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    Spencer soldier serves locally in Bloomington, statewide in Guard

    Spencer soldier serves locally in Bloomington, statewide in Guard

    Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Erin Bossen | Indiana Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Nikki Wood, a 38th Infantry Division...... read more read more

    EDINBURGH, IN, UNITED STATES

    10.24.2020

    Story by Staff Sgt. Erin Bossen 

    38th Infantry Division

    Indiana Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Nikki Wood, a 38th Infantry Division intelligence noncommissioned officer from Spencer, Indiana, brings infantry experience to range qualification day providing tips and techniques for the new rifle marksmanship qualification standards during drill weekend, October 25, 2020.

    Wood serves in the 38th Infantry Division as the signal intelligence noncommissioned officer and a Bloomington police officer.

    Wood served in 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, allowing him to provide insight into the new qualification standards.

    “I actually think it’s an improvement. It's a more realistic qualification than the one before because we are practicing moving, changing positions, quicker reloads are more realistic to what we would see in an actual fight,” Wood said.

    Before soldiers qualify on their weapons they zero them by aligning the sights to provide accuracy when firing.

    "I think overall, the new zero structure will allow people to zero a little faster. But a confident shooter, that would usually zero in 20 rounds, is going to give them a little more practice which isn’t a bad thing,” Wood said.
    Wood plans on staying until retirement and encourages others to look into the benefits provided for Indiana National Guard soldiers.

    “I joined initially because I wanted to do something that was bigger than myself. I did get out of active duty for a year and realized civilian life isn’t all that it is cracked up to be and I didn’t feel any sense of service that wasn’t too myself. So I joined back in, reenlisted last year for two years and I plan on staying the full twenty. I stay in because I do like the uniform, I like most of the people in the uniform, and honestly, as a married Soldier with kids the benefits to serving go beyond the insurance,” said Wood.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.24.2020
    Date Posted: 10.26.2020 08:38
    Story ID: 381703
    Location: EDINBURGH, IN, US
    Hometown: BLOOMINGTON, IN, US
    Hometown: SPENCER, IN, US

    Web Views: 104
    Downloads: 0

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