting proficiency of Soldiers and units across the Army by teaching advanced combat marksmanship techniques using issue rifles and pistols.”

The Soldiers competing in the matches agree. “Our marksmanship has improved drastically, probably 75 percent; we all watched as our confidence and scores increased daily,” said SGT Erin P. Thorman of Battery C, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, Okla. “We learned to move and shoot and shoot from different positions; this would definitely help us in a combat situation.”

Overall Small Arms Championships

An Army Reservist won the top prize and the title of U.S. Army Small Arms Overall Individual Champion in the All-Army Small Arms Championships March 11. All-Reserve Shooting Team member SSG Mark J. Ness of the Small Arms Readiness Group of Forest Park, Ga., won the championship by 27 points over SSG John A. Robertson of the Missouri National Guard.

MAJ Rhonda L. Bright of the Small Arms Readiness Group took third place and received her Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge, making her triple distinguished. Bright received the International Distinguished Badge and the Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 1997; only 14 Soldiers are triple distinguished, having received all three badges.

The Army Small Arms Novice Champion was SPC Shawn A. McKie of the Small Arms Readiness Group. The top drill sergeant was SFC William M. Clarke of Fort Knox, Ky., and the highest finishing cadet was Nicholas K. Roland of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ROTC.

U.S. Army Accessions Command Commanding General Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp presented the awards to the champions at the awards ceremony March 11 at Phillips Range.

“In move, shoot and communicate, we sometimes underestimate the shoot part,” Van Antwerp said. “We all leave here better than when we came. Now go back and train your people with what you’ve learned here.”

Service Pistol Championships

SSG John M. Buol of the Small Arms Readiness Group won the U.S. Army Service Pistol Championship; Robertson took second place and SSG Brent J. Lantagne of the Small Arms Readiness Group was third.

The Service Pistol Open Division Champion was MSG Keith E. Heinauer of Fort Bragg, N.C., and SSG Ryan C. Pavilanis of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, was the Novice Champion. Bright was the highest finishing female shooter in fifth place overall out of 161 competitors and Roland was the top cadet.

The 1st Army Red Team of the Small Arms Readiness Group won the U.S. Army Service Pistol Team Championship. Shooters were SFC Keith W. Pierson, Ness, Buol and McKie; SFC Sean Hartswick was the team captain and SSG John F. Arcularius was the coach.

The team from the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, took second place; shooters were Pavilanis, SFC Jared N. van Aalst, SSGs. Christopher Carter and Daniel G. Holm and SPCs Isaiah Z. Burkhart and John R. Harrison. The Pennsylvania National Guard Team finished third; shooters were 1LT Joseph W. Cotterino, SFC Kevin W. Bittenbender and SSGs William L. Foster and Michael A. Shea.

Service Rifle Championships

Ness won the U.S. Army Service Rifle Individual Championship, van Aalst took second place, and CPT David T. Cloft of the 3rd Recruiting Brigade of Fort Knox finished third.

In the Service Rifle Open Division, SFC William C. Cary of Headquarters, Small Arms Readiness and Training Section, Nebraska National Guard, was the champion and the Novice Division Champion was PFC Ying Kit Tsui of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg.

Bright was the highest finishing female shooter in 10th place overall out of 191 competitors and Cadet Michael A. Mann of Virginia Tech was the highest finishing ROTC cadet.

The Nebraska National Guard Team won the U.S. Army Service Rifle Team Championship; shooters were Cary, MSG Ronald M. Harter of the 2nd Battalion, 209th Regiment, SSG Bradley G. Huston of the 1075th Transportation Company and SGT William M. McClure of the 267th Ordnance Company. The 1st Army Red Team of the Small Arms Readiness Group took second place and the team from the 75th Ranger Regiment finished third.

Long-Range Rifle Championships

Forces Command Commanding General Dan K. McNeill presented the Long-Range awards at a ceremony officially ending the All-Army Small Arms Championships March 14 at Phillips Range.

SFC Tung Nguyen, of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, won the U.S. Army Long-Range Sniper Rifle (M24) Class Championships and McKie took the U.S. Army Long-Range Service Rifle (M14) Class Championships. The All-Army Overall Long-Range Rifle Championships was an aggregate of three matches that were fired March 12 to 14 at distances of 600, 800 and 1,000 yards at Maertens Range.

Taking second place in the Overall Long-Range Sniper Class Championships was SPC Michael A. Gerniglia of the Sniper Section of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, and MSG Michael A. Pomeroy Jr. of 2nd of the 108th Military Police Battalion, of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., finished third. Finishing in second and third place in the Long-Range Service Rifle Class were Arcularius and SFC Hubert M. Townsend of the Small Arms Readiness Group.

Nguyen won the 1,000-Yard Sniper Class Long-Range Rifle match, followed by Gerniglia in second place and Cary in third. McKie took the 1,000-Yard Service Rifle Class, SSG William C. Tomlin of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, was second and Arcularius third.

The Sniper Class winner in the 800-Yard competition was Huston; Carter took second place and MAJ Russell S. Miller of Company B, 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, Fort Bragg was third.

Townsend was the 800-Yard Service Rifle winner; SFC Eric J. Leid, an ROTC instructor at North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, Ga., finished in second place and SFC Warren Clark of the Small Arms Readiness Group took third.

CPT David Bowling of Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky., won the Sniper Class 600-Yard Long-Range Championship; McClure placed second and Nguyen was third. McKie was the Service Rifle Class winner, Arcularius was second and 1LT Will N. Eberle of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division was third.

(Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the U.S. Army, the Army Marksmanship Unit is assigned to the Accessions Support Brigade of the U.S. Army Accessions Command. The Marksmanship Unit trains its Soldiers to win competitions and enhances combat readiness through train-the-trainer clinics and small arms research and development. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, paula.pagan@usaac.army.mil or http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/amu/.)

03-21-2006, 07:14	#2
Sinister Quiet Professional Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 261	Final Report March 16, 2006 U S Army Soldiers take home more than 100 prizes, valuable training from All-Army Small Arms Championships Generals McNeill, Van Antwerp present awards By Paula J. Randall Pagán U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Accessions Support Brigade FORT BENNING, Ga. – Besides the more than 100 trophies, plaques, medals and certificates that were awarded to the Army’s top combat shooters in the All-Army Small Arms Championships, each Soldier left with something even more valuable – advanced marksmanship training. All the competitors in the All-Army Championships received advance marksmanship instruction and training materials to conduct Train-the-Trainer clinics on return to their home station. Nearly 200 Soldiers from the active Army, Reserve and National Guard, as well as Army ROTC cadets from across the country, spent 11 grueling days of rifle and pistol competition on the ranges of Fort Benning during the matches. The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit hosted the 2006 Army Rifle and Pistol Championships in conjunction with the U.S. Army Infantry Center March 3 to 14. “Congratulations on your achievements,” USAMU Commander LTC David J. Liwanag told the crowd of competitors at the awards ceremony March 11. “You can all say you are now better and more proficient military marksmen with the M-16 and M-9 and have doubled or tripled your effective range with Army weapons.” The All-Army is an advanced combat marksmanship training event and competition, according to Liwanag. “This is an excellent vehicle for those Soldiers and units reorganized into brigade combat teams and reconnaissance battalions who do not hold MOS 11 (Infantry) or 18 (Special Forces) and cannot attend the U.S. Army Sniper School,” Liwanag said. “The All-Army Matches are designed to raise the shooting proficiency of Soldiers and units across the Army by teaching advanced combat marksmanship techniques using issue rifles and pistols.” The Soldiers competing in the matches agree. “Our marksmanship has improved drastically, probably 75 percent; we all watched as our confidence and scores increased daily,” said SGT Erin P. Thorman of Battery C, 1st Battalion, 14th Field Artillery Regiment, Fort Sill, Okla. “We learned to move and shoot and shoot from different positions; this would definitely help us in a combat situation.” Overall Small Arms Championships An Army Reservist won the top prize and the title of U.S. Army Small Arms Overall Individual Champion in the All-Army Small Arms Championships March 11. All-Reserve Shooting Team member SSG Mark J. Ness of the Small Arms Readiness Group of Forest Park, Ga., won the championship by 27 points over SSG John A. Robertson of the Missouri National Guard. MAJ Rhonda L. Bright of the Small Arms Readiness Group took third place and received her Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge, making her triple distinguished. Bright received the International Distinguished Badge and the Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 1997; only 14 Soldiers are triple distinguished, having received all three badges. The Army Small Arms Novice Champion was SPC Shawn A. McKie of the Small Arms Readiness Group. The top drill sergeant was SFC William M. Clarke of Fort Knox, Ky., and the highest finishing cadet was Nicholas K. Roland of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ROTC. U.S. Army Accessions Command Commanding General Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp presented the awards to the champions at the awards ceremony March 11 at Phillips Range. “In move, shoot and communicate, we sometimes underestimate the shoot part,” Van Antwerp said. “We all leave here better than when we came. Now go back and train your people with what you’ve learned here.” Service Pistol Championships SSG John M. Buol of the Small Arms Readiness Group won the U.S. Army Service Pistol Championship; Robertson took second place and SSG Brent J. Lantagne of the Small Arms Readiness Group was third. The Service Pistol Open Division Champion was MSG Keith E. Heinauer of Fort Bragg, N.C., and SSG Ryan C. Pavilanis of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, was the Novice Champion. Bright was the highest finishing female shooter in fifth place overall out of 161 competitors and Roland was the top cadet. The 1st Army Red Team of the Small Arms Readiness Group won the U.S. Army Service Pistol Team Championship. Shooters were SFC Keith W. Pierson, Ness, Buol and McKie; SFC Sean Hartswick was the team captain and SSG John F. Arcularius was the coach. The team from the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, took second place; shooters were Pavilanis, SFC Jared N. van Aalst, SSGs. Christopher Carter and Daniel G. Holm and SPCs Isaiah Z. Burkhart and John R. Harrison. The Pennsylvania National Guard Team finished third; shooters were 1LT Joseph W. Cotterino, SFC Kevin W. Bittenbender and SSGs William L. Foster and Michael A. Shea. Service Rifle Championships Ness won the U.S. Army Service Rifle Individual Championship, van Aalst took second place, and CPT David T. Cloft of the 3rd Recruiting Brigade of Fort Knox finished third. In the Service Rifle Open Division, SFC William C. Cary of Headquarters, Small Arms Readiness and Training Section, Nebraska National Guard, was the champion and the Novice Division Champion was PFC Ying Kit Tsui of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg. Bright was the highest finishing female shooter in 10th place overall out of 191 competitors and Cadet Michael A. Mann of Virginia Tech was the highest finishing ROTC cadet. The Nebraska National Guard Team won the U.S. Army Service Rifle Team Championship; shooters were Cary, MSG Ronald M. Harter of the 2nd Battalion, 209th Regiment, SSG Bradley G. Huston of the 1075th Transportation Company and SGT William M. McClure of the 267th Ordnance Company. The 1st Army Red Team of the Small Arms Readiness Group took second place and the team from the 75th Ranger Regiment finished third. Long-Range Rifle Championships Forces Command Commanding General Dan K. McNeill presented the Long-Range awards at a ceremony officially ending the All-Army Small Arms Championships March 14 at Phillips Range. SFC Tung Nguyen, of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, won the U.S. Army Long-Range Sniper Rifle (M24) Class Championships and McKie took the U.S. Army Long-Range Service Rifle (M14) Class Championships. The All-Army Overall Long-Range Rifle Championships was an aggregate of three matches that were fired March 12 to 14 at distances of 600, 800 and 1,000 yards at Maertens Range. Taking second place in the Overall Long-Range Sniper Class Championships was SPC Michael A. Gerniglia of the Sniper Section of the 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, and MSG Michael A. Pomeroy Jr. of 2nd of the 108th Military Police Battalion, of Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., finished third. Finishing in second and third place in the Long-Range Service Rifle Class were Arcularius and SFC Hubert M. Townsend of the Small Arms Readiness Group. Nguyen won the 1,000-Yard Sniper Class Long-Range Rifle match, followed by Gerniglia in second place and Cary in third. McKie took the 1,000-Yard Service Rifle Class, SSG William C. Tomlin of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, was second and Arcularius third. The Sniper Class winner in the 800-Yard competition was Huston; Carter took second place and MAJ Russell S. Miller of Company B, 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, Fort Bragg was third. Townsend was the 800-Yard Service Rifle winner; SFC Eric J. Leid, an ROTC instructor at North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega, Ga., finished in second place and SFC Warren Clark of the Small Arms Readiness Group took third. CPT David Bowling of Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, Ky., won the Sniper Class 600-Yard Long-Range Championship; McClure placed second and Nguyen was third. McKie was the Service Rifle Class winner, Arcularius was second and 1LT Will N. Eberle of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division was third. (Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the U.S. Army, the Army Marksmanship Unit is assigned to the Accessions Support Brigade of the U.S. Army Accessions Command. The Marksmanship Unit trains its Soldiers to win competitions and enhances combat readiness through train-the-trainer clinics and small arms research and development. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, paula.pagan@usaac.army.mil or http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/amu/.)
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