Vermont Guard holds annual TAG Match

Courtesy Photo | The Adjutant General's Match took place this weekend at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vt. On Sunday, competitors were presented with their awards in the each category. The 158th Security Forces Squadron took home the Commander's Cup at the end of the competition. (U.S. Army National Guard Photos by Staff Sgt. Nathan Rivard)  

SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT, UNITED STATES

11.08.2015

Story by Airman 1st Class Dana Alyce-Schwarz 

158th Fighter Wing

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The crack of gunfire cuts through the air at the Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vt., as the marksmen of the Vermont Air and Army National Guard take their shot at the annual Adjutant General match.

Vermont Guardsmen have been competing in TAG matches since the 1960s, serving as both a competition and as training qualification. The CEATS firing range is a fully certified course and this allows service members to submit their score for any weapon qualification required for their military career.

For some members this was their first time, while others such as Senior Airman Nicolas Poirier, a crew chief with the Vermont Air National Guard, have been competing for over a year or more.

“The TAG match is great because it’s nice to have a local event,” Poirier said. “It’s an open and friendly competition and we get to do extra duty outside of our regular mission tasks. I’m hoping to soon move from here to competing on regional and national levels.”

With more than 300 Guardsmen in attendance 2015 is the largest the TAG match has been. Choosing from one of four weapon disciplines; pistol, assault rifle, machine gun and sniper rifle, members compete both individually and as four-person teams.

“This is a great opportunity for anyone to participate,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Cara Krauss, an administration officer with the Vermont Army National Guard. “I encourage anyone to come out and try it, we have a wide variety of competitors some of whom prepare all year and others who don’t get to shoot as often so it’s very open and welcoming to all skill levels. It’s a wonderful chance to build a sense of esprit de corps with your unit and comrades.”

At the end of the competition the results of each event were tallied and the squadron with the highest overall score is awarded the Commander’s Trophy. The VTANG Security Forces Squadron was announced the winners, adding 2015 to their history of victories having won this award more than 12 times in the past 15 years. This year the pistol team, consisting of Master Sgts. Jason Rock, Chad Crowningshield, John Hogan and Eric Evans, took first place in every event for their discipline.

• Date Taken: 11.08.2015
• Date Posted: 11.09.2015 13:17
• Story ID: 181430
• Location: SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT, US