Subscribe
According to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit website, the U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is a comprehensive live-fire training event that tests Soldiers’ ability to employ both primary and secondary weapon systems, problem solve and think critically under the stressors created by competition.
The competition is scheduled to take place March 12-18 at Fort Benning, Ga.
“We can bring up to 12 Soldiers down to this competition, and we had exactly 12 show up for selection,” said Staff Sgt. John Brady, the Light Fighters School’s competitions noncommissioned officer in charge and head coach of the 10th Mountain Division small arms team.
This is Brady’s third year coaching Soldiers for this particular competition.
The team will train over the next two months leading up to the competition, which Brady said will include engaging targets with an M4 Carbine from five meters out to 500 yards, as well as engaging targets with a Beretta M9 pistol from five yards out to 50 yards. Firing iterations will vary from slow-fire stages with time limits of up to 20 minutes for 10 rounds to multi-gun stages involving transitions from M9 to M4.
The competition will involve “steel targets and close engagements with the heart rate up and full kit,” using combat-oriented scenarios, Brady said.
As far as making the team, Brady said that he looks for natural ability and a general interest or passion for shooting. However, he added that his most important requirement is that the Soldiers represent the division well.
“That’s the No. 1 thing,” Brady said. “When we go down to Benning, they see our patch. They see 10th Mountain Division.”
Brady pointed out that a unique part of this competition compared to other shooting competitions is that any U.S. Soldier can compete, regardless of rank or military occupational specialty.
The newest member of the Army Family on the team is Pvt. Colton Crist, an indirect fire infantryman of 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, who said he seized the opportunity to try out for the team after hearing about it from Soldiers in his unit.
“I just feel lucky to be here around this group of guys,” Crist said, “and I feel like it’s a great chance for me to get some experience.”
Crist said he grew up in Nevada, where he did a lot of hunting and shooting for recreation before joining the Army. Combining the Army’s marksmanship training methods with his own learned skills has helped him to become a better marksman.
“I broke some really bad habits,” he said. “One of the biggest things was my breathing.”
Proper breathing is described as being the difference maker as well for Sgt. Landon Meekma, sniper team leader with 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team.
“Control your breathing and everything works together as one,” Meekma said. “If you control your breathing, then your heart rate will slow down.”
Meekma said he was asked by his unit to participate after returning from sniper school. He volunteered with expectations to win.
“I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t plan on winning,” he said.
Brady is harnessing the competitive nature of these Soldiers with the goal of not only putting their skills up against other troops, but also creating a stronger Army.
“‘Competition breeds excellence’ is a common phrase people use,” he said. “They are going to come back and be some of the best shooters in the U.S. Army because they put the time and effort into this.”
Brady has one request: more participation from units across the division.
“Having a pool of Soldiers to grab from for different competitions would be my ultimate goal here,” he explained, adding “just to have that competitive spirit and show that 10th Mountain Division is the tip of the spear with the best shooters in the Army.”
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2017 15:24 |
| Story ID: | 221531 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 10th Mountain Division selects shooters for U.S. Army Small Arms Competition, by SFC Nicholas Farina, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT