Photo By Maj. Theresa Austin | Command Sgt. Maj. Billy Ward (left), resident of Helena, Ark., accepts the NCO Sword...... read more read more
ROBINSON MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Arkansas – A resident of Helena, Ark. and native of Hughes, Ark. assumes responsibility of a national training center located on Robinson Maneuver Training Center, North Little Rock, Ark., at a ceremony there on Saturday, November 5, 2016.
Command Sgt. Maj. Billy Ward takes responsibility of the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center, which is the National Guard’s center for advanced marksmanship training and competitive shooting programs.
Ward currently works fulltime for Phillips Community College, Helena, Ark., as the STEM Advising Specialist. He enlisted in the Arkansas Army National Guard on February 20, 1981 as a combat engineer in the 875th Engineer Battalion. He progressed through the ranks and was selected for Command Sgt. Maj. of the 875th Engineer Battalion on October 1, 2003. Together, they deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on June 1, 2006. His most recent assignment was Command Sgt. Maj. of the 87th Troop Command.
The NGMTC is home to three advanced marksmanship schools: The Small Arms Weapons Expert course, the Squad Designated Marksman course, and the Sniper course.
The Small Arms Weapons Expert course teaches students the foundational knowledge of all small arms used by the Army, as well as how to administer effective marksmanship training. The Squad Designated Marksman course teaches soldiers to accurately engage targets from the 300 to 600-yard range.
The Sniper course teaches marksmanship skills beyond the 600-yard range and trains soldiers how to collect intelligence in the field environment. It is one of only two Sniper schools supporting the entire Army, with the other at Fort Benning, Ga.
The NGMTC is also the proponent for the National Guard competitive marksmanship teams, known as the All Guard teams. The competitions program supplements marksmanship training through competition. The All Guard teams compete, nationally as well as internationally, as representatives of the National Guard. They also support multiple training clinics and small arms firing schools across the U.S.
December drill will be Ward’s first full weekend as the unit’s newest Command Sgt. Maj. as he replaces outgoing Command Sgt. Maj. “Greg” Doster.
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2016 15:48 |
| Story ID: | 214178 |
| Location: | ROBINSON MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, AR, US |
| Hometown: | HELENA, AR, US |
| Web Views: | 69 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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