COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Four members of the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Shooting Team, based out of California, celebrated the completion of five days of intense shooting competition at the awards banquet for the 52nd Annual Interservice Pistol Championships here, June 17.
The MCAS Miramar Pistol Team competed against the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island Shooting Team, based out of South Carolina, and the South Carolina National Guard Shooting Team.
Although the South Carolina National Guard team won the best post or station team awards, the Marine Corps Pistol Team, which represents the Marine Corps as a whole, earned more than a dozen bronze and silver awards for individual and team shooting events.
The Marine Corps sent 20 of the 81 total competitors to test their skills during the week-long event.
The young Miramar team faced a unique challenge at the championships – three of the four competing members had never been to an interservice pistol match before.
“I feel like I can come back next year even better,” said Lance Cpl. Eric Goodwin, a member of the MCAS Miramar Shooting Team. “Now I can really prepare for success.”
Master Sgt. Lee Duncan, captain of the MCAS Miramar Pistol Team, explained that interservice championships are more difficult because they pit the military’s best marksmen from every branch against each other.
“The experience we got here will help us at the interservice rifle championships next month,” said Duncan, a San Antonio native. “Miramar has had past success as a station team at the interservice rifle matches and we’re hoping to continue that.”
Duncan explained that the time Marines spend practicing and competing with their station teams significantly enhances their marksmanship skills and gives them more time handling weapons they wouldn’t have otherwise.
In addition to gaining valuable marksmanship experience, Marines who participate with the competition teams also get the opportunity to earn distinguished marksmanship badges.
Marines who are interested in joining the Miramar shooting team can contact Duncan at (858)577-7241.